Updated: Sun Mar. 12 2006 8:13:08 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

About 3,500 people in Toronto marked International Women's Day on Saturday by marching through downtown, chanting and carrying signs to draw attention to issues like pay equity and violence against women.

Attendance was up five times over last year's event, and many people believe the rise was due to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's plans to scrap a national child-care plan.

The Conservative government plans to undo $5 billion worth of child-care agreements that were signed with several provinces by the former Liberal government.

In place of the programs Harper is promising to give parents a $1,200 credit for children under six.

But other issues were also aired by the crowd. Hundreds of hotel workers, many of whom are women, brought attention to their plight and demands for fair deals from their employers.

Hotel workers say their work loads are increasing, but they remain part of one million workers in Toronto earning less than $29,000 per year.

The group also addressed issues like growing levels of poverty among women and immigrants, the war in Iraq, and new legislation in South Dakota banning abortions, even in cases of incest and rape.