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.
He was also convicted of manslaughter in the death of Tammy Homolka, the 15-year-old sister of his then-wife Karla Homolka, who was released after completing a 12-year sentence for her role in the crimes against French and Mahaffy. "This is shared in case you wish to give an advance warning on our position vis-a-vis the minister's statement on the Privacy Act placing 'significant limits on what can be discussed publicly' about inmate transfers," Dufresne's chief of staff wrote on June 15, saying media lines and "factual information" about the law were attached.
"We do plan on communicating the outcome of the review as soon as possible," said spokesman Kevin Antonucci. It went on to say that in the case of Bernardo, only federal corrections has the power to apply discretion. Cohen added: "In particular, he's asked that the upcoming review be as transparent as possible and share important information about this case with Canadians."