Following reports that an accused child rapist requested a transfer to a women’s detention center, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has reiterated his call to prohibit biological men from women’s prisons. In a social media post on Tuesday, Poilievre described the situation as alarming, stating, "This vile male monster charged with violently sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl wants to be transferred to a women’s prison. Lock him up."

Daniel Senecal, a 36-year-old man from Welland, Ontario, was arrested on August 31 and charged with breaking into a home and sexually assaulting a toddler, resulting in the child being hospitalized. The Niagara Regional Police Service reported that the child’s parents were unaware of the assault until they discovered their injured child the following morning.

Senecal has a prior conviction for a similar offense. In 2021, he was sentenced for a sexual attack against a young boy in the same neighborhood. He was released six months early from an 18-month sentence for that crime.

Reports of Senecal's request to transfer to a women’s facility emerged from a social media account, which claimed he is currently in segregation at the Niagara Detention Centre and has sought a transfer to the Vanier Centre for Women, citing a transgender identity. The account's operator stated they had a source close to the case, but the report has not been independently verified.

Senecal attended a bail hearing virtually on Wednesday, but the hearing was postponed until October 15 to allow him more time to consult with a lawyer. Although court documents identify him as male, a Facebook page associated with him uses the pronouns "she/her" and displays a transgender flag.

Since 2017, the Correctional Service of Canada has had a policy allowing the transfer of offenders to women’s facilities based on their self-reported gender identity. Previously, such transfers were only considered for those who had completed medically approved gender transition treatments, including surgeries.

This policy was implemented following a request from a transgender advocate during a town hall meeting with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The advocate described it as "torture" to house inmates based on biological sex rather than their gender identity. Trudeau responded by pledging to address the issue, stating, "Trans rights are human rights; we need to ensure that we’re defending everyone’s dignity."

In the months following this commitment, all prison staff in Canada received guidance on accommodating the gender identity of incarcerated individuals. The policy mandates that Correctional Service Canada must accommodate individuals based on their gender identity or expression, regardless of their anatomy or the gender marker on their identification documents.

Under a more formal set of procedures established in 2022, newly sentenced prisoners are given the opportunity to indicate their preferred institution type, whether men’s or women’s. They can also request a transfer at any point during their sentence, with the agency promising to address all gender accommodation requests promptly. Exceptions to this policy are only made in emergency situations where safety concerns cannot be resolved, and any denial of a gender-related accommodation is subject to review by higher authorities.