The NDP and Conservative caucus chairs shook hands and wished each other well Wednesday morning before MPs returned to their weekly meetings on Parliament Hill, one week after a lone gunman stormed the Centre Block after killing an unarmed soldier.
Conservative caucus chair Guy Lauzon and NDP caucus chair Glenn Thibeault stood next to each other and addressed reporters before MPs gathered in their meeting rooms to discuss last weekâs ordeal.
âWeâre looking forward to getting together as a caucus and talking about government bills and what we need to do as opposition,â Thibeault said while standing next to Lauzon. âFor all of us in our caucus itâs going to be a tough day. Weâre going to get through it.â
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar tweeted a photo of Parliament Hill guard Alain Gervais addressing the NDP caucus Wednesday morning. Dewar hailed him as âone of the heroesâ during last weekâs ordeal.
The NDP also had a counsellor on hand should any of the MPs have wanted to discuss how they felt about what happened.
âthereâs still a lot of emotionâ among his caucus.
âPeople are still feeling quite fragile about everything that they went through in the past week,â he told reporters. âBut weâre all standing together.â
Alain Gervais addressing NDP caucus, Alain was one of heroes of Oct 22 who put his life on line
â Paul Dewar (@PaulDewar)
Despite the message of unity, Mulcair was criticized Wednesday for saying that Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the shooter in the Ottawa attacks, was a criminal, not a terrorist.
"I don't think we have enough evidence to use that word," Mulcair said. "When you look at the history of the individual involved, you see a criminal act, of course. But . . . I think that we're not in the presence of a terrorist act in the sense that we would understand it."
Conservative MP Peter Kent called Mulcairâs comment âridiculous.â
"It was clearly an act of terror (based on) his background and motivation. RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson's remarks about his motivation I think are very clear," Kent said.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also said the RCMP has made it âclearâ that the attack was an act of terrorism.
Last Wednesday, MPs huddled in their meeting rooms as Zehaf-Bibeau exchanged gunfire with Mounties and Parliament Hill security guards a few feet away in the Hall of Honour. The 32-year-old gunman was eventually killed, dying in a hail of bullets.
Bullet holes can still be seen in the Hall of Honour and near the Library of Parliament, as well as in some doors and windows.
Minutes before entering Parliament, Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the nearby National War Memorial. The 24-year-old Hamilton native was unarmed at the time.
Police agencies and Parliament Hill security must review what happened and seek input from legislatures across the country and around the world to make any necessary improvements to keep Parliamentarians and the public safe, Mulcair said.
He saidâthereâs a problemâ with Parliament Hill security if a man is able to walk across the front lawn carrying a rifle and get inside the building.
The Ottawa attack came two days after Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was run over by a car and killed in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. The suspect in that case was also fatally shot by police.
Back to work
Wednesday his caucus was âvery much focused on getting back to work.â
But they also took a moment âto reflect on how privileged we are to be in a workplace that is so surrounded by extraordinary individuals willing to keep us safe,â he said.
âAnd the best way we can honour that is by focusing on the job we were sent here to do.â
Minister of State for Democratic Reform Pierre Poilievre said it was âextremely emotionalâ to return to caucus a week after the attack on Parliament.
But he said he is âvery proudâ of all MPs who are âdoing their work and refusing to be intimidated by this terrorist attack.â
While Parliament returns to normal business and people continue to drop off flowers and tributes at the National War Memorial, the Peace Tower flag will remain at half-mast until Nov. 1, when Patrice Vincentâs funeral service will be held.
With files from The Canadian Press