Barack Obama to speak in Halifax on Nov. 13
Former U.S. president being brought to Halifax by the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council and partners
Former United States president Barack Obama is coming to Halifax this fall to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, a group that supports co-ops and credit unions.
The council, along with its partner Credit Unions of Atlantic Canada and other business sponsors, made the announcement Monday morning.
Obama will speak Nov. 13 at the Scotiabank Centre, said council president and CEO Dianne Kelderman.
"We are planning one, big, incredibly powerful Atlantic Canada event as a culmination of our 70th anniversary," she said.
"We have a special, a very special, guest speaker who has agreed to be with us for this once-in-a-lifetime evening. We are thrilled to announce that our keynote speaker is the one, the only, President Barack Obama."
Pricey event
Since Obama's presidency ended in January 2017, he's become a big name on the paid speaking circuit. This year, he sold out venues in Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Calgary.
He is scheduled to speak in Montreal, his second speech in the city since leaving the White House, on Nov. 14, the day after his appearance in Halifax.
Tickets for the Canadian events started at $75 and prices went as high as hundreds of dollars. Tickets have not yet gone on sale for Obama's Halifax engagement.
Monday's announcement was made with the fanfare and excitement reserved for big-name celebrities.
"When you think about the kind of community that we live in and the community we aspire to be, could there be a better person to come and meet with us?" said Mike Leonard, senior vice-president of the Atlantic Central credit union.
"President Obama was renowned for ability to galvanize communities and bring communities together. And when you think of who we want to be, I can't think of a better person to spend time with us."