Tractors, transport trucks and farm vehicles stormed city streets early yesterday morning as rural residents protested what they called invasion and interference by the government.
   The "Rural Revolution" was spearheaded by the Lanark Landowners Association, but involved other rural community groups and businesses.
   The OPP reported about 95 slow-moving vehicles and tractors travelling in the right lane between the Carp exit of Highway 417 and Metcalfe Street. The tractors tied up traffic for an hour and a half in the morning and again in the afternoon.
   For the farmers, the issues range from closing the U.S. border to Canadian beef to the "Bambi" sympathies that mean many city residents are more concerned about deer than the crops and livelihoods they damage. The protest included a mock cattle auction held to illustrate the anger and frustration of rural residents.
   Clint Ross, 24, drove a tractor downtown from the Carp-area dairy farm where he works out of concern for the future of farming.
   "It just seems like we're not getting much support, financially or politically," he said. "It seems like we're always getting the short end of the stick."
   The farm has 35 or 40 cows, as well as crops, such as wheat and soybean. One of Mr. Ross's main concerns is that the wildlife in the area tends to ravage the crops.
   "We're not trying to eradicate them by any means," he said.
   But Mr. Ross said that the growing urban presence in the area is making the problem more difficult to control.
   "We're in the greater Ottawa area now," he said. "And there's the gun registry."
   The demonstration began in the Carp area, moved onto the Queensway and cruised through downtown, destined for Parliament Hill.
   Queensway ramps were blocked off by police as the tractors made their way through, but were re-opened as the vehicles passed.
   Intersections of city streets were also blocked off by police.
   Residents stared in awe at the tractors, many bearing signs that read "This land is our land" and "Back off government," rolled through the streets at about 10 km/h.
   Other signs mounted on the tractors read "Canadian farmers are on the extinction list -- does anyone care?" and "Eat today? Plan on eating tomorrow -- support your farmers."
   One passerby became extremely agitated and approached a police car demanding to know how long the vehicles would be passing through.
   He soon stormed away from the police car, muttering "This is unbelievable, just unbelievable."
   The protest was designed to disrupt the city, and illustrate the problems that threaten the economy and lifestyle of rural residents, the Lanark Landowners' Association said.
   However, when the protesters arrived at Parliament Hill, they found the gates chained and locked.
   They soon began to tie three effigies to the gates with red tape. The dummies wore signs with the names of politicians, including Prime Minister Paul Martin, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky.
   Lanark-Carleton MP Scott Reid and Cheryl Gallant, MP for Renfrew-Nippissing-Pembroke, were among the main speakers at the protest, along with Randy Hillier, president of the Lanark Landowners Association.
   The crowd was surprised when Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, arrived for an impromptu speech.
   "While cities may be the engines of modern economy, it is rural Canada that produces the fuel," he said.
   "We've got to get rural Canada back on its feet," he said, to which the crowd cheered loudly.
Meanwhile, across the street from the gates lay several piles of dirt, complete with white signs that served as "headstones" with fake crosses. Each epitaph was to represent the issues with which rural residents are grappling.
One of the epitaphs read Here Lie Family Farms-strangled by government regulation nutrient management.
   Another read Canada's Property Rights-last known whereabouts: Communist China.
The dramatic display included a mock criminal court proceeding where three rural residents told their personal