OTTAWA

Aboodi Altahhan's expression was a combination of soft, curious and sad as he stared at a photo on a picket sign.

The three year-old was on the edge of the lawn in front of Parliament Hill on Saturday, a few feet away from his parents, who were laying out similar signs.

They noticed the media and encouraged the little boy to hold his sign the other way around, over his head, so everyone could see it.

It showed a child, a little younger than him, dead and surrounded by flowers.

Aboodi's mom Alia said her son was born in Syria. They left before he was two years old so that he might survive.

They have several friends, neighbours - and at least two of her husband Nader's cousins — who have not been as lucky.

"We fled," Alia said. "We hope my people will have peace. That they stop killing children."

The young family were among dozens who turned out at a demonstration, which aimed to put pressure on the Canadian government to take action on the violence in Syria.

Montreal-based organizer Faisal Al-Azem, of the Syria Canadian Council, called it an emotional day.

"I've aged 10 to 20 years just by seeing the sickening, sadistic pictures of people who've been tortured or harassed," he said. "The level of anxiety of Syrian Canadians is very high. We need help. We need help from the world."

Al-Azem supports military action on his homeland.

"It's the biggest humanitarian disaster of the century," he said. "We are telling our government that Syria is a special case. The only language they understand is the language of force. They will do anything to stay in power."

As he said this, a small group began chanting: "Bashar and Hilter are the same!" referring to Syrian president Bashar Assad.

Wearing a Tunisia ballcap, Hatem Bouzayani said he lived in Syria for six years as a refugee from his homeland.

He spent time in prison in Tunisia in 1992 before escaping to Syria.

Living in Ottawa, Bouzayani — who was educated as a dentist — now works for the federal government, dealing with immigration.

"As my country did, we hope the same thing for the people of Syria," he said, holding a placard sign showing a dead child, lying on the pavement with blood around his head.

"There is no negotiating with this killer," he said. "The killing is done in homes, not the battlefield."

doug.hempstead@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @DougHempstead