In these darkening times, thousands in Montreal are expected to attend a speech today by former U.S. president Barack Obama, looking for a bit of hope from the man who turned that elusive feeling into a political trademark.

Obama is scheduled to deliver a 30-minute speech around 5:40 p.m. at the Palais des Congrès, a convention centre in downtown Montreal, before taking part in a question-and-answer session.

The event's 6,000 tickets sold out in less than a half-hour last month. Their online resale value has since tripled, with some going for close to $1,600.

Among those who managed to snap up a ticket is Sabrina Jafralie, a high school ethics and religious culture teacher who made the trip to Washington for Obama's inauguration in 2008.

"I'm hoping he will have a lot of good words for the city of Montreal, for our birthday, something hopeful," Jafralie said. "If anything, Barack Obama is really good at encouraging through his words and being an encouraging person."

CBC Montreal will have full coverage of Barack Obama's speech later today. The event will be live streamed on our website and on our Facebook page beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.

We will also live blog the speech.

Getting political again

After leaving office in January, Obama took an extended vacation.

Photos of him smiling broadly while kite-surfing and yachting set the internet alight as Americans — and the rest of the world — adjusted to a Donald Trump presidency.

Obama took an extended vacation after leaving office in January. But in recent weeks, the former U.S. leader has been on a speaking tour. (Jack Brockway/Virgin)

But more recently Obama has embarked on an international speaking tour — and he hasn't shied away from criticizing his successor.

While ex-presidents generally tread cautiously when it comes to commenting on White House politics, Obama has signalled he won't stay silent as Trump moves to undo some of his signature achievements.

He called out Trump and his fellow Republicans last month for attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the health-care law more commonly known as Obamacare.

And last week, Obama issued a brief but scathing statement in response to Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris climate agreement. In his statement, Obama decried the "the absence of American leadership" and accused the Trump administration of opting to "reject the future."

Inspirational figure

For many, America's first black president remains an inspirational figure, someone who represents the best the U.S. has to offer.

Montrealer Selena Isles says Barack Obama's presidency was important both historically and culturally. (Submitted by Selena Isles) "[His presidency] was really important historically; it was really important culturally," said Montrealer Selena Isles.

"Both from my perspective of being a black woman and being a mother of a young boy, it showed that anything is possible."

Isles wasn't able to buy a ticket to today's speech; they sold out too fast. But she plans to head down to the Palais des Congrès anyway, if only to soak up the atmosphere.

"Whether you're into politics or not, people want to hear him speak," said Isles, a yoga teacher.

"People want to be in his presence. People want to be around him, and they want to hear him speak, and they want to hear him laugh, and they want to hear his corny jokes, and they want to hear what he thinks."