Peaceful Earth Day walk

Tens of thousands of people gathered downtown on April 22^nd for the annual Earth Day rally. 

CBC said the crowd was so massive that even two hours after it began, people were still at the start, waiting to begin.

Many were there to demonstrate against Harper’s decision to withdraw Canada from the Kyoto protocol.

Others were upset at premier Charest’s Plan Nord, a plan to develop Quebec’s north.

Police forces were numerous on site, by foot, on bicycles or on horseback, to ensure security and a peaceful turnout.

This march at the same time as ongoing student protests against tuition increase which often ended in violence.

Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair participated in the march.

He said that society is now creating the most important ecological, economic and social debt in history at the moment.

Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois emphasized the need to develop public transit and use it as much as possible.

The participants made extensive use of public transit and jammed metro stations and buses.

The march started at 2 p.m. at the Place des Festival.

Church bells were ringing across the city to mark the occasion.