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 week鈥檚 ordeal.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to getting together as a caucus and talking about government bills and what we need to do as opposition,鈥� Thibeault said while standing next to Lauzon. 鈥淔or all of us in our caucus it鈥檚 going to be a tough day. We鈥檙e going to get through it.鈥�

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 鈥渙ne of the heroes鈥� during last week鈥檚 ordeal.

The NDP also had a counsellor on hand should any of the MPs have wanted to discuss how they felt about what happened.

鈥渢here鈥檚 still a lot of emotion鈥� among his caucus.

鈥淧eople are still feeling quite fragile about everything that they went through in the past week,鈥� he told reporters. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e all standing together.鈥�

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 Mulcair鈥檚 comment 鈥渞idiculous.鈥�

"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 鈥渃lear鈥� 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 said鈥渢here鈥檚 a problem鈥� 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 鈥渧ery much focused on getting back to work.鈥�

But they also took a moment 鈥渢o reflect on how privileged we are to be in a workplace that is so surrounded by extraordinary individuals willing to keep us safe,鈥� he said.

鈥淎nd the best way we can honour that is by focusing on the job we were sent here to do.鈥�

Minister of State for Democratic Reform Pierre Poilievre said it was 鈥渆xtremely emotional鈥� to return to caucus a week after the attack on Parliament.

But he said he is 鈥渧ery proud鈥� of all MPs who are 鈥渄oing their work and refusing to be intimidated by this terrorist attack.鈥�

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 Vincent鈥檚 funeral service will be held.

With files from The Canadian Press