The Conservative government immediately labelled the act as a terrorist attack . According to Steven Blaney , Canadian Minister of Public Safety , the attack was " clearly linked to terrorist ideology . " The Prime Minister 's office released a statement that said in part " The individual who struck the two CAF members with his car is known to federal authorities , including the Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams ( the Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams are an anti-terrorism police unit ) . Federal authorities have confirmed that there are clear indications that the individual had become radicalized . " After the 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill , Ottawa , Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave a nationally televised address in which he said " Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent ... was killed earlier this week by an ISIL-inspired terrorist " and " this week 's events are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world . We are also reminded that attacks on our security personnel and on our institutions of governance are by their very nature , attacks on our country , on our values , on our society , on us Canadians as a free and democratic people who embrace human dignity for all . " Conservative MP Erin O'Toole said on '' Power Play '' that he stands behind the terrorist act label , both in the case of Zehaf-Bibeau and Martin Couture-Rouleau . " Warrant Officer Vincent and Nathan Cirillo were n't attacked for who they were , they were attacked for what their uniform represented , so inherently that 's terrorism . " Rouleau 's next-door neighbour said , " Mr. Rouleau 's father , Gilles , is a peaceful man who tried to help his troubled son . She said Mr. Rouleau had been " brainwashed " by online radicals . " I do n't think it 's a terrorist act , " she said . " He needed help . We could see that he needed psychiatric help . " " To convert to a new religion and to adopt such violent , radical ideology suggests that he was influenced by others , in person or online , " said Wagdy Loza , head of the Canadian Psychological Association 's extremism and terrorism section
2014 shootings at Parliament Hill , Ottawa
2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, Ottawa
2014 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu ramming attack