44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 14, 2023 02:00PM
- Jun/14/23 2:19:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety is accountable for the actions of his staff and his department.
Last week, we learned that Canada's most heinous criminal was being transferred from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security prison. This is a slap in the face to the victims and their families. The minister claimed that he was not aware, but his claims just do not add up. We know that on March 2, the minister's office was informed that this transfer would happen. On May 25, his office was informed again that this transfer would happen, and on May 29, the transfer did indeed happen.
The minister is either misleading Canadians or he is recklessly incompetent in carrying out the duties as minister. The minister must take responsibility for his inaction and his actions. The Minister of Public Safety must resign.
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- Jun/14/23 2:20:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, Awareness Month, a time to reflect—
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- Jun/14/23 2:20:18 p.m.
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I do not know what happened, but it is a bit noisy. I will ask the hon. member to start again.
The hon. member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.
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- Jun/14/23 2:20:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark ALS Awareness Month, a time to reflect on a cause that affects the lives of many Canadians.
ALS is a progressive and terminal disease that affects nerve cells in the brain, resulting in a loss of muscle control.
In Canada, approximately 3,000 people live with this debilitating illness, with two to three Canadians diagnosed with ALS every day.
These statistics highlight the need for continued research, improved support for patients and caregivers, and increased public awareness of this disease.
Let us not forget the faces behind these numbers. In their honour, and in recognition of all Canadians affected by ALS, we need to continue on for a future without ALS.
I thank all the researchers who have dedicated countless hours towards developing treatments for this disease. Their work means everything to the ALS community, and I sincerely hope for, and wish them tremendous good luck in finding, a treatment for ALS.
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- Jun/14/23 2:21:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, an entire generation of women will have to relive the traumatization of hearing about Paul Bernardo. We have learned that the government moved this monster, Paul Bernardo, from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security prison, where he will be free to receive visitors and interact with other human beings.
The Minister of Public Safety said he was shocked by the news. We now know that he had known about it for three months. What he said was false.
Will he resign?
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- Jun/14/23 2:22:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was shocked because I was informed about it on May 30, the day after Mr. Bernardo was transferred to a medium-security institution. This was a mistake made by my office, and I will be taking concrete action.
We will always defend the rights of victims. I had a very good call with the representatives of the families of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy. We will always defend their rights and all victims' rights.
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- Jun/14/23 2:23:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, an entire generation of Canadian women have to relive the traumatization of hearing Paul Bernardo's name. They all remember his horrific and monstrous crimes. They learned that the government decided to free this monster from a maximum-security prison and allow him to go to medium security, where he would be able to interact with other people, have visitors and enjoy other liberties.
The minister claimed this was all a big surprise to him. However, we learned today that his office knew in early March and was informed again in May. In other words, he did know, and what he said was false. Will he resign?
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- Jun/14/23 2:23:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, nothing could be farther from the truth. As I said earlier, I was informed on May 30, the day after Paul Bernardo was physically transferred to a medium security institution. At that time, I took immediate action, expressing the concerns of the families of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French to the commissioner. There is an internal review process.
I 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.
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- Jun/14/23 2:24:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, now the minister is throwing his staff under the bus. His office admits that it found out on March 2, three months before the minister claimed to be shocked by the news. If his staff had really kept a secret from him of this enormity, he would have fired them a long time ago, but he has not, because he knows and they know that he knew way back then.
Will he do the only honourable thing that is left for him to do, and resign?
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- Jun/14/23 2:25:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I invite the leader of the Conservative Party to repeat that allegation outside of the House. I will absolutely reject it. I knew on May 30—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Jun/14/23 2:25:14 p.m.
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Order. I am going to ask the members to take a deep breath. I know some of the topics we are discussing here are very emotional, and we get carried away, but I am going to ask everyone to allow the minister to answer so the Leader of the Opposition can hear the answer.
The hon. minister, please continue.
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- Jun/14/23 2:25:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada who misleads the House when he implies my knowledge before May 30. I had made it absolutely clear that that was the day on which I found out.
I have taken corrective steps internally with my office, an office for which I am responsible, to this Parliament and to the Canadian public. That is why, immediately upon knowing the fact that the prisoner was transferred to a medium-security institution, I raised it with the commissioner. I have spoken with the representatives of the families of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French. We will always—
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- Jun/14/23 2:26:20 p.m.
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The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
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- Jun/14/23 2:26:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have stated all these things outside of the House of Commons, so whatever threat he is trying to make, he can act on.
More important than that is that he did not act. His office knew on March 2. He expects us to believe that his staff just forgot to walk down the hall and inform him that perhaps the most notorious killer in Canadian history was being moved out of a maximum-security penitentiary to enjoy more luxuries and more freedoms in a medium-security penitentiary.
Finally, he has the power now to designate that mass murderers should all go into maximum-security prisons. He could have done that weeks ago. Why has he not done it, and why has he not resigned?
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- Jun/14/23 2:27:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada lays out a prescription for political interference, which foreshadows what Canadians would get with a Conservative government.
On this side of the House, we recognize the independence of those decisions. When I became aware of the fact that Bernardo had been transferred to a medium-security institution, I raised it with the commissioner. I raised the concern—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Jun/14/23 2:27:33 p.m.
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I am going to have to interrupt again. It is getting way out of hand. I want everyone to take a deep breath.
The hon. minister.
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- Jun/14/23 2:27:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the questions that are posed by the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Canadians know they will get a prescription for political interference. On this side of the House, we are doing it the right way.
Today, I will be issuing new ministerial instructions to the Correctional Service of Canada to make sure that it puts victims' rights at the centre of decisions to transfer and that it informs victims' families before those transfers take place. We will always stand up for their rights.
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- Jun/14/23 2:28:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is the legitimate power of a public safety minister to issue directives about classes of prisoners. The former public safety minister, Ralph Goodale, did that about prisoners suspected of having contraband. That is normal. That is a power that the minister has today. He could classify all mass murderers as requiring maximum-security detention. That is a decision he could make now. It is a decision he could have made on March 2, when his office became aware that this monster was being transferred out of a maximum-security prison.
Given that he has not done that, and because he has misled the House, will the Prime Minister fire him?
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- Jun/14/23 2:28:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, perhaps the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada did not hear my last answer. We will be issuing new directions to the Correctional Service of Canada to ensure that it puts victims' rights at the centre of these decisions, to be sure that it informs victims' families before these transfers take place and to be sure that I am directly notified on a go-forward basis.
What did they get with Conservatives the last time they were in government? They got cuts to the Correctional Service of Canada in the amount of $300 million in their last year of government. That is the difference between what Canadians get with Conservatives and what they get with our government.
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- Jun/14/23 2:29:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government must launch an inquiry into Chinese interference before we rise for the summer. The government appears more open to the idea, but it is not making much headway because it refuses to clarify its intentions. This is because of a word that starts with “p”. Every time we mention an inquiry, the government talks about a public process. I looked everywhere but could not find a definition for “public process”. Potential commissioners probably do not know exactly what it means either. A public inquiry is a clear concept; it is even defined by law.
Why not just announce an independent commission of public inquiry? That is what everyone wants. This is what it comes down to.
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