Yellowknife (Aug 23/06) - A group of about 40 protesters yelled "Stephen Harper won't face voters" as the prime minister's car blew by them outside the legislative assembly, last week.

The car drove onto the building's sidewalk and up to the main entrance, dropping Harper meters from the building, while activists were held behind a line of police.

Suzette Montreuil, one of the Aug. 17 protest organizers, said it was very interesting how Harper avoided the group.

"I've never seen anybody do that at the legislative assembly. It just speaks more to the type of government it is," said Montreuil.

Ben McDonald, another protest organizer and member of Alternatives North, a social justice group, said the Conservative platform is lacking.

"There's a number of issues the minority government is dealing with that have caused concern with the social justice communities," he said.

When asked if he thought the protest made a difference, McDonald said it would likely not affect government policy. "I gotta say, I probably don't have much hope."

Protester Shelagh Montgomery brought a sign protesting the integration of Canada and the United States.

"When you're not allowed to speak to the government, you gotta get through to them somehow," she said.

Meaghan Fisher agreed. "I think it's important to voice dissent and demonstrate dissent," she said.

Demonstrators dumped a pile of snow outside the assembly to represent the melting ice caps. They also hauled around a green piece of pipe in protest of the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

They launched into chants about an alphabet of issues, including HIV/AIDS, childcare, same sex marriage, housing, and fair trade among the few.

Regional representative for the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Gary Fraser, called for the government to implement legislation that would make it illegal to hire replacement workers during a strike.

"We just got through that BHP (Biliton) strike," he said.

City councillor Kevin O'Reilly joined the protest.

"I'd hope to get my family inside to hear the prime minister, but I was told kids were not welcome," said O'Reilly, holding his own signs.

"It's important people exercise their democratic rights," he said. "If you don't do it, you lose it."

Protestors did not stay long after Harper passed them bye. The protest lasted around an hour.

Several hundred people attended Harper's speech in the assembly's Great Hall. During the address, the prime minister spoke at length about the resource development in the North and threw his support behind the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.