Privacy Act allows disclosure for inmate transfers, Mendicino said it restricts them

Soon after Canadians were told privacy law was preventing them from learning why notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo was moved to a medium-security prison, the federal privacy watchdog was reminded behind the scenes that there are ways around it.

Soon after Canadians were told privacy law was preventing them from learning why notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo was moved to a medium-security prison, the federal privacy watchdog was reminded behind the scenes that there are ways around it.

Bernardo had spent nearly 30 years in a maximum-security prison -- most recently the Millhaven Institution near Kingston, Ont. -- before news broke that he had been transferred to La Macaza Institution in Quebec, a medium-security prison offering treatment for sex offenders, at the end of May.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, whose handling of the prison transfer has dogged him for weeks, has said that the Correctional Service of Canada, which was responsible for the decision, owes Canadians an explanation given the severity of Bernardo's crimes.

But he has also said the Privacy Act was getting in the way of transparency.

"The Privacy Act and other legislation currently puts significant limits on what can be discussed publicly, including information surrounding specific inmate transfers," Mendicino said in a statement on June 14.

He added he wanted Philippe Dufresne, the federal privacy commissioner, to propose new procedures about sharing information with the public and victims in high-profile cases.

Newly released emails show that got the attention of Dufresne's office.