Environmental protesters shut down Jean Charest speech at McGill

A speech by former premier Jean Charestat McGill University was cancelled after it was disrupted by environmental protesters Monday.

Charest was about 15minutes into a speech to several dozen law students and others at Chancellor Day Hall when he wasshouted down by threepeople in the audience.

One yelled insults, and theyunfurled protest bannersopposing pipelines and the development of the province'sPlan Nord its strategy for exploiting natural resources in northern Quebec.

The former premier was at McGill's law faculty building to speak to studentsabout restoring public trust in democratic institutions.

Montreal police were called tothe scene to make the protesters leave the lecture hall.

Outside the hall, another three protesters explained their opposition to the Quebec government's environmental policies.

They also said they're angered by the university's decision last monthto reject a petition to sell off its investments in fossil fuels.

The university's endowment was valued at$1.4 billion at the end of April 2015,according to a university report.