OTTAWA (CBC) - More than 100 people rallied in Ottawa to show they want the Portrait Gallery of Canada to be established in the nation's capital.

The crowd of artists, politicians from all three levels of government and other residents rallied on Wellington Street across from Parliament Hill at noon Friday, two hours before the deadline for cities across Canada to submit their bids for the gallery to the federal government.

In November, the federal government announced that it wanted Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa-Gatineau, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver to bid for the gallery, which was originally slated for Ottawa.

In addition, Public Works Minister Michael Fortier said the government wanted to ensure maximum tax dollar benefits by including the private sector.

The museum was originally to set to open in the former U.S. Embassy building on Wellington Street, steps from the rally, which was hosted by NDP Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar. Those at the rally were photographed by Paul Couvrette, a local artist who said he will donate the "portrait" to the national gallery.

Some who took part, such as Ottawa city Coun. Diane Holmes, said the government was wrong to hold a competition for the gallery at all.

"I think that it’s appalling that it's up for auction to the highest bidder across the country," she said.

Wendy Limbrick, who is from Australia, said she attended the rally because she thinks Canada's portrait gallery should be located in the nation's capital, like the national portrait gallery in her home country.

"In Canberra, it’s being placed right alongside the national art gallery and next to the high court in a very prominent position," she said. "And I don’t understand why anyone would think it belongs in Calgary. Nobody’s going to see it."

A day earlier, Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier announced that the city has sent in its bid to locate the gallery on the northwest corner of its downtown Olympic Plaza.

Edmonton developer disagrees

Ken Cantor, commercial manager for Qualico, a development company that put in one of Edmonton's two bids, said he disagrees that the gallery should be located in Ottawa.

"I think children going to school in Halifax or Vancouver of Calgary or Edmonton have as much right to exposure to some of our national treasures," he said.

He acknowledged that a majority of Canada's national treasures will and should remain in Ottawa, but said it would be good for the city and the rest of the country to locate the rest outside the capital.

Edmonton's other bid comes from the smaller developer Gene Dub.

The City of Ottawa has approved a bid that would incorporate the museum as part of a development comprised of two highrise towers to be built by Claridge Homes at the corner of Metcalfe and Lisgar Streets downtown.

The Alberta government pledged $40 million in its budget in April to support bids to bring the gallery to that province.

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