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Barack Obama, the former U.S. president, delivered his trademark message of hope on everything from climate change to the state of democracy in a major address organized by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

Obama told the sold-out crowd of more than 6,000 that although this is a time of great disruption, as the world faces the scourge of terrorism, greater inequality in the face of globalization and a rising populist backlash, the best chance for a more prosperous future is still the international order that has been in place since the Second World War.

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That includes free trade, the market economy, and the social welfare state that gives people equal opportunity, Obama said, along with the rule of law, immigration and international cooperation.

“The United States and Canada helped to lead that effort, cooperated to make the world a more secure, just and prosperous place,” he said. “Our history together, our efforts together, speak to a common set of values.