Protesters of all ages thronged Toronto's Dundas Square on Saturday afternoon, asking MPs to go back to work Monday and denouncing the prime minister's move to halt Parliament until after the Olympics.

Surrounded by the area's house-sized advertisements and bright lights, several thousand demonstrators joined the rally and march, which blocked off Yonge Street as it wound through the city's downtown.

Participants urged MPs to return to Ottawa on Monday, the date originally scheduled for Parliament to resume before Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision to prorogue until early March.

Many of the speakers -- who included progressive journalist Judy Rebick, democracy watchdog Duff Conacher and Cuban-Canadian comedian Marta Chavez -- slammed the government for what they saw as a disregard for democratic principles.

“We want a government that works for us, but for that you have to have a government that's working,” said Ontario Federation of Labour Secretary/Treasurer Marie Kelly, eliciting cheers from the spirited crowd.

Kelly criticized the government for running away from the ongoing scandal over torture of Afghan detainees, echoing the sentiments of hundreds of mass-produced placards on display at the event.

“When times are tough at our workplaces, we are told we can't have a vacation, we have to work harder,” she added. “I say to Harper, 'We are your employer. If you won't do the job, get out of there and let in someone who will.'”

Some of the rally's more creative participants fashioned placards to explain their frustration in less conventional terms.

One bore a photo of Dr. Seuss character The Grinch superimposed with Harper's face, standing with his head tilted cockily to one side. It read simply, “the Grinch who stole Parliament.”

While billed as a non-partisan event, several speakers voiced support for the NDP during their time on the podium, causing murmurs of frustration throughout the diverse crowd.

The Toronto rally was one of dozens held across Canada organized by users of Facebook, Twitter and newly created website NoProrogue.ca.

Critics denounced the coalition's massive Facebook group in recent weeks, saying that despite its more than 200,000 members, it wasn't an accurate reflection of the number of Canadians with genuine concerns about Parliament's suspension.