OTTAWA – The federal Public Safety Department has come forward to defend its decision not to directly inform Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino about the transfer of notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison. This move has sparked controversy and criticism as Mendicino has been grappling with the fallout from the Correctional Service of Canada’s decision to transfer Bernardo from a maximum-security prison in Ontario to a facility in Quebec known for its treatment programs for sex offenders.
Emails obtained under the Access to Information Act by The Canadian Press reveal that Anne Kelly, the federal corrections commissioner, informed Shawn Tupper, the deputy minister of public safety, and Tricia Geddes, the associate deputy minister, about the transfer three days before it took place. Tupper responded by expressing gratitude to Kelly for the confirmation.
Despite this communication, the decision was not directly conveyed to Minister Mendicino, and he claimed to be unaware of the transfer until the day after it happened. The prison service confirmed that they had notified the minister’s office at least three months before the transfer and again in the days leading up to it.
In response to questions about why the senior officials did not raise the matter directly with Mendicino, a spokesperson for the department stated that neither deputy had any reason to believe that the minister was unaware, based on the information available to them. The spokesperson further explained that operational decisions of the correctional service do not typically involve the involvement of deputies.
However, before the House of Commons adjourned for the summer break, Mendicino announced his intention to issue a directive that would require federal corrections to formally and directly notify the public safety minister in advance of the transfer of any high-profile or dangerous offenders.
The Conservative party has demanded Mendicino’s resignation, criticizing his handling of the matter and calling for a directive that would ensure multiple murderers serve their entire sentences in maximum-security prisons, contrary to the current practice of reviewing an inmate’s security classification over time.
While the Liberal government has not ruled out any options, it has emphasized the need for caution to ensure that political leaders do not interfere with the operational independence of the correctional service.
Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho stated in a late-night statement that Mendicino should take responsibility and resign, accusing him of refusing to take action to prevent the transfer.
Mendicino acknowledged that it was a mistake on the part of his staff not to inform him of Bernardo’s transfer initially. However, he provided little explanation for why he was kept in the dark and did not disclose whether any disciplinary measures had been taken.
Bernardo is serving a life sentence for the kidnapping, torture, and murder of 15-year-old Kristen French and 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s near St. Catharines, Ontario. He was also convicted of manslaughter in the December 1990 death of 15-year-old Tammy Homolka, the younger sister of his then-wife, Karla Homolka. Bernardo admitted to sexually assaulting 14 other women as well.
After spending nearly three decades in maximum-security facilities, including Kingston Penitentiary and Millhaven Institution near Kingston, Ontario, Bernardo was transferred to the medium-security La Macaza Institution, located about 190 kilometers northwest of Montreal, on May 29.
The transfer and Bernardo’s new security classification are currently under review by a three-person panel within the federal correctional service. Mendicino had previously expressed his expectation that the review would be completed within approximately two weeks.
The department has stated that they are working on conducting a thorough and comprehensive review to provide answers to the questions raised by the public. They plan to communicate the results of the review at the earliest opportunity. If necessary, Bernardo can be placed back in a higher security level to ensure public safety or the safety of institutions.