MPs to study controversial prison transfer of killer Luka Magnotta

A parliamentary committee voted Monday to look into why convicted first-degree murderer Luka Magnotta was quietly transferred from a maximum to a medium-security prison.

During an emergency debate, the standing committee on public safety and national security passed an amended motionto hold one meeting onMagnotta'stransfer.

The committee is now calling forfour witnesses to appear before it, including the warden of La Macaza Institution in Quebec, where Magnotta was moved in 2022.

MPs also arecalling for testimony fromCommissioner of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Anne Kelly, representatives of theUnion of Canadian Correctional Officers and representatives ofthe medical team involved in Magnotta's transfer.

A jury found Magnotta guilty of first-degree murder in 2014 for the killing and dismemberment of international student Jun Lin in 2012.

Lin's body parts were found in a suitcase outsideMagnotta'sapartment, in packages sent to the headquarters of political parties and two Vancouver schools, and in a Montreal park.

After an international manhunt, Magnotta was arrested in Berlin in 2012 at an Internet cafe.

Victims notified of transfer, CSC says

Magnotta's prison transfer was made public recently after Conservative MP Frank Caputo toured the medium-security La Macaza Institution last month. Serial killer and rapist Paul Bernardo was transferred to La Macaza in May 2023, setting off a political firestorm.

Caputo said that when he was touring the prison, a man walked past him who was later identified by a staff member as Luka Magnotta.

"To see him in medium-security seemingly so soon after his offence was committed really did shock me," Caputo told CBC News.

CSC later confirmed thatMagnotta was transferred toLa Macaza two years ago. CSC said it sent registered victims notifications of Magnotta's transferbut noted that the agency does not "typically comment or publicly announce" such transfers publicly.

"To provide further context, we have a number of inmates with affiliations to security threat groups (gangs), and who are incompatible with other inmates, which could make it a safety and security risk to disclose their specific location and placement," CSC said in a media statement.

MPstrade accusations of political theatrics

Inheated exchanges during Monday'scommittee hearing, the Liberals and Conservative accused eachother of engaging in political theatrics.

Liberal MP Peter Schiefke said that if any of his family members, or members of other MPs' families, suffered what Bernardo'svictims experienced,he'd "want that person to never see the light of day."

While Schiefke said he supported the Conservatives' motion and anamendment later put forward by the Bloc Qubcois, he accused the Official Oppositionof grandstanding.

"I would gladly take a chainsaw to their proverbial soapbox and point out, firstly, that transfers from maximum to medium security prisons in this country peaked under Conservative [Prime Minister] Stephen Harper," he said.

WATCH |'Political theatre' accusations fly as MPsdiscuss prison transfers:

'Political theatre' accusations fly as MP meet to discuss prison transfers for killers

7 months ago

Duration 1:48

Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri and Liberal MP Peter Schiefke got into a heated exchange as the public safety and national security committee met to discuss when and how certain killers are able to transfer between prisons.

Caputo said Bernardo was not in medium security when Harper was in office.

Schiefkepointed to statistics from CSCshowing that the highest number of prison transfers from maximum to medium-security institutionsover the past decadeoccurred between 2012 and 2014. There were 291 of those transfers in 2012-2013 and 319 in2013-2014.

The average number of transfers from maximum to medium-security institutions was 222 between2012 and2023, according to the CSC data viewed by CBC News. There were 253 of these prison transfers under the current governmentin 2022-2023, 223 such transfers in 2021-2022 and 197 in 2020-2021,CSC's datasays.

Conservative MP Dane Lloyd said the closure of the Kingston Penitentiaryin 2013 could explain whythe numbers are higher for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Schiefke said three high-profileprison escapes happened during the Harper years and accused the Conservatives of having the "worst" record on crime.

Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri said Canadians feel "unsafe under the Trudeau government." She said that forvictims of violent crime,the committee's deliberations are "not political theater this is their life."

"Then stop treating it like political theater,"Schiefke responded.

"Are you for real?" said Ferreri. "You literally just said if this was your family that you would do this."

Conservative and Bloc MPs called Monday'semergency meeting to debate Caputo'soriginal motion callingfor six meetings to probe the transfer of Magnotta and other prisoner transfers.

That motion also called for testimony fromPublic Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, his predecessor Marco Mendicino, Mendicino's formerchief of staff,the clerk of the Privy CouncilOffice and friends of Bernardo's victims.

Minister left out of loop on Bernardo transfer

CBC News reported on Saturday that Mendicino's chief of staff was briefed last year by the head of Corrections Canada about Bernardo's upcoming prison transfer almost two weeks before it happened.

The minister wasn't told about it until after Bernardo had been moved, according to an internal government email.

Documents obtained through an access-to-information request also showCorrections Canada was in contact with the minister's office about Bernardo's transfer a total of seven times between February and May 2020, before Mendicinowas briefed.

Bernardo was convicted of first-degree murder in 1995 for killing teenagers Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy in southern Ontario. He was also convicted of manslaughter for his role in the death of 15-year-old Tammy Homolka.

He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years and has been designated a dangerous offender.

Ferreri read out a statement to the committee she said was written by French's friends Tennille Chwalczuk, Laura Murray and Marcia Penner.

The statement, issuedin response to CBC's reporting, said the three women are "once again saddened and disappointed that the government of Canada has added to the continued emotional trauma and victimization" of those affected by Bernardo's crimes.

"To know that so much communication took place about the transfer and yet no one deemed it important enough to ensure that the minister was addressed personally speaks yet again to the disregard of victims in our criminal justice system," the statement said. "This has to change. Victims should and must come first."

Committee shouldn't interfere in transfers: MP

Bloc Qubcois MP Kristina Michaud said the committee already has looked into Bernardo's transferand the focus now should be on whether any error inMagnotta's psychological assessmentallowed himto be moved to a medium-security prison. Michaudamended themotion to focus on Magnotta and removed political staff from the list of witnesses to call.

Michaud said that as MPs, they shouldn't interfere in the prison transfer process and warned against using the transfers as anopportunity to engage in politics. The government has said prison transfers are decisions made independentlyby CSC.

The emergency meeting also came after Caputo reported he saw a hockey rink which can double as a tennis court in warmer months at the prison where Magnotta and Bernardo are held.Corrections Canada said that while there are boards up at the rink, "there has been no ice for the past two winters."

CSC said"opportunities to participate in recreational activities [are]not unique to La Macaza and can be found in other institutions."

A date has not yet been set for the committee meeting on Magnotta's prison transfer.