An estimated 8,000 demonstrators—about half the number organizers had expected—converged Nov. 3 on the Dome Square in Old Rīga to call for change in Latvia’s government.

The meeting, the second large-scale protest in two weeks, was in response to recent controversial actions by the government of Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis and the parliament. A number of well-known politicians, journalists and cultural workers attended the protest, according the media reports.

President Valdis Zatlers, whom opponents of the government have asked to dissolve parliament, made an appearance at the meeting. He encouraged citizens to become politically active.

The demonstration was advertised with a motto of “Par tiesisku Latviju! Par godīgu politiku!” (For a lawful Latvia! For honorable politics!”).

The protest continued the theme of what some observers have called the “umbrella revolution.” Where the Oct. 18 demonstration outside the Saeima building was marked by people protecting themselves from a steady rain, the Nov. 3 protest was dampened by a wet snowfall—which may have kept the number of protestors to less than expected.

Canada has lifted its visa requirement for citizens of Latvia effective immediately, Diane Finley, Canada’s minister of citizenship and immigration, announced Oct. 31.

That means Latvian citizens will be able to travel to Canada with just their passport.

The news was immediately welcomed by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been pushing for both Canada and the United States to lift visa requirements.

Canada also lifted the visa requirement for travelers from the Czech Republic.

“Canada enjoys strong ties with both of these countries, and lifting the visa requirement will help us build on those relationships to the benefit of Canadians and the citizens of the Republic of Latvia and the Czech Republic,” Finley said in a press release.

Latvian citizens will be able to stay in Canada for up to six months during a year. Almost 1,100 temporary resident visas were issued by Canada to Latvian citizens last year.

The Latvian Foreign Ministry said in a press release that it is convinced Canada will extend the visa-free status to other new members of the European Union. Estonia was granted visa-free status last year, but Lithuanian citizens still need a visa to visit Canada.

Canada has been warned by the European Union that if it does not extend visa-free status to all EU nations, then the EU might retaliate by adopting visa requirements for certain classes of travelers.

The U.S. visa requirement for Latvian citizens remains in place, but Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis is visiting Washington, D.C., from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 in part to lobby for adding Latvia to the Visa Waiver Program.