Obama stresses climate change at talk in Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Barack Obama is warning we only have a 20 year window to make progress on climate change but humans are clever enough that if we start now, it can be done.

“I’m an old fashioned guy, I believe in the facts and the fact is our planet is getting warmer,” he told a crowd of about 3,500 at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Tuesday as the city’s iconic mountains faced him through the floor-to-ceiling window.

“This is coming and I have two daughters and within their lifetime they will see these affects.”

The former U.S. President was in Vancouver for his third Canadian stop of his “A Conversation with President Barack Obama” tour. He had visited Calgary earlier on Tuesday, addressing a much larger crowd of about 15,000 and Winnipeg Monday night, talking to about 13,500.

“You’re really showing off with this venue,” he said after first stepping onto the stage, following a standing ovation welcome.

Climate change one of several topics the 44th President of the U.S. dove into, first reflecting on his eight years as President after being prompted by moderator Iain Black, President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, which hosted the event.

“Those first six months were extraordinarily intense,” Obama said after referencing the economic downturn when he first moved into the White House as a low point.

A high point: Obamacare, “It’s still hanging in there,” he joked. He added he hopes Americans will one day take for granted the healthcare system Canadians do.

The relationship between Canada and the U.S. was a highlight throughout Obama’s talk. He called the two countries “cousins.”

“I could walk around this place and immediately feel at home,” he said. “It’s colder here and generally your hockey’s a little bit better.”

Obama made further jokes when talking about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s attempts to discuss lumber during his last few months as President.

“Dude, I got Syria… Paris Accord… Iran… nuclear deal. Really? This is how you want to spend our time?”

While Obama made vague reference to current U.S. President Donald Trump when talking about making fact-based decisions and leadership that’s trotted as “old-style beating your chest, being louder, being noisier, being self-centred,” one of the only times he actually said Trump’s name was when discussing the Republican VP nomination of Sarah Palin prior to the 2009 election.

“I think people will look back at that as an important moment in American politics,” he said “It paved the way to Trump’s presidency.”

Obama said the nomination was the moment when what was considered the establishment or mainstream Republicans lost control of the party.

Besides climate change, another concern Obama said he had was the growing gap between the poor and the rich, especially with new economies in technology which are engines for wealth but have some feeling left behind.

“You don’t have shared experience and civic trust that allows democracy to thrive and you get extreme political movements and reaction,” he said.

Rounding out the hour-long conversation, Obama focused on leadership and words of advice to young, upcoming leaders.

“Creating a culture of integrity within the organization, it involves putting diverse sets of people in a room so you get a broad set of insight,” he said.

“Best leaders are typically really good at empowering the people around them.”

Many people leaving the conversation said they felt inspired and filled with hope.

“Really, really spoke to the young people of today and what they could do to make a difference in communities and the lives of other people,” said AJ Singh, who attended the talk. “Really inspirational, I think President Barack Obama, he inspired a lot of individuals today, empowered them.”

This isn’t the only visit to Vancouver by an Obama this month. Michelle Obama, who Barack called “fiercely intelligence, funny, charming, obviously gorgeous,” is coming to the city on March 21 as part of her book tour.