TORONTO (AFP) — A "conversation" here Friday between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the 42nd and 43rd US presidents, attracted some 6,000 beholders and a few hundred protestors in a carnival atmosphere.
The two former leaders were to share a stage for a 90-minute discussion about global and domestic challenges facing the United States and Canada, moderated by Frank McKenna, a former Canadian ambassador to Washington.
Organizers said in a statement the event was sold out "with over 6,000 attendees."
But scalpers were observed trying to unload discounted tickets just prior to the event, and several tickets purchased at full price for 229 to 595 dollars (209 to 543 US dollars) were still available for sale for less online.
Outside the convention center where the event was being held at 3:30 pm (1930 GMT), amid heightened security, a few hundred protestors gathered, shouting "jail George Bush" and "war criminals not welcome here."
They rolled out a giant "not welcome" mat, and protest organizers handed out old shoes to throw at a picture of Bush.
Several of the protestors came from Calgary in western Canada, where violence erupted at Bush's first post-presidency speech in February, to heckle the two American presidents. This latest protest remained peaceful.
"Even though they're no longer in power, their policies are still in place and are still being followed" by Washington, David Palace of Food Not Bombs told AFP.
His advocacy group has called for the repatriation of young Canadian Omar Khadr from the US "war on terror" prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"Bush is kind of a lightning rod for a lot of things that are wrong, and so I think people want to express that," Nadine MacKinnon of the Coalition to Stop the War told public broadcaster CBC.
"We are not expecting to get Bush's attention by this," she explained. "We are expecting to engage the public."
"It's the people that will put the pressure on the government to affect any real change."
After their on-stage talk, Clinton and Bush, both 62, were to field questions from the audience.
Attendees said as they entered the convention centre that they looked forward to hearing what both former presidents thought of current goings-on, whether they agreed or disagreed on major issues.
Some said they came for the spectacle, others to hear specific views on pressing issues of the day, for example, a backlash against US interrogation tactics in the US "war on terror."
"Both are incredibly interesting individuals who have changed the landscape of the world and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity" to hear them speak, ticket-holder Darren Morgenstern told AFP.
Clinton and Bush's father have joined efforts for philanthropic causes and global assistance initiatives, but this is to be Clinton and George W. Bush's first public appearance together since both left office.
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