The MP for Kamloops is lashing out at the federal government, after rubbing shoulders with a pair of notorious Canadian killers in the same medium-security prison in Quebec.

Frank Caputo travelled to La Macaza prison in Quebec over the weekend to learn how child rapist and serial killer Paul Bernardo was living after his controversial transfer last year.

While there, Caputo also says he ran into notorious sex killer Luka Magnotta, who reports now show was transferred there in 2022.

Caputo says the two, who now have access to outdoor recreational facilities such as a skating rink and tennis court, don’t belong in medium-security.

“The question for me is, where should Luka Magnotta be? Where should Paul Bernardo be?” Caputo told Radio NL on Monday.  “To me, if we look at the point of view of what is just, as opposed to what is the least restrictive, which is what the Trudeau government does, then I think they obviously end up in maximum.”

At the same time, Caputo — who himself worked in Corrections before becoming a lawyer and eventually a Crown Councillor — suggests he’s not against rehabilitation models, but suggests Canada’s prison system is losing that ability.

“I would love to see nothing more than rehabilitation, but if you actually look at it too… and I’ve done a lot of digging on this… how many drugs there are in jail is actually running contrary to the rehabilitative model, because drugs are so easily attainable,” argued Caputo.

Even though the Federal Parole Board is at arms-length of the federal government, Caputo contends a Conservative government will ensure that killers like Paul Bernardo are put back into maximum security facilities.

“People will say, while you can’t get involved as a politician… and that’s right,” conceded Caputo. “We don’t make the day to day decisions, but what we do as politicians is we create policy and the legislation. When that policy and legislation gets implemented, it has results.  In this case [the transfer of Bernardo and Magnotta], the Liberal government has put forward a lack-there-of-policy that has permitted this to happen.”

As for his own motivations for travelling to the prison, Caputo — the associate Justice Critic for the Conservatives — says sometimes MP’s “have to get their hands dirty” and see for themselves what is happening.

Canada’s most horrific murderers are living better than most Canadians.

This is a disgrace. Canadians need to know about it. 👇🚨 pic.twitter.com/NX2HUyj3gj

— Frank Caputo MP (@FrankCaputoKTC) March 3, 2024