OTTAWA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton on Friday packed a Toronto venue for a "conversation," their first public appearance together since both left office.

    The 90-minute discussion, moderated by former Canadian ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna, focused on global and domestic challenges facing the United States and Canada, reports reaching here said.

    About 6,000 audiences paid between 200 Canadian dollars (180 U.S. dollars) and 2,500 Canadian dollars (2,200 U.S. dollars) to watch the event.

    About 100 protesters convened outside the Metro Toronto Convention Center to protest against war policies in both countries. Some threw shoes at a Bush poster to show anger at him.

    The protest organizer, the "Toronto Coalition to Stop the War," which claims to represent more than 70 groups in the Greater Toronto Area, calls Bush a "war criminal" and wants the Canadian government to treat him as such.

    The group will also "distribute spray painted red gloves to represent how Bush has blood on his hands," leader James Clark told the Canadian Television (CTV).

    While Bush is the main target of protesters, the group says "there's still anger at Clinton" because he "supported sanctions which led to the deaths of half a million Iraqi children."

    The group also wants to pressure the Canadian government to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.

    Clinton, 62, has visited Canada for a number of speaking engagements since the Democrat politician served as U.S. president from 1993-2001.

    Bush, also 62, was president from 2001-2009. His first post-office speaking engagement in Canada was in Calgary in March.