Canadians demonstrate feelings on Ottawa crisis at gatherings across the country

More than 2,000 rallied on the snow-covered lawn of Parliament Hill to support a coalition of opposition parties seeking to replace the government of Stephen Harper.

The crowd wasn't deterred by ice pellets whirling from the monochrome Ottawa sky or by word that Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean allowed Harper to suspend Parliament until late next month.

They huddled together, bundled in parkas, toques and scarves, waving signs that said "Coalition - Yes! Make Parliament Work" and "I'm a Part of the 62 per cent Majority" - a reference to the combined vote share of the opposition parties in the last federal election.

They blew sharp blasts on their whistles. They clanked tin drums, clanged cowbells and rattled maracas.

Anti-Harper chants broke the crisp noon air.

"Hey hey! Ho ho! Stephen Harper has got to go!"

The Ottawa rally was one of several pro-coalition events organized for Thursday in several major cities to show support for the coalition's goal of defeating the Conservatives and forming the government.

More than 1,000 people turned out to a rally at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

"He no longer has the confidence of Parliament and I think it's important to show that he no longer has the confidence of a lot of Canadians either," said college student Stephen Karr.

"I support the government. I think they did a good job before. They got an increased mandate and I think this is just traitorous."

D. J. Lawrence, who is anti-coalition, showed up at the pro-coalition rally.

"Give this government an opportunity to work instead of the plotting behind the scenes to get rid of it. Give it a chance. They've got an increased mandate. They should do it."

About 450 people supporting the coalition packed a hall next the Halifax Forum.

At one point, organizers opened a large door at the back of the hall to make room for the growing crowd.

Most were given pre-printed, blue and white signs with the slogan "Coalition Yes, Make Parliament Work." Some chanted, "Yes we can," borrowing a slogan from Barack Obama's successful presidential election campaign.

Anna Pearce of Halifax said she was disappointed with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's move to suspend Parliament. But she said she understood Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean didn't have much of a choice in granting his wish.

"I don't like it," said Pearce, "A friend of mine described it as he's (Harper) going into a test but he's pulled the fire alarm because he doesn't know all the answers."

In Edmonton, meanwhile, both anti-and pro-coalition forces made their voices heard.

About 400 people braved cold temperatures and snow to gather at City Hall to show their support for the coalition.

Irene Hunter said Alberta has become a one-party state with the Tories holding power for 37 years and she doesn't want that to happen at the federal level.

"Our opposition parties have been taken out and stomped on. We have no opportunity to fundraise like the Conservatives, so it is a one-party rule. I don't want this to happen in the rest of Canada," said Hunter.

Earlier in the day, about 200 angry protesters gathered outside the office of NDP MP Linda Duncan - Alberta's lone non-Conservative MP - calling on her to resign or be symbolically fired by the crowd.

Alberta voters have developed the reputation of being notoriously apathetic in recent years, but there was little apathy in that crowd.

They sang the national anthem and songs such as "Hit the Road Jack" - a shot at NDP leader Jack Layton - as passing cars and trucks honked.

Sporadic debates opened up as people warm to the idea of a coalition government passed and heckled the crowd.

"If an overthrow of the Canadian government is going to happen then people should have a say," said Carolyn Giesbrecht, holding a sign that read "Democracy Now! or else."

"We feel betrayed, definitely ... to have all of our seats taken away and to have just this one representative represent us is not fair obviously."

Long-time Tory supporter Casey Deschamp said she feels disenfranchised by the threat of a coalition government.

"My vote counts, I want my vote to count," she said, wearing a Canada stovepipe hat. "I think that is very undemocratic."

The Tories precipitated the constitutional crisis by delivering a fiscal update last week that lacked economic stimulus plans but would instead have cut public financing for federal political parties and banned public sector unions from striking for two years.

The opposition coalition implored Jean to refuse Harper's advice to suspend Parliament on the grounds that he lost the confidence of the House of Commons. But she approved the suspension.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion told supporters that Harper was forced to recant on contentious elements of his finance minister's fiscal update only because of pressure from the coalition.

Wearing only a thin, black, wool overcoat, Dion's voice rasped as he addressed the crowd in Ottawa.

"Without the coalition, Stephen Harper would have tried to impose an attack against bargaining rights in Canada," he said.

"Thanks to the coalition, Stephen Harper was in obligation to back away, to backtrack on what he was proposing. . . . We need the coalition. This is important for Canada from coast to coast to coast."

A loud "Duceppe!" chant welcomed the Bloc Quebecois leader to the podium. Gilles Duceppe accused Harper of practising the politics of "fear, division and lies."

He evoked a popular former U.S. president to fire a salvo at the prime minister.

"He's trying to fool the people," Duceppe said of Harper.

"But as said Abraham Lincoln, sometimes you can fool all the people. Some people, you can fool all the time. But you can't fool all the people all the time.

"We'll make sure that Stephen Harper won't be able to fool Quebecers and Canadians for six more weeks."

Layton told the crowd Harper essentially locked the doors of Parliament.

A police officer watching over the crowd estimated 2,000 to 2,500 people were at the rally.

Those at the rally were undeterred by Jean's decision.

"By delaying this, it's not going to make it go away," said Talbert Johnson, 19, a history student at Carleton University.

"It's just delaying the eventual overturn of Stephen Harper's government."

Pro-coalition events were also taking place in Winnipeg, Regina, London, Ont., Moncton, Charlottetown and St. John's, N.L.

Others are to be held Friday in Yellowknife and on Saturday in Toronto and Montreal.

Many other anti-coalition rallies were planned in the coming days.