Obama questions America's ability to stave off crisis in otherwise cheery, laid back speech to Winnipeg crowd

Without mentioning his successor by name, former U.S. president Barack Obamatold a sold-out Winnipeg crowd he wasn't sure his country hasthe leadership to resist troubles like a major recession.

"If we had a crisis today, I'm concerned that we,at least in the United States,may not be in the habit of trying to figure things out in a common sense, practical way," Obama said on Monday night.

In front of 13,500 people, the popular 44th president of the United States made only indirect criticisms of the current administration and its perceived reliance on passions over facts, preferring instead to reflect on his time in office, the rise ofextremistsentiments and his admiration for the younger generation.

A chipper, often humourous,Obama spent 65 minutes answering questionson the first stop ofhis Canadian speaking tour, "A Conversation with PresidentBarackObama," which wassponsored by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. He will speak again Tuesday in Calgary and Vancouver.

Wearing his signaturenavy blue suit,sans tie, Obamawas treated like a rock star as he walked on stage touproariousapplause from aBell MTS Place crowdwhopaid as much as $500 to see him.

"It's a great day to be in Winnipeg," Obama said triumphantly, as he reclined on hisarmchair.

He quipped about Winnipeg'scoldsucking his face inwards, and took a shot atmoderatorMichael Burns, the former CEO of theInvictusGames in Toronto, for joking that people from Toronto saw no reason to visit Winnipeg.

Obama then referencedthe local hockey club, after meetingowner Mark Chipmanearlier in the day.

"The Blackhawks are in last place but our captain is from Winnipeg, Jonathan Toews," he told the audience. "Thank you Winnipegfor that great gift."

Burns moved through a slideshowof photos from Obama's life, ranging fromchildhood memoriesto hisinauguration.

By way of background, Burns told the crowd that Obama, the first African-American president in U.S. history, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"Allegedly," Obama shot back, referencing the conspiracy he wasn't American by birth.

America's better together

He said Hawaii most resembles the American melting pot, and it's where he learned that more unitesAmericans than dividesthem.

"People are all the same.Wherever you go, people have common hopes, common dreams, similar aspirations and struggles," Obama said. "Colour, ethnicity, nationality they really are constructs. They scratch the surface, they don't mean much."

He said racism is a powerful fault line in American discourse and those impulsesflare up in periods of economic unrest.

Obama spoke often of his hope in the younger generation. He tries to meet youth in every city he visits, including before his Winnipeg show, he said.

"Younger peopleare trying to get away from the baggage that us older folks hoist on them, and that makes me feel optimistic," he said.

He said the polarization running rampant in politics today can be stifled if people rise up against it.

"If citizens insist on better politics, if citizens insist on integrity, if citizens insist on facts and if citizens participate, that's how change happens," he said.

Speaking of his own administration, Obama said his team'sbest attributes was their commitment to the greater good and theviewpointsthey brought. Obamawasn't afraid of someone other than him being the smartest in the room, he said.

"Imade it a habit of not being afraid to say, 'I don'tknow what you're talking about,'" he said.

Make women decision-makers

He drewthe night's loudest applausewhen he said you cannot runa good organization if women are not at the table.

"Ifat this day andage, you don't have some racial diversity andthe perspectives of those who may know what it's like to be on the outside looking in, you're probably going to be missing the boat," Obama said.

He said progressives are notexemplary in this regard.

A smattering of people where "everybody is politically woke, eats granola and drive aPrius" shouldn't be discussing our reliance on fossil fuels without hearing from a person driving 50 miles each day to get to work.

"That's a kind of diversity, as well, that is sometimes missing."

Asked of his dealings with Trudeau and Harper, Obama paused briefly and the crowd chuckled.

He gently chided his audience for reading too much into his silence.

"You should be accustomed by now to these pausesIhave," he said through a smirk."It's a weird way I talk."

Afterwards, he said his relationships with both prime ministers were terrific, but he was more closely aligned with Trudeau, who he saw as an "inheriter of a proud progressive tradition."

He could have done without all the bickering over lumber disputes, from eitherprime minister.

"You do have that whole Canadian thing that certain things are really important to you that nobody cares about," Obama said to the crowd, now laughing.

While he didn't discount the troubles the world is facing, Obama reminded theaudience that society has never been more tolerant, more inclusive and less violent than it is today.

His words were encouraging to the young people in the crowd.

"It made me feel like I'm not crazy," said Michael Redhead Champagne, an Indigenous activist. "For him to direct his message specifically to young people organizing outside of the system ... I think that's really powerful for him to do that."

Allen Khirman, a recent high school graduate, expected a little more from Obama.

"All I learned was what I learned in elementary school, which was treat people nicely," he said. "I don't think we need Barack Obama to come talk about that."