OTTAWA - The federal government is considering court action to reduce the amount convicted killer Col. Russell Williams can collect from his military pension, The Canadian Press has learned.

A high-level source in the Harper government says Ottawa may be unable to strip the disgraced officer of the entire $60,000 annual entitlement.

But federal lawyers are looking at how much could be gained in a separate civil action on behalf of the victims' families and possibly the killer's wife.

"We are going to look at every possible means to disentitle him to taxpayer funding," the source said after Williams was sentenced Thursday to life in prison with no chance of parole for two murders, two sexual assaults and 82 counts of break and enter.

"The reality is it would take a legislative change to strip somebody of their pension, but there are civil remedies that could divert money to his wife or the victims' families."

The comments amplify and put into context remarks the prime minister made earlier in the day.

"I know Defence Minister (Peter) MacKay has made clear the Forces will undertake all necessary actions to ensure that all sanctions possible and all benefits possible that can be withdrawn will be withdrawn from the former commander," Stephen Harper said at a military funding announcement in St. John's, N.L.

The potential federal court case would be separate from the $2.45-million lawsuit one of Williams' sex-assault victims has already filed against him and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Harriman.

The Conservative government has previously moved to limit benefits that convicted criminals can enjoy. A bill introduced last June, for example, would cut off Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments to inmates aged 65 years and older.

And many in the Tory caucus have been pushing to remove the pensions of as many as 400 prisoners within the federal correctional system and another 600 behind provincial bars.

But the military has a separate, defined-benefit pension, which members -- who also pay into the fund -- are eligible to begin collecting when they are discharged.

"Under the (Canadian Forces) Superannuation Act, there are no grounds to revoke his pension," Lt.-Gen. Andres Deschamps, head of the air force, said at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., the massive facility Williams commanded.

The air force repeated Thursday it has begun the process of drumming Williams out of the military and will strip him of his rank, medals and entitlements, expected to take about a month.

National Defence said it intends to claw back Williams' $12,000 monthly salary, which he's been paid since his arrest in February.

A second source, within the Tory caucus, said MacKay briefed fellow MPs on Wednesday behind closed doors about the military investigation into how Williams slipped through personnel screening.

The government is not prepared to amend the superannuation act, so the best chance at denying Williams his pension would be through a separate court action brought by the federal government -- or by the victims' families -- to claw back whatever he receives.

"Suffice it to say there's a tremendous feeling everywhere that, you know, this guy shouldn't be entitled to anything," said the senior source, who spoke on the condition of not being identified.

"But he's paid into a pension for a number of years. Is there a way to splice that to get just what he paid in? We're looking at everything.

"The government, the minister and the department are looking at whatever means possible to prevent any further taxpayer subsidization of this individual in addition to civil remedies that could assist the families."

A legal expert said a civil suit to claw back the killer's pension would be groundbreaking and, if successful, precedent-setting.

"The emotional side of me says, absolutely, take away everything possible from this evil-incarnate individual. But the lawyer in me, the legal scholar in me, asks what are the implications," said Errol Mendes of the University of Ottawa.

He said the last time the federal government went to court over prisoners' rights, it lost. That case in involved removing the voting rights of inmates.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that all prison inmates who are Canadian citizens have the right to vote in federal elections.

"The question is, can we treat those who've committed heinous crimes any differently than others, in terms of things unconnect to their crimes, such as pensions?" said Mendes.