British Columbians to march in solidarity with U.S. Women's March

Hundreds of thousands of women around the world are marching in the streets today to promote women's rights and in protest of the newly sworn in U.S. President Donald Trump.

Vancouver mother and daughter Helesia Luke and Thea Sample will be among those crowds. The pair flew to the U.S. capital to participate in the Women's March in Washington, D.C.

Human rights are a global issue.- Irene Lanzinger, B.C. Federation of Labour president

"We were upset after the election and we wanted to support American women," Sample told CBC's The Early Edition.

"Our hosts are happy for the reinforcements," Luke added.

B.C. support

A number solidarity marches are planned across B.C. with organizers encouraging participants to don the pink, knitted caps known as "Pussyhats" as part of the protest. 

"Human rights are a global issue. When he was president-elect, Donald Trump made a number of statements that were misogynistic. They were sexist. They were racist. He talked about building a wall," said B.C. Federation of Labour president Irene Lanzinger who said she'll be marching in the Vancouver event.

"We have a responsibility everywhere in the world to say 'here are our values, here are the kinds of governments we want.' We think that we have to fight for those rights sometimes and this is one of those times."

The Vancouver march is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT at Jack Poole Plaza. Similar events in Victoria, Nanaimo and Kelowna are also planned. 

Give the guy a chance

Some, however, are calling the protests "disappointing."

Vancouver resident and U.S. Republican Jeff Peterson said while he's not a Trump supporter, he's imploring people to give the new president a chance.

"I'm disappointed that there's so much opposition coming out right now," he said.

"How would Canadians feel if a bunch of Americans marched in Seattle opposing the results of a Canadian election? I think Canadians would be up in arms." 

Events across B.C. 

Here are some of the events taking place across the province, in solidarity with the march in Washington: 

Bowen Island — March begins 9:45 a.m. outside the Bowen Island Library

Salt Spring Island — Marchers will meet outside the Salt Spring Library at 10 a.m., walk through Ganges and come back to the library for speakers and music 

Kootenay Bay — March is being hosted by the Yasodhara Ashram and starts at 10 a.m.

Prince George — March begins at the Civic Plaza at 10 a.m.

Revelstoke — Marchers will meet at 10 a.m. at Kovach Park and arrive at the Centennial Park Worker's Memorial around 11 a.m.

Kamloops — March will begin outside City Hall at 10 a.m. and continue down to Riverside Park

Salmom Arm — March begins outside City Hall at 10 a.m.

Grand Forks — People will gather at 10 a.m. at the Archives Coffee House 

Balfour — March is taking place in Sunshine Bay Regional Park

Roberts Creek — Marchers are meeting in front of the Gumboot Restaurant, marching from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Kimberly — Marchers are meeting at 10:30 a.m. in the Platzl, the city centre

Castlegar — March begins 10 a.m. at Pioneer Arena

Kelowna — Marchers are gathering at the Sails in Kelowna at 10 a.m. 

Tofino — March starts at 12 p.m. at the Common Loaf Bake Shop

Victoria — Rally at the Centennial Square from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Nanaimo — Marchers will meet at 10 a.m. at the Diana Krall Plaza and march to Maffeo Sutton Park

Courtenay — Rally is at Court House Park from 10 to 11 a.m.

With files from The Early Edition and Deborah Goble