Calgary police estimated about 2,000 people attended the rally in Olympic Plaza. (Submitted by David Bell)

The message was clear from an estimated 2,000 people at a boisterous and colourful anti-coalition rally in Calgary's Olympic Plaza Saturday.

The demonstration was as much against an NDP-Liberal coalition government as it was hometown support for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative minority government that was re-elected on Oct. 14.

"I'm really mad about this coalition thing. We voted for Harper and we voted for democracy," one woman attending the rally said.

People at the rally opposed the coalition deal between the Liberals and NDP, and supported by the Bloc Québécois. (Submitted by Andrew Portwood)

Another woman, Kate Garret, said she wanted to show her opposition to a coalition pact that was created behind closed doors.

"We must just express our views on it, and I just hope that the coalition is now dead and buried," she said.

Governor General Michaëlle Jean granted Harper's request to suspend Parliament until next month, thwarting a no-confidence vote scheduled for Monday that could have toppled his government.

On a sunny day, protesters waved flags and signs that read "Keep the West Safe," and "I Was a Good Girl This Year, Why Has Santa Given Me a Lump of Coalition?"

The crowd chanted 'Harper! Harper' at some points. (Submitted by Chris Coroy)

Packed shoulder to shoulder, they broke out chanting "Harper! Harper!" at some points.

"We need our government supporting the economy. We need our government doing the job they were hired to do only two months ago," said rally organizer Calgary Ald. Ric McIver.

Rob Allen, a small business owner in Calgary, said he showed up to make the point that a coalition government would worsen Canada's economic situation.

"We need to keep Canada competitive, create more opportunities and to have these people turn to a banana republic that … scares away investors, scares away, you know, new capital into this country, it's the worst thing to do at the wrong time."

Conservative MP Jason Kenney, who represents Calgary Southeast, told the crowd he has had more calls about the parliamentary crisis than any other in his decade-long career in politics.

Lots of signs peppered the rally, denouncing the coalition. (Submitted by Pam Zylik)

As the half-hour rally wrapped up on Saturday morning, people lined both sides of Macleod Trail in front of City Hall, catching the attention of many passing motorists who honked their support.

Anti-coalition rallies were held across the country on Saturday, including Vancouver, Halifax, Fredericton, and Ottawa, which alone attracted about 3,000 people to Parliament Hill.

The total tally of people who came out to rallies across the country against changing the minority government far outnumbered those at gatherings in support of the NDP-Liberal coalition, which were also held on Saturday.

About 3,000 people cheered Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and NDP Leader Jack Layton in Toronto in sub-zero temperatures, while fewer than 1,000 people listened to Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe in Montreal.

More rallies for both sides are planned for this week.