Two people were arrested for mischief Saturday as protesters gathered on Parliament Hill and surrounding streets to oppose Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government agenda. The “Draw the Line” protest drew participants from Ottawa, Gatineau, and beyond, uniting climate justice, migrant justice, Indigenous rights, labour, anti-war, and Palestine solidarity groups in a sweeping demonstration.
The protest began outside the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street, where organizers painted a large mural reading “People, Peace, Planet, Not Profit.” Ottawa Police said the paint used was washable but confirmed that Wellington Street would remain closed for cleanup and that two individuals were taken into custody.
Marchers proceeded to the U.S. Embassy and the Human Rights Monument, calling on the government to reverse planned public service job cuts, halt military spending increases, and end subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. Organizers also demanded a two-way arms embargo on Israel, recognition of Indigenous sovereignty, and permanent resident status for all migrants.
“People across movements are uniting to say enough,” said Sara Washburn of Fridays for Future Ottawa. “We refuse austerity, colonialism, climate destruction, and militarism — and we demand a future where people come before profit.”
The rally comes as the Carney government prepares to table its first budget on November 4, which includes plans to find $25 billion in savings over three years, largely through cuts to the federal public service, while pledging to boost military spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035.
Carney has defended the measures as necessary to bolster Canada’s economy and competitiveness in the face of U.S. tariffs and global instability, but critics say the approach threatens social services and undermines environmental and Indigenous protections.
Despite the arrests, organizers described the protest as peaceful and said momentum is building for coordinated demonstrations across Canada, with events planned in Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Charlottetown.