Snowboard silver medalist Mike Robertson, left, and teammates Michael Lambert and Palmer Taylor ham it up in a parade of Canadian Olympic athletes Friday.Paul Chiasson
Tens of thousands of Montrealers congregated downtown on Friday to get an up-close look at many of the Canadian Olympic athletes who thrilled the country two months ago.
The crowd hooted and hollered as a veritable who's who of Olympic standard-bearers waved from various types of floats.
"This is fantastic," said Hayley Wickenheiser, captain of the Canadian women's hockey team. "I rode with Scott Niedermayer and said this is probably as close to a Stanley Cup parade as it's going to get for us.
"It's been a great turnout and it's nice to have a celebration out in the East.
"Vancouver had its time and to share that excitement with people across Canada, it has been great."
Jon Montgomery, who won gold in skeleton at the Winter Games, was also thrilled to be in Montreal.
"The energy that we felt in Vancouver is every bit as present here as it was out there," he said.
"If you left your door this morning with a frown on your face, it wouldn't be long before you were downtown and smiling from ear-to-ear. This is just an incredible feeling."
Montrealer Eric Desautels, decked out in a Rick Nash jersey, brought his six-month-old son Logan with him to cheer on the athletes.
Desautels said Canada's love affair with its Olympic heroes is far from over.
"It's just starting, we need to get (keep up) that Canadian swagger," Desautels said.
"We're the best country in the world and we should be proud of it."
Athletes marching along Sainte-Catherine Street were led by Montgomery, while other Olympians taking part in the festivities included Joannie Rochette, Kalyna Roberge, Alexandre Bilodeau and Erik Guay.
The parade was to be followed by an evening gala at the Bell Centre featuring Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Premier Jean Charest and various entertainers.
The celebrations come a day after the House of Commons turned into a sea of red as MPs paid tribute to dozens of Olympians.