Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Stephen Harper's office in Calgary on Saturday. (Peter Akman/CBC)

Several hundred people gathered in the snow outside Prime Minister Stephen Harper's constituency office in Calgary on Saturday to protest the suspension of Parliament.

Protester Grace Isaak stood in the snow holding a sign that read, "Mr. Harper, you're fired."

"I'm very concerned. I have grandchildren and I want to leave them a democratic country and this is no longer a democratic country," she said.

Isaak compared Harper to a dictator who she said is running the country as he pleases.

MPs were supposed to return to work Jan. 25 after a holiday break, but Harper said he decided to suspend Parliament until March in order to adjust his strategy for dealing with the Canadian economy.

But Calgarians at the rally, like Ken Erickson, believe there were other motivations.

"It seems like Stephen Harper is using prorogation in order to avoid being held accountable to anybody," he said.

"The first time it was to avoid a vote of non-confidence and this time it's to hide away from having to answer questions about Afghan detainees."

Scott Payne helped organize the event, which he said was non-partisan.

"The folks behind me are out here in the snow to make sure that the prime minister knows that even on his home turf people are upset about this decision and find it objectionable," he said.

Protester Margot Purcell agreed, saying Harper's decision is an abuse of power.

"What I see happening with the proroguing of Parliament is a chipping away of our democratic rights and freedoms," she said.

"It's much easier to keep those freedoms than it is to try and get them back once they're gone. If this is how minority government acts when they don't have the majority of the Canadian people behind them, what can happen if they do get a majority of seats in the Parliament? We need to let them know that we care."

The protesters called on Harper to recall Parliament on Monday.

The rally was one of more than 60 that took place across Canada.