Liberals block testimony from victims of violent crime at Public Safety Committee hearing

The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes

Marcia Penner, Tennille Hilton, and Laura Murray, friends of Kristen French, the teenage victim of serial killer Paul Bernardo and his ex-wife Karla Homolka, released a scathing statement calling the behaviour of the Liberals "a political train wreck and beyond disrespectful."

The ghoulish Liberals blocked testimony from the friends of Kristen French, the teenage victim of serial killer Paul Bernardo and his maniacal ex-wife Karla Homolka.

They were to testify to the impact of Bernardo's transfer to a medium facility prison, where he's now housed… pic.twitter.com/x4AQh5h93c

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) March 12, 2024

"Just to be clear, those who voted against us today, you are telling the victims and their families that what has happened to them wasn't that bad, enough time has passed now, and that the monster who committed these crimes against them has done the time and deserves to be rewarded and live better than most Canadians today," read the statement.

Bernardo, convicted of the brutal killings of Kristen French, Leslie Mahaffey, and Homolka's little sister Tammy, was recently discovered to be incarcerated in a medium-security prison in Quebec, which features a skating rink and a tennis court.

🚨BREAKING🚨

Victims and Canadians want to know why offenders like Bernardo & Magnotta were transferred to campus-like medium security institutions. Watch my comments from committee on our #CPC motion.👇 pic.twitter.com/cBUoMFmAKa

— Frank Caputo MP (@FrankCaputoKTC) March 11, 2024

Magnotta, a gay hustler, was convicted after an international manhunt for the 2012 murder and dismemberment of Chinese chemical engineering student Jun Lin. He mailed pieces of the body to the Conservative Party and two Vancouver area schools.

Conservative MP Frank Caputo warned the Liberals on Monday that he would bring forward, at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU), the matter of Magnotta's transfer to the same medium-security Quebec prison where serial killer Paul Bernardo is housed.

📢TODAY📢

Conservatives seek the truth on why the most serious and dangerous of offenders like Magnotta & Bernardo have been transferred to medium security. pic.twitter.com/YPp9xJK0HC

— Frank Caputo MP (@FrankCaputoKTC) March 11, 2024

At the same SECU hearing, Liberal MPs moved to block witness testimony, including that of victims of violent crime. This move also prevented the committee from studying the transfer of violent offenders into lower security facilities.

🚨BREAKING🚨

Liberals & Bloc just gutted a motion to study Bernardo & Magnotta’s transfer. We asked for six meetings. They voted for one.

To the victims of these heinous criminals: we will keep fighting to ensure that your voices are heard! @Chris_Bittle, @PeterSchiefke,… pic.twitter.com/cAKGO4A8F9

— Frank Caputo MP (@FrankCaputoKTC) March 11, 2024

PAS CROYABLE! La députée @krimichaudbq propose UNE seule rencontre pour étudier le transfert du sadique tueur Luka Magnotta, en plus de censurer les victimes en les empêchant de venir témoigner. À quoi ça sert le Bloc? À être du bord des criminels plutôt que des victimes.#polcan pic.twitter.com/yxD2flsnRF

— Pierre Paul-Hus (@PierrePaulHus) March 11, 2024

Meanwhile, Liberal Justice Minister Arif Virani was tongue-tied when pressed by reporters about how high-profile Canadian killers keep ending up in medium security.

"My comment is that I don't have a comment": Liberal Justice Minister Arif Virani reacts to notorious killer Luka Magnotta's transfer from a maximum security to medium security prison.

Virani adds the Liberals always try to "enhance" transparency.https://t.co/IRDTKvQkdt pic.twitter.com/V3Fu2LiRWo

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) March 12, 2024