About 30 supporters of the Idle No More movement gathered at Montreal's Place des Arts to take part in a sunrise ceremony this morning — a symbol of solidarity with the people taking part in a day of action against the Harper government's policies.

The small congregation came together shortly before sunrise to listen to words from Mohawk community elders and Idle No More organizers.

Melissa Mollen Dupuis, the co-founder of the Quebec chapter of Idle No More, said the movement and its message is now more important than ever.

"[We are] asking for new relations and asking for an exchange between... our own government and... the people down here who are living everyday," she said.

Idle No More protesters plan to march to Parliament Hill in Ottawa to greet the Members of Parliament who are set to return to the House of Commons today.

Supporters of the movement are opposed to changes made to environmental laws following the government's approval of omnibus Bill C-45 last October.

The movement began in November after Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence began a hunger strike to gain a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor-General David Johnston.

Spence said she wanted to discuss how to improve conditions on native reserves.

She ended her hunger strike on Jan. 24 after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and New Democrat caucuses agreed to back a list of commitments supporting aboriginal issues.