The crowd carried signs telling MPs to get back to work.The crowd carried signs telling MPs to get back to work. (CBC)

About 150 people gathered in front of Province House in Charlottetown Saturday to protest against the proroguing of Parliament.

It was one of a number of protests staged across the country.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down Parliament just before the new year. MPs will not return for the official business of Parliament until after the Olympics. Harper said the government needed time to prepare for the next phase of economic revitalization.

Shawn Murphy, the Liberal MP for Charlottetown, accused Harper of hiding from the opposition's questions, which he said was a violation of Canada's system of government.

"Our system of government is based on one fundamental principle," he said, "and that is our prime minister and the government of the day is and should remain accountable to Parliament, and through Parliament to the Canadian people."

Murphy went on to note Harper chose to prorogue parliament on a day when Canadian soldiers died in Afghanistan and the Olympic hockey team was announced, saying that day was chosen in the hope nobody would notice.