Prime Minister Justin Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 office says he learned about the prison transfer of Paul Bernardo the day it happened 害羞草研究所� a day earlier than Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.
The confirmation came as Conservatives called for Mendicino害羞草研究所檚 ouster over his office害羞草研究所檚 handling of the information that the convicted killer and serial rapist was being moved out of maximum-security prison.
While his office was informed about the possibility of the transfer to a medium-security institution nearly three months before it happened, Mendicino said he found out about it the day after Bernardo was moved.
害羞草研究所淎s the minister said in question period, he should have been informed earlier and he has dealt with that,害羞草研究所� Alison Murphy, a spokesperson for Trudeau, said in a statement.
Murphy said a staffer in Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 office was alerted by the Privy Council Office in March that the transfer was a possibility, and 害羞草研究所渋nquiries and requests for information were immediately made to the public safety minister害羞草研究所檚 office.害羞草研究所�
The statement did not explain why Trudeau was only briefed about the transfer on May 29.
害羞草研究所淣ow we know why Justin Trudeau won害羞草研究所檛 fire his incompetent minister: Justin Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 own office was alerted in March that Paul Bernardo, one of the most vile monsters in Canadian history, was going to be transferred to medium security to enjoy more freedom and comfort,害羞草研究所� Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted late Wednesday.
害羞草研究所淚nstead of acting, the prime minister did nothing and left it in the hands of his most useless minister. This is a failure of leadership at the very top.害羞草研究所�
Calls for Mendicino害羞草研究所檚 resignation dominated the House of Commons question period on Wednesday, with Mendicino saying 害羞草研究所渃orrective steps害羞草研究所� have been taken to prevent a similar situation from happening again.
The lambasting came after the Correctional Service of Canada disclosed the timing of when it first informed the minister害羞草研究所檚 office about the plans around Bernardo.
Spokesman Kevin Antonucci said the correctional service first emailed Mendicino害羞草研究所檚 office about the impending move March 2. At the time, 害羞草研究所渢he final date害羞草研究所� for the transfer had not been determined, he said.
The service reached out again on May 25, this time including updated 害羞草研究所渃ommunications messaging害羞草研究所� and information the transfer would happen on May 29.
Mendicino害羞草研究所檚 first public response came on June 2, when he called the decision by the correctional service 害羞草研究所渟hocking and incomprehensible.害羞草研究所�
That statement made the minister guilty of telling 害羞草研究所渓ies害羞草研究所� to Canadians, Poilievre said Wednesday, because his office knew almost three months in advance and Mendicino had already known for days.
害羞草研究所淲hy has the staff not been fired?害羞草研究所� Poilievre asked before his party害羞草研究所檚 weekly caucus meeting.
害羞草研究所淢arco Mendicino needs to resign,害羞草研究所� he added, saying that if the minister refuses to step aside, Trudeau should just fire him.
Mendicino害羞草研究所檚 office did not respond to questions about why staff withheld information from the minister. He did not take questions from reporters.
Bernardo is serving a life sentence for the kidnapping, sexual abuse and murders of 15-year-old Kristen French and 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s.
He also admitted to sexually assaulting 14 other women and was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Tammy Homolka, who died after being drugged and sexually assaulted.
Tammy was the 15-year-old sister of Bernardo害羞草研究所檚 then-wife Karla Homolka, who was released in 2005 after completing a 12-year sentence for her role in the crimes committed against French and Mahaffy.
Mendicino, speaking in French, told the Commons 害羞草研究所渋t was a mistake within my office害羞草研究所� not to inform him when the federal correctional service first presented it with the information.
害羞草研究所淚 have also made it clear to my staff that this should have been briefed immediately, corrective steps have been taken, I have dealt with it and we will now always defend the rights of victims,害羞草研究所� he told fellow MPs in English.
He separately announced plans to issue a directive to the correctional service that the public safety minister 害羞草研究所渕ust be formally and directly notified 害羞草研究所� in advance of the transfer of any high-profile or dangerous offenders.害羞草研究所�
He said in the House that a directive will also ask that the service 害羞草研究所減uts victims害羞草研究所� rights at the centre of decisions to transfer害羞草研究所� and informs their families before transfers take place.
A review is currently underway into the correctional service害羞草研究所檚 decision to transfer Bernardo, who it says does not pose a threat to public safety.
Antonucci said he expects that review to be finished 害羞草研究所渨ithin a few weeks.害羞草研究所�
A three-person panel will probe the 害羞草研究所渁ppropriateness害羞草研究所� of his new classification, the consideration and notification given to his victims and 害羞草研究所渨hether the legislative and policy framework was followed,害羞草研究所� he said.
Tim Danson, the lawyer representing the French and Mahaffy families, said Wednesday marked a troubling anniversary.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 particularly acute,害羞草研究所� Danson said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e into this controversy on the very day that Paul Bernardo abducted Leslie Mahaffy.害羞草研究所�
Danson said he spoke with Mendicino on Wednesday morning and they had what he characterized as a 害羞草研究所渇rank but constructive conversation.害羞草研究所�
He says the victims害羞草研究所� families are 害羞草研究所渧ery, very troubled害羞草研究所� by the minister害羞草研究所檚 lack of notification, saying the incident demonstrates a 害羞草研究所渃avalier attitude害羞草研究所� toward the situation and 害羞草研究所渄emeans害羞草研究所� the memories of their daughters.
Danson also questioned how it could be possible that staff in the minister害羞草研究所檚 office did not notify him in advance of Bernardo害羞草研究所檚 transfer, given Bernardo害羞草研究所檚 notoriety and brutal criminal past.
害羞草研究所淚s this about plausible deniability?害羞草研究所� he asked.
He and Poilievre have both insisted that Mendicino has the power to reverse Bernardo害羞草研究所檚 transfer through a ministerial directive.
Poilievre has said that those convicted of multiple murders should always have to serve out their full sentences in maximum-security institutions.
The minister has repeatedly said that his office does not wield power over the security classification for inmates since the correctional service operates as an independent institution.
Mendicino suggested to the Commons that Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 suggested solution of taking direct action in the matter would amount to 害羞草研究所減olitical interference.害羞草研究所�
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters that firing or demoting the minister is not the answer, saying he believes this was an example of the Liberal government being lousy when it comes to information-sharing.
He instead laid the blame at the feet of Trudeau and said there are legitimate concerns about how the minister has handled his portfolio, which includes the Liberals害羞草研究所� controversial gun legislation.
害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 look like he害羞草研究所檚 got his house in order,害羞草研究所� Singh said.
害羞草研究所淚 just don害羞草研究所檛 want to let the prime minister off the hook. I want to make it very clear the prime minister sets the tone.害羞草研究所�
Some top Liberals, such as government House leader Mark Holland, also expressed concern about how information flows within government.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 good for us to take a look at making sure that we have the right processes in place to deal with the flow of information in a country as large and as big as this. There is an enormous amount of information in this form,害羞草研究所� Holland said.
害羞草研究所淪o we do have to review our processes and make sure that they害羞草研究所檙e as strong and as rigorous as possible, and where communication gaps exist, that害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity to look at how to fix it.害羞草研究所�
Asked about the need for staff to be disciplined, backbench Liberal MP Chris Bittle said he understands why that would make sense.
害羞草研究所淭he gut reaction would be: of course. But I害羞草研究所檓 sure this (is a) staffer that may be overworked, that probably feels about one foot tall and wants to crawl under a rock.害羞草研究所�
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