The PMO knew in March of Paul Bernardo prison transfer ‘possibility’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office says staff were alerted in March to the “possibility” that notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo would be transferred to a medium security prison.

But the PMO says that Trudeau himself was only briefed on the day it took place, May 29.

That briefing was one day before Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says he was told about the transfer, despite his office also knowing for nearly three months that Bernardo was being moved out of maximum-security.

3:08 Poilievre accuses Mendicino of knowing about Bernardo prison transfer 3 months prior

The ever-evolving timeline comes as the Conservatives call for Mendicino’s resignation over how his office handled the information. News that both the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Public Safety Minister’s Office knew about the impending transfer for weeks has conflicted with the shock and condemnation both Trudeau and Mendicino expressed when the move became public early this month.

According to a spokesperson for the PMO, the information about the transfer was referred to Mendicino’s office when it was received in March.

“When a staff member in the Prime Minister’s Office was alerted in March by the Privy Council Office about the possibility of the transfer, inquiries and requests for information were immediately made to the Public Safety Minister’s Office,” spokesperson Alison Murphy said in a statement to Global News.

“That was the right step to take given the Public Safety Minister’s responsibility for the Correctional Service of Canada.”

Murphy added Trudeau was briefed about the transfer on May 29, the day Bernardo was transferred.

1:00 Singh demands answers from Mendicino on Paul Bernardo prison move

She did not say if the PMO was later alerted when Correctional Services Canada had formalized the transfer, or if Trudeau had any private discussions with Mendicino before news of transfer made headlines on June 2.

“Instead of acting, the Prime Minister did nothing and left it in the hands of his most useless minister,” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said a tweet in response to the PMO’s statement. “This is a failure of leadership at the very top.”

The CSC told Global News Wednesday it contacted Mendicino’s office by email on March 2 to inform them that Bernardo would be transferred from Millhaven Institution, a maximum-security penitentiary near Kingston, Ont. A transfer date hadn’t been determined at that time.

CSC then followed up with the minister’s office on May 25, telling them Bernardo would be transferred on May 29.

Mendicino said during question period Wednesday he was informed on May 30 and that “corrective steps” have been taken within his office. He also said he issued new directives to the CSC for families and the public safety minister to be notified directly before transfers like Bernardo’s happen.

“I have also made it clear to my staff that this should have been briefed immediately. Corrective steps have been taken,” Mendicino said. “I have dealt with it and we will now always defend the rights of victims.”

0:51 Bernardo prison transfer ‘extraordinarily difficult’ for families, many Canadians dealing with news in ‘shock and real anguish’

Poilievre claimed earlier Wednesday that Mendicino has “lied” to Canadians too many times.

“These are too many lies,” he said. “It’s one lie too many. It is time for Marco Mendicino to resign.”

Poilievre also called for Trudeau to fire Mendicino if the public safety minister didn’t step down himself.

A government official previously told Global News the CSC provided Mendicino with a heads-up of the transfer, but the decision was independent and since transfers are not typically public information, they were not in a position to comment before June 2.

Bernardo, 58, has been serving a life sentence for the kidnappings, tortures and murders of teenagers Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s. He and his then-wife Karla Homolka also killed her younger sister, Tammy Homolka.

Mendicino said on June 5 the CSC would review the transfer. That review should be completed “within a few weeks,” the CSC told Global News on Tuesday.

2:02 Poilievre demands Trudeau transfer Paul Bernardo back to maximum security, puts forward new bill

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters Wednesday 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’ controversial gun legislation.

“It doesn’t look like he’s got his house in order,” Singh said. “I just don’t want to let the prime minister off the hook. I want to make it very clear the prime minister sets the tone.”

—With files from Aaron D’Andrea and the Canadian Press