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On March 10th, 2007 hundreds of Albertans whose lives have been touched by violence gathered in Edmonton's Sir Winston Churchill Square.

They had come together to collect signatures on petitions calling for stiffer penalties under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They also came together to share their sorrow and the knowledge of what it's like to lose a loved one through a senseless act of violence.

In the crowd were familiar faces and familiar names – an unfortunate fraternity connected by loss, tragedy and a frustration with current legislation.

One of the surprise faces at the first annual Silent March For Justice rally was Peacha Atkinson, mother of murder victim Nina Courtepatte.

It was only between the conclusion of evidence presented at the Briscoe-Laboucan trial and the beginning of the trial of a second teen in connection with her daughter's death that Atkinson became a public figure.

"I'm trying to show other people that I'm not that horrible monster that I was made out to be in the beginning," Atkinson said in Churchill Square. She was referring to early media reports that questioned her parenting skills.

Atkinson said she was not able to speak out about those issues and was still greatly limited in what she can say with several investigations and trials continuing.

"I'm going to let people know the real me now," she said. "I am compassionate. I really care for my children and I'm a giving person, and if something makes me angry enough I will speak out."

Moving from being a grieving and criticised parent to a crusader for change, Peacha was pleased at the turnout on the cold spring day.

“It does my heart good to see so many other families come out and offer their support.”

“Nina would be so proud [of the rally] because she wouldn't stand for injustice. She was a believer in doing what was right.”

Atkinson said she was still coming to terms with her loss.

"I still grieve a lot. I still have a lot of my down days," she said, adding efforts such as the rally and the petitions are helpful.

"It's given me more strength to carry on and I'll do this till my last breath."

Atkinson said the many recent acts of violence spurred her to action.

"I just got tired of sitting and reading it in the newspaper," she said. "The youths are still getting away with it, and I want to stop it because it's just getting out of hand."

It was just earlier in the week that Atkinson appeared at her own self-organised rally held in front of Edmonton's Law Courts building.

For rally organiser Gary Hunt, the event was the culmination of six months of work collecting signatures and keeping the issue of what he felt was needed change to the Youth Criminal Justice Act before the public.

He said he had collected about 45,000 petition signatures to send to Ottawa after his 16-year-old son Josh Hunt was stabbed by a young offender at a Mill Woods house party on October 14th, 2006.

“We said we're going to do something about [youth violence] and we're going to make many changes,” Hunt said. “The changes are coming and you're going to see it really soon.”

"Make the sentences so that it fits the crime no matter what age you are, especially the violent offences."

"Then that in itself shows accountability for your actions and that in itself will start changing the way that these youngsters are thinking when they take a life."

Hunt spoke of his continuing efforts.

"Doing the seminars with schools for awareness and education for the pre-teens and teens, working together with the victim families and keep pushing the petitions and seeing that it goes through."

He reflected on the number of victim families at the rally.

"We have enough now to make an association and that's unfortunate. We shouldn't have enough but we do."

"My son's not here anymore and I don't want to see anybody else go through what we're going through."

Grant McGillis, whose 20-year-old son Dylan McGillis was swarmed, beaten and fatally stabbed in an attack on Whyte Avenue on November 19th, 2006 also called for further measures to fight violent crime.

"You know it can happen to anybody. Dylan was walking down the street. He didn't do anything, he didn't deserve anything and he's ... We'll never have him back."

“We and the other families that are here today all share a common bond. We all lost children to senseless violence and we all thought it would never happen to us.”

A week before the rally, McGillis hand-delivered a letter to federal Attorney General Robert Nicholson.

McGillis asked for dispute resolution education for youth, better rehabilitation programs, new correctional facilities to address overcrowding and adult sentences for violent youths that should be mandatory rather than left to a judge's discretion.

"Kids, when they're growing up, they're learning that it's OK to do these things and get away with it," Grant said.

"They're getting slaps on the wrist, and that is it."

Also at the rally was Tracey Atkins, a friend of 22-year-old David Dotto who on August 18th, 2006 was run over by a car driven by a 15-year-old.

Dotto died six days later in hospital; the youth was charged with second-degree murder.

"Something has to come out of this. I mean, what happened to him couldn't have just happened for nothing," Atkins said.

Heather Airth-Prior's son, 36-year-old Barry Starr, was stabbed to death on October 6th, 2002 in the Lodge Hotel on Jasper Avenue. Roger Robert Tecomba was sentenced to 6 1/2 years for assault with a weapon and manslaughter.

“The violence is everywhere,” she said while signing a petition.

“There are so many people being hurt and injured and people are so quick to turn to violence. It's just so, so sad.”

Friends of 17-year-old Cameron Campbell were also at the rally.

Campbell was stabbed to death November 19th, 2005 at a north Edmonton house party.

A 17-year-old young offender was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon and breaching probation.

The rally became a march – leaving Churchill Square, weaving its way down Jasper Avenue and on to the Provincial Legislature Grounds.

Wearing the same "The Good Die Young" hoodies he wore throughout the trials of five teens charged with death of his son Shane, Kelly Rolston walked with Shane's stepmother Shelley Reason.

"Watching the people look out the windows and watch us on the street as we're marching down, they were interested in what was going on."

"The more interest, the more likely we're going to make the change."

17-year-old Shane Rolston was beaten to death on November 19th, 2005 at a Sherwood Park house party.

Although charged with first-degree murder, the five teens each pleaded guilty to lesser offences, with no one owning up to striking the fatal blow.

Arriving at the steps of the Legislature, hundreds gathered to hear speeches and witness the presentation of the petition.

One man, not identified, summed up the feelings of the crowd.

"Today, right here right now, it's time to break the silence and say very loudly: If you do the crime, do the time, anything less is uncivil, inhumane and won't be tolerated."

Conservative Member of Parliament Mike Lake also addressed the crowd before speaking to media cameras.

"The Youth Criminal Justice Act is one that we may have some difficulty getting support from the oppostion parties on but you will see legislation soon to strengthen the Act."

The Edmonton-Mill Woods federal member promised he would deliver the petitions to Parliament and lauded the efforts of the families.

“Because of what they're doing, all Canadians are paying attention to the issue of youth violence,” he said.

“Because of what they're doing, more parents are paying attention to their kids and more people are saying 'I love you.' ”

Also in attendance was Edmonton Eskimo J.R. LaRose. The football player who appeared in the Enough Is Enough campaign said it was upsetting to see the violence that his hometown had become known for across Canada.

“It's very sad,” he said.

LaRose felt youth have been negatively influenced by what they see in music videos and on TV.

“You don't need to be going out and killing people and doing something stupid like that. Be the bigger person and walk away.”

Large video screens had been set up accommodate thousands expected for the rally.

The hundreds that did attend witnessed a touching moment – Nina Courtepatte's mother Peacha standing proudly behind the word "Justice" during a silent tribute to the victims of the city's violent times.

deadmonton - why edmonton? - a silent march for justice

edmonton, alberta – the murder capital of canada