The Canadian peace movement turned out in force Saturday — joining compatriots in the U.S. and around the world — as thousands gathered nationwide to protest the prospect of war against Iraq.

Those who remembered the peace demonstrations that swelled against the Vietnam War in the 1960s said the similarities were striking.

"The Vietnam War was ended by demonstrations like this," said Walter Pitman, who spoke at the rally in Toronto, where more than 5,000 people marched for peace.

The protesters who took to thje streets were equally striking in their diversity. In addition to the typical cadres of students and labour groups, demonstrators nationwide were as likely to be parents with children or church-going grandparents.

The United Church of Canada has officially taken a stance against a U.S.-led war in Iraq. Parishioners have been encouraged to take part in demonstrations and will be asked to pray for peace on Sunday.

"It's time for the United Church and for every faith community to be on the side of peace," said Mr. Pitman, a church member and representative of the religious peace group Project Ploughshares.

In Vancouver, which assembled one of the country's largest rallies, members of a Unitarian congregation sang the chorus of the antiwar anthem Give Peace a Chance.

Fenella Wilson said her group wanted Saddam Hussein and "other higher powers to think more peacefully."

"War kills innocent people, women and children, innocent soldiers," she said.

After the thousands-strong march, protesters packed the lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery for a rally and spilled onto a nearby street, where they were greeted by the raucous sound of DOA, the legendary local punk band.

In Montreal, several thousand demonstrators braved frigid temperatures to wave placards and chant antiwar slogans.

"They'll have to brave a lot more than cold if we go to war," said protester Francois Lacourse.

Amir Khadir, who returned from a mission in Iraq last month with the French organization Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), said Saturday that economic sanctions imposed since the Gulf War a decade ago are already costing Iraqi children their lives.

He told the Montreal demonstration that 4,200 Iraqi children under five years of age died in the month he was there, so "we are already at war."

"They are at 50 per cent of their needs in terms of ambulances to transport their sick," Mr. Khadir said in an interview. "So if there is a war, how do you think a town of five million people [Baghdad] will be able to organize themselves? It's a catastrophe."

In Halifax, about 1,500 people marched through the city streets. At a packed rally following the march, former Iraqi citizen Andrews Yeusif said he's constantly worried about his homeland and wants U.S. President George W. Bush to have a talk with God before he sends his soldiers into battle against Iraq.

"It is the people of Iraq all, from the beautiful north to the lovely south . . . that I am worried about," Mr. Yeusif said.

"We are peaceful people. I know Canada will not go to this war and I'm so proud we'll not go."

In the sub-zero chill of mid-winter Ottawa, a crowd estimated by RCMP at 2,500 gathered on Parliament Hill and marched to Defence Department headquarters.

In front of the U.S. Embassy, protesters staged a "die-in," falling to the ground after an air-raid siren blared, followed by a moment of silence.

"[War] causes suffering. Especially modern warfare [which] causes a lot of civilian deaths," said Alison Etter, 20, a music student from Halifax who joined the protest with members of her Ottawa church.

"As a Christian, I think we're called to promote peace."

Several hundred protesters marched through snow-filled streets of Edmonton to add their voice of dissent.

Brian Mason, a member of the provincial New Democrats, called upon the Canadian government to refuse to participate in any U.S. attack on Iraq.

"This is an unjust war," he said. "I don't want to see one Canadian life put at risk on behalf of an attack that is completely morally unjustified."

In the southern Alberta city of Lethbridge, another 200 people took to the streets, chanting, drumming and carrying placards, including one that suggested the United States "Drop Bush, not the bomb."

About 600 people came out to a Saskatoon rally, surprising local organizers.

"I have never seen this many people come out for a march in Saskatoon," said Jan Norris, of the Saskatoon Peace Coalition. "I think it's terrific."

There were also peaceful demonstrations in Winnipeg and Prince Albert, Sask. A similar protest was held in Calgary on Friday.

Some participants said they believed the protests were already having an effect on world governments.

Joseph Comartin, NDP member of Parliament for Windsor-St. Clair, pointed to recent comments by British Prime Minister Tony Blair as proof the demonstrations were working.

Under pressure from his own Labour party, Mr. Blair called last week for more time for UN weapons inspectors to prove Iraq has weapons of mass destruction before launching military action.

"It's one of the first signs where it is having an effect," Mr. Comartin said.

The large Toronto crowd that braved biting winter winds to march Saturday was impressive, particularly given how quickly the recent wave of the peace movement has grown, Mr. Comartin said.

"It took us a long time to stop Vietnam," he said. "Here, I think we're at the same level as we were near the end of that campaign."

Jack Layton, long-time Toronto city councillor and now a federal NDP leadership candidate, was critical of the Liberal government's inconsistent stance on military action in Iraq.

"You can't waffle on a question like going to war," Mr. Layton said in an interview.

Prime Minister Jean Chréetien clearly stated last week any military action against Iraq should be approved by the UN, contradicting his own defence minister.

Defence Minister John McCallum sparked controversy on a visit to Washington when he suggested Canada could consider joining the United States in acting against Mr. Hussein even without UN approval.

But the Liberals appeared to be back on the same page by the weekend.

"I think that Canadians are rightfully concerned that any decision in making steps toward a war need to be a collective decision of the world community and I think that means we cannot move ahead just because the United States wants to proceed," Heritage Minister and Liberal leadership hopeful Sheila Copps said in an interview.

At protests worldwide, the slogans and banners were different, but the message to the United States was the same: Find a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis.

Activists invoked the non-violent legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on the U.S. holiday weekend that marks the civil rights leader's birthday.

Demonstrations stretched from Sweden to Egypt to Hong Kong, with the global antiwar movement gaining momentum as the United States and Britain build up troops in the Persian Gulf.