On October 22, 2014, Poilievre was present at Parliament Hill during the attack on the House of Commons by a terrorist. He, along with the prime minister and many other MPs, barricaded themselves in the Conservative caucus meeting room. He was one of a number of MPs who broke down flag poles and fashioned them into spears to ward off the assailant should he force his way inside. Later, when he and fellow Conservative ministers and MPs met at the Lester B. Pearson Building, Poilievre brought along his spear as a memento.