Former U.S. President Barack Obama waves to the crowd following a speech before the Montreal Board of Trade Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in Montreal.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama waves to the crowd following a speech before the Montreal Board of Trade Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in Montreal.
Photo Credit: PC / Paul Chiasson

Trudeau and Obama continue their ‘bromance’ with dinner at Montreal eatery

Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama kept their bromance alive and got a chance to rekindle their friendship during a dinner date at a trendy Montreal eatery Tuesday evening.

Prime Minister Trudeau took the former U.S. president out for dinner at Liverpool House, following Obama’s speech to a sold out audience of more than 6,000 people at Montreal’s Palais des Congrès convention centre.

The Obama Foundation tweeted a picture of Trudeau and Obama sitting face to face in the restaurant, saying the two leaders “discussed their shared commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.”

“How do we get young leaders to take action in their communities? Thanks @BarackObama for your visit & insights tonight in my hometown,” Trudeau tweeted in turn.

David McMillan, a well-known Montreal chef and the owner of Liverpool House, told CBC News that the two men spoke alone for about 30 minutes before they were joined by aides.

“It seemed lighthearted and funny. It didn’t seem like world affairs were being discussed,” McMillan said in an interview with Daybreak host Mike Finnerty.

Outside the well-guarded restaurant in Montreal’s St-Henri neighbourhood, crowds waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the two men.

They got what they waited for after Trudeau and Obama emerged from the restaurant. The two men hugged and said their goodbyes before Obama drove off.

This was Obama’s first visit to Montreal. The 44th president of the United States last visited Canada while on a state visit to Ottawa in June 2016.

Trudeau missed Obama’s keynote speech in Montreal but it was attended by several other dignitaries.

Quebec Premier Phillippe Couillard, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, former U.S. ambassador Bruce Heyman, federal Heritage Minister Melanie Joly and Minister of Transport Marc Garneau were among the attendees of the event organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM).

Obama’s wide-ranging speech touched on the threat of climate change, immigration and the widening global gap between the rich and poor.

With files from CBC News

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