Almost exactly a year after her family left the White House, Michelle Obama spoke to a sold-out crowd of 8,000 at the Palais de Congrès. The former U.S. First Lady has only rarely appeared in public since her husband left office in January of 2017, having made an appearance in Toronto last fall and speaking to an organization of U.S. educators recently.
Ms. Obama was introduced by the Prime Minister’s Wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau. Grégoire-Trudeau remarked that Ms. Obama has “a wicked sense of humour” — the two reportedly became friends during the year that their husbands’ tenures in office overlapped.
Members of the media were not permitted to record or photograph the former First Lady’s live Question-and-Answer session, but Obama spoke with candour and quite a bit of levity about everything gender equality, to her favourite snack (she said, somewhat sheepishly, that she “can’t live without French Fries”), to the state of the American economy.
One thing she spoke with special passion about was the importance of education and empowering women. She said the two go hand in hand and that she wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all she had if it weren’t for her education. It’s perhaps fitting then that 2,000 students were brought here to see Ms. Obama tonight on behalf of various local youth organizations.
Towards the end of her appearance, which lasted over an hour, Obama was asked about her future plans. She very quickly interjected, reiterating her previous rejections of suggestions she run for President one day.
“No. I’m not running for anything” she said hastily, adding, “My passion is not politics, my passion is social change, [but] in a different setting.”