With the parliament in lockdown and the capital, Ottawa, seized by panic during Wednesday’s shooting spree, Canadian PM Stephen Harper was seen at a televised briefing with a glass of red wine.

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During an emergency televised briefing with Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Bob Paulson, Harper is seen with a nearly-empty glass of red wine at his side. Suddenly the shooting spree took a backseat on the blogosphere, as social media erupted in debate as to whether ‘drinking on the job’ – especially at the height of a national emergency – was the responsible thing for a leader to do.

Uh, maybe our PM can wait until order is restored before pouring himself a glass of wine? #OttawaShootinghttp://ift.tt/1wlVdZi

— Pascal Leroux (@PascalLeroux) October 22, 2014

On Wednesday at 9:52am, gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau opened fire at the Ottawa War Memorial, fatally wounding Corporal Nathan Cirilloa, 24, before heading to the parliament building, where alleged assailant Zehaf-Bibeau was shot dead by Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers outside the MPs' caucus rooms, CBC News reported.

@PascalLeroux It's judgment thinking the PM is not sober. Having a little wine doesn't make someone drunk.

— Jeffery White (@PureWhite0) October 22, 2014

At the same time, the RCMP issued a statement requesting the public not to post videos or photos relating to the shooting as it was occurring, which many say infringed upon the work of journalists and the rights of private citizens in the area.

In an address to the nation following the shooting, Harper extended his condolences to the family and friends of Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was “murdered in cold blood, as he provided a ceremonial honor guard at Canada's National War Memorial,” as well as to Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who was killed earlier this week by “an ISIL-inspired terrorist.”

READ MORE: Ottawa gunman ‘identified’ as recent Muslim convert, high-risk traveler

Harper told his fellow Canadians that such incidents “are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world.”