Paul Bernardo prison transfer needed to be kept ‘low profile,’ officials said

Emails obtained by Global News through an access to information request show communications officials discussing the need to keep news of Bernardo's transfer a 'close hold.'

Senior officials within Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and Public Safety Canada said the then-looming transfer of serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison needed to be kept “low profile” and under a “close hold” just days before it happened, internal emails show.

The newly-released emails also show the CSC advising Public Safety Canada that the families of Bernardo’s victims would get “a heads up” prior to the transfer taking place — something the families’ lawyer said didn’t happen until afterward.

News of Bernardo’s transfer from a maximum security prison in late May shocked Canadians and engulfed the Liberal government in controversy.

Officials have struggled to explain why Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they were not informed until the day the transfer occurred, and the day after, respectively, despite their offices knowing about the possibility for months.

Global News obtained the emails through an access to information request to Public Safety Canada that sought “all records prepared for the minister” between May 22 and June 3. One page of emails and five pages of prepared media lines on the transfer were the only materials released in response to the request.

Ministers’ offices and their staff are not subject to access to information laws, but their corresponding departments and officials are.

The records show that on May 25 — four days before Bernardo was transferred — the CSC’s assistant communications commissioner emailed media lines flagged as high importance to five individuals.

Of those, two are listed as public servants with Correctional Service Canada while three others were redacted individuals using Public Safety Canada email accounts.