Frustration with the Harper government’s decision to prorogue Parliament spilled from the Internet onto the streets Saturday as thousands of demonstrators gathered at rallies across Canada.

About 1,500 people gathered at Centennial Square, from teens to seniors and Greens to Conservatives.

Victoria organizer Craig Ashbourne, a 26-year-old sociology student, told the crowd the numbers of people of all political stripes drawn together after only two weeks of Internet postings and e-mails is proof something profound is

happening in Canadian politics.

“And people are coming up a little bit inspired,” said Ashbourne after the event. “They are talking about what we can do here and [they’re] not just going to sit back and wait for the next election.”

Speakers included Victoria-area NDP MP Denise Savoie of the NDP and Liberal MP Keith Martin, along with University of Victoria political scientist Dennis Pilon, who said he knew of many Conservative voters who were offended by the move.

Carolyn Whitney-Brown, a 49-year-old educator from the Cowichan Valley, said she knows a great many people, including Conservatives and former Reform Party members, who are upset about the decision to shut down Parliament.

“They are pretty angry,” she said.

Don Scott, 61, said he was hugely offended to hear the Prime Minister claim government was too busy to face Parliament.

“He doesn’t want to be held accountable whatsoever,” said Scott.

Demonstrators also made their presence felt on a sunny day in Ottawa, holding signs with such messages as Democracy Works, and taking part in singalongs, including a rendition of O Canada at a rally that was also attended by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton.

Estimates pegged the turnout at more than 3,000 people.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on Dec. 30 that Parliament would prorogue until March, instead of resuming on January.

The decision sparked a backlash, especially online, where a Facebook group opposing the move grew to include more than 210,000 members.

There were questions whether that number would translate into actual bodies at yesterday’s protests, but rallies in Ottawa and Toronto drew thousands of participants.

NDP Leader Jack Layton called on the government to pass a law that would prevent the prorogation of Parliament without the approval of a majority of MPs — later chanting with the crowd “pass the bill, pass the bill.”

“The House of Commons, if you think about that word, is supposed to be the house of the people,” said Layton.

“We are here today, on the steps of Parliament Hill to say, ‘Mr. Harper, unlock these doors.’ ”

Ignatieff also chided Harper.

“The prime minister gambled on the cynical attitudes; he gambled on the disenchantment with respect to politics,” Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff told the crowd, speaking in French.

“Ladies and gentlemen, he lost his bet.”

He said the outpouring of protest following the decision prorogue was “a very good sign of the health of our democracy.”

“You have said loud and clear you do not want Parliament to be shut down when a prime minister is facing questions that he must answer,” Ignatieff said.

Organizers were boasting of rallies in 50 communities across the country, including major centres such as Toronto — where estimates of crowd attendance were also in the thousands — Calgary and Vancouver.

Demonstrations were also planned outside Canadian consulates in San Francisco, Calif., and Dallas, Texas. People were also expected to gather in Costa Rica and London.

Harper appeared unmoved by the rallies Saturday. He was asked several times about the rallies during a morning news conference.

His repeated answer was basically that the government was busy.

He did not refer to the rallies in his replies.

“Let me just say the government is extremely occupied these days,” he said.

“The government has a lot of work to do to get ourselves prepared for the upcoming agenda of Parliament,” he said.

“I would obviously simply urge our opposition to spend their time making constructive proposals. I think we’ve obviously had a successful year rolling out infrastructure projects, but we now have to turn our mind to a broader agenda to some of the economic challenges, including deficit reduction, ahead of us. And I would urge all parties to contribute constructively to that agenda.”

— With files from Juliet O’Neill, Canwest News Service