Obama quotes from former U.S. president’s Montreal appearance

MONTREAL – Former U.S. president Barack Obama held a question-and-answer session after a speech to the Montreal Board of Trade on Tuesday. Here are some quotes from that exchange:

Economy:

“The advent of globalization and technology can continue to produce great wealth but it can also skew how distribution of that wealth takes place, both between nations and within nations.”

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Environment:

“We’re going to have act with more urgency and I’m looking forward to the United States being a leader, and not just on the sidelines, on this issue going forward.”

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China:

“It is good for the world that China has advanced and that their economy has done well because millions of people have been lifted out of poverty…Now, there are times where the Chinese government acts in ways that are entirely self-interested to our detriment and we have to be very firm with them if they’re manipulating currencies or they’re not protecting intellectual property for U.S. companies or Canadian companies that are investing in China.”

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Europe:

“Europe not only saw a wall come down, German reunification, peace between previously mortal enemies, but created unprecedented prosperity for an entire continent. That should not be thrown away lightly. Now, there have to be adjustments that are going to be difficult. The euro was an appealing idea but, in execution, obviously, huge differences between the Greek economy, for example, and the German economy means that there is going to continue to be some strains on how the euro is maintained.”

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Women:

“I did conclude at a certain point that if you just put women in charge of every country for just about two years, the world would make a huge leap forward and just be better off generally. And that’s why I do think you guys (women) are a little better.”