Quebec Natural Ressources Minister Nathalie Normandeau is showered with confetti in the legislature on Thursday. (CBC)

Anti-nuclear protesters learned a lesson Thursday about drawing attention to their cause: confetti works better than petitions.

Members of a group opposed to nuclear energy dumped confetti onto the floor of the Quebec legislature, tossing the yellow papers from the gallery into the area where Natural Resources Minister Nathalie Normandeau was speaking.

The protesters were quickly escorted from the chamber.

A legislature member had already tabled the group's petition demanding the shutdown of a Hydro-Québec nuclear plant. But it was when the protesters caused the ruckus in the chamber that they attracted media attention. Soon, they were being interviewed by news crews outside.

Parliamentary activity was suspended while the wayward papers were cleaned up. Normandeau later accused the Parti Québécois Opposition of being in cahoots with the protesters because one of its members had tabled their petition. The PQ angrily denied the charge and dissociated itself from the group.