OTTAWA–Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says it's a lot easier for the government to operate without Parliament in session.

"As a minister, I often get more done when the House is not in session," he said as thousands of Canadians were preparing to mount protests across the country against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision to suspend Parliament until March 3.

"That's not to say Parliament is unimportant," Kenney told reporters after making an immigration announcement. "But from a ministerial point of view, I think any minister in any government will tell you that's probably generally the case."

Harper has sparked a rare national outpouring of protest from Canadians who argue that closing down Parliament is an abuse of prime ministerial power and is being used by Harper to deprive his political opponents of a platform to criticize his government.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Green Leader Elizabeth May will address a rally in front of Parliament on Saturday afternoon – one of dozens of public protests scheduled from St. John's to Toronto to Victoria.

Until Harper unexpectedly suspended, or prorogued, Parliament last month, the House of Commons was scheduled to reopen after its holiday break on Monday.

Liberal and New Democrat MPs will be on Parliament Hill on Monday for a week of hearings, discussions and news conferences on unemployment, the need for independent government agencies, aiding Haiti, the pension crisis, accountability in Afghanistan and other issues.

But Harper will be out of the country for much of next week. From Wednesday to Friday, he will be in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, an invitation-only gathering where the globe's corporate and political elite rub shoulders and talk policy once a year.

Layton, who is advocating new parliamentary rules to curb the prime minister's power to suspend sittings, said on Friday: "Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are playing old politics – where partisan games matter more than the work of elected representatives.

"Canadians want and deserve better: a new politics that says there is a better way forward, an end to secrecy and arrogance and the beginning of openness and accountability," Layton added.

Saturday's protest rallies emerged from a Facebook page set up to oppose the suspension of Parliament that has attracted more than 200,000 members. In Toronto, protesters will gather at 1 p.m. at Dundas Square, according to the website NoProrogue.ca. In Vancouver, demonstrators will reportedly be served perogies as a tasty alternative to prorogation.

Harper has said he suspended Parliament to give his government time to prepare its economic plans.

Even though the House of Commons is shuttered, Harper summoned his caucus to a meeting Friday, telling Conservative MPs and senators the government must continue to revive the economy by rolling out the second year of its two-year, $46 billion economic stimulus package, which was announced last Jan. 27.

"The international economy remains fragile and there is still a danger that we could be pulled back once again through no fault of our own. That's why protecting Canada's economy remains the top priority of Canadians and that is why it is still our top priority," he said to enthusiastic applause.

"The Economic Action Plan has been working and we must see it through."

The economic recovery plan is to run through 2010, but Harper said Canadians are saying it's time to get ready to cut government costs once the stimulus program ends.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

"We have been told to start planning now for deficit reduction when the recession ends," he said.

The Conservatives envision a cumulative budget deficit of $164 billion by 2014.

Read more about: