Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama share tete-a-tete over oysters and steak

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking with former United States President Barack Obama at Liverpool House, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on June 6, 2017. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/JUSTIN TRUDEAU

TORONTO - Former US President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met up for a one-on-one dinner where they continued their "bromance".

Mr Obama, 55, was in Montreal for a speaking engagement on Tuesday (June 6), and met Mr Trudeau, 45, at Liverpool House, Canada's CBC News said.

Mr Trudeau posted a photo of the encounter on his Facebook page, and dropped a hint about what they discussed: "How do we get young leaders to take action in their communities? Thanks Barack Obama for your visit and insights tonight in my hometown."

Security was tight at Liverpool House, a trendy Montreal restaurant, but a crowd of people gathered outside hoping to get a glimpse of the two politicians.

They ate oysters, shrimp, halibut, steak, spaghetti lobster and topped it off with strawberry shortcake, restaurant owner David McMillan said in a morning show interview.

He said: "Justin eats there regularly. Obama said, 'What should we eat here?' and Justin said, 'Let them do what they do'. And we did what we do usually and it went well."

They put a bit less butter and cream in the food as the two men were "pretty healthy", Mr McMillan said.

Mr Obama was in town to give a speech at the Palais des congrès hosted by the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, BBC reported.

The event was sold out, with reports of tickets being resold online for hundreds of dollars.

During his speech, Mr Obama praised US states and cities for maintaining measures to battle climate change in a fresh jab at President Donald Trump's decision to quit the Paris accord, AFP said.

"When it comes to the threat of climate change, we have shown that environmental sustainability and economic progress are not contradictory but are complementary," he told the crowd of 6,000. "I took great comfort last week in seeing American states and cities and universities and corporations make it clear that they will keep pushing ahead for the sake of the future generations."

Mr Obama and Mr Trudeau's "bromance" began when Mr Trudeau visited the White House for a state dinner last year.

The warmth of the encounter triggered a flood of online jokes and tongue-in-cheek reports on a budding "bromance" between them, as photos went viral showing the two men smiling like old buddies, or cooing over a photogenic baby on the South Lawn.

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