Friends of one of Bernardo's victims call on Ottawa to do more to uphold victims' rights

Canada's prison investigator, the federal victims' ombudsperson and friends of one of Paul Bernardo's victims are all calling on the federal government to do more to ensure crime victims have the same rights as offenders in the wake of the serial killer and rapist's controversial prison transfer.

Three childhood friends of Kristen French, who was murdered by Bernardo, told the House of Commons standing committee on public safety and security Wednesday night that the corrections system put Bernardo's rights ahead of their own.

Victims and their families were only notified of Bernardo's transfer in May from a maximum- to medium-security prison on the morning it happened.

Tennille Chwalczuk, a friend of French, said Bernardo's transfer filled her with "absolute fear and anguish, and tears and rage."

"We thought, if he stayed in maximum, we might have some sort of peace inside knowing he was where he belongs forever," she said. "And knowing in that moment that it was over ... it was just absolute anguish."

Bernardo is serving a life sentence for kidnapping, torturing and killing French and Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s. He was also found guilty of the manslaughter and sexual assault of his 15-year-old sister-in-law, Tammy Homolka. 

Bernardo's former wife Karla Homolka served 12 years in prison for her role in his crimes. Bernardo, who is designated as a dangerous offender, has also admitted to sexually assaulting 14 other women.

French's friends say they were forced to relive the trauma of losing her because of Corrections Canada's handling of the transfer. 

"One thing was blatantly missing, and that was the careful and real consideration of the impact this transfer would have on these people who have been directly affected by Bernardo's crimes," Laura Murray, one of French's childhood friends, told the committee, which is investigating the transfer.

"We are here to demand the rights of his many victims are considered and respected, now and moving forward."

 A review committee appointed by Corrections Canada concluded that while the applicable laws were followed, more could have been done to notify the victims in advance. 

Commissioner of Corrections Canada Anne Kelly told the committee on Monday her office seeks a balance between the rights of offenders and victims. She disagrees Bernardo's rights were put first.  

But two federal ombudsmen say offenders' rights are upheld more than those of victims. 

Ivan Zinger, the federal correctional investigator, pointed out to the committee that his office has a $7.5 million annual budget, while the budget for the office of the ombudsperson for victims of crime, Benjamin Roebuck, is just under $1.5 million.