Treatment and Rehabilitation Should Take Precedence

In principle, an offender is presumed to be rehabilitated once his time has been served. However, the reality is that our prisons have an almost flawless record of failure in this area. Treatment and rehabilitation, more effective and less expensive recourses, are being superseded by the government’s choosing to impose harsher sentences for relatively benign crimes and making it increasingly difficult to obtain a pardon for one’s past wrongs.

Truly, parts of the Conservative government’s omnibus crime bill make a great deal of sense, such as stiffer sentences for violent offenders and mandatory minimums for child sex offenders. However, provisions included in the new laws about pardons, along with these commendable steps, make it unacceptable and diametrically opposed to the most critical purpose of our justice system – the rehabilitation and reintegration of criminals into society and crime prevention.

New laws about pardons resulting from the bill are causing people to ask whether we are becoming a society that extinquishes hope instead of fostering it. The government’s new legislation on pardons in Canada favours incarceration and punishment over treatment and rehabilitation.

Conservatives have been pitted against almost everyone else in coverage of the debate surrounding this bill. Although the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper espouses many of the values that conservatives uphold, policies remain that cause significant rifts, both moral and philosophical, within the party. Many Tories did not vote for the rigorous, severe, and misguided measures in this backward-thinking legislation.

Proposed legislation for a criminal pardon will make it disproportionately difficult to obtain a pardon, which is the only means by which an ex-offender can remove the stigma of a criminal record and move on with life. One of the true measures of society is how it treats those who have made mistakes and paid for their errors, made restitution for their crimes.

Moreover, since those who have served time are more likely to re-offend when released, the bill’s provisions to increase incarceration for what are presently minor offences will only serve to create more of the recidivist offenders the bill is attempting to combat.

Fortunately, there is a course of action for anyone with a criminal record who sincerely wishes to make a new start. One can remove that criminal record by obtaining a record suspension. Pardon Services Canada will handle the entire process, assuring you of results. Call 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1-866-972-7366) to speak with a Client Specialist.

Crime Prevention in Community Supported by Dawson Creek Mall Patrons

Volunteers are being sought for the Dawson Creek Citizens on Patrol program, which provides a great deal of information that assists in RCMP investigations. All that is required of applicants is that they be at least 19 years old and submit a criminal record check. Such volunteer programs serve as excellent prerequisites for anyone interested in becoming an RCMP officer or for those who simply want to be more aware of what is happening in their community.

These efforts all serve the community in commendable ways, to be sure. But the benefits for volunteers are many and the experience will have lasting effects in their future lives. If you are interested in volunteering for such groups, either in Dawson Creek or elsewhere, it would be well worth your while.

Citizens on Patrol, along with the Rural Crime Watch, Speed Watch, and Restorative Justice programs, forms a group known as the South Peace Crime Prevention Association of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Until December 23, volunteers and members of the Dawson Creek RCMP are wrapping gifts by donation to raise funds for the Association. The funds from gift wrapping have generally been used to send volunteers to crime symposiums and different workshops that help them when they are on patrol or working in partnership with the RCMP and the community.

Should you want to volunteer with community groups like these and need to provide a criminal record check, you can be assured of professional, efficient, and discreet assistance from Pardon Services Canada.

If you currently have a criminal record, you are well advised to contact Pardon Services Canada to have that record removed, restore your sense of well being, move forward.

Do You Really Want to Take the Chance?

The consequences of a DUI conviction are severe. A drunk driving charge may lead to:

• A criminal record, which may impede future employment, travel abroad, and community status
• A revoked license, which could make commuting to work difficult
• A long-term hike on your car insurance premiums, which will make owning and operating a vehicle less affordable
• A number of heavy fines, which can have a significant impact on your financial well being
• Collision costs – although your insurance company normally covers costs of an accident, it will not pay for drinking-related damages on any car involved in a crash.

So why do so many people still drive under the influence? Many individuals still feel that a couple of drinks will not make them unable to drive safely. In reality, after just a couple of drinks, you may not feel intoxicated; you might even feel that you are completely capable of driving. But legally, if your blood alcohol level is elevated, you are breaking the law.

A person convicted of driving while impaired in British Columbia, in Manitoba, in Ontario – anywhere across Canada – will end up with a criminal record since a DUI is a criminal offence. The bottom line is that if you are driving under the influence of anything, you are breaking the law. You can be charged with a DUI even if your vehicle isn’t moving.

According to the Canadian Safety Foundation, an estimated 1.5 million Canadian drivers travel while impaired each year. DUI cases accounted for 12 percent of all cases heard across the country last year, making it the most common criminal offence. Although almost 30 percent of drunk driving cases that go to court don’t lead to convictions in Canada, why take the chance? With the consequences being so high, driving while impaired is NOT worth the risk.

The only way to be certain that you are not putting yourself and others in harm’s way is if you drink anything, don’t get behind the wheel.

If you have a DUI conviction, you will want to consider getting a Pardon, which will seal your record so that it is no longer visible. A criminal record can follow you for life, so a Pardon will provide relief from the stigma once and for all. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada who will answer all your questions and guide you through the pardon process.

Giving Victims and Communities a Voice

An approach being considered for dealing with the Stanley Cup rioters is one that represents viewing conflict as an opportunity for a community to learn and grow, operating on the premise that conflict, even criminal conflict, inflicts harm. Individuals must accept responsibility for repairing that harm. Communities – family, peers, professionals – are empowered to choose their response to conflict: Victims, offenders, and communities actively participate in devising and implementing mutually beneficial solutions.

This restorative justice approach has the accused meet with the person the crime impacted, apologize, and then both sides work out a punishment. Restorative justice is designed to put more focus on the victim who, in the conventional court process, doesn’t get a voice beyond making a victim impact statement. Victims are basically excluded in the legal process, except as witnesses. The community doesn’t have a place within the criminal justice process. Through restorative justice, victims get a clear voice. The focus is on victim needs, offender responsibility, and community building.

In October, the Vancouver Police Department recommended 163 charges against 60 individuals suspected of taking part in the Stanley Cup riot. At this time, more than 60 charges have been laid against 25 people, and the VPD is finalizing the next batch of charges to be forwarded to the Crown in the coming weeks. As for the rest of the suspected rioters, evidence is still being reviewed.

All well and good – or is it? Some people are skeptical as to the type of punishment that will ultimately be handed down. Will many rioters simply be given a slap on the wrist; will some actually do jail time; how much probation will be meted out? And what good will any type of punishment actually accomplish?

To set the record straight, so to speak, restorative justice is not soft on crime. Far greater creativity exists in restorative justice in determining what needs to happen to make amends, set things right. The approach has been used successfully with all kinds of conflict, including serious crimes like assault and murder.

Canada was the first nation to offer a victim/offender reconciliation program, initiated by the Mennonite Community in Kitchener, Ontario. Viewed world-wide as having experts in the field of violent-offence (post-incarceration) mediation, Canada has also been on the leading edge of adopting the Aboriginal concept of circle remedies, now an integral part of progressive programming in the federal justice system.

We will continue to see offenders acquiring criminal records, but with restorative justice, conflicts will be resolved in a way that restores harmony in the community members’ relationships and allow people to continue to live together in a safer, healthy environment.

And anyone with a criminal record who sincerely wishes to make a new start can do so by obtaining a record suspension to remove that criminal record. Pardon Services Canada will handle the entire process, assuring you of results. Call 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1-866-972-7366) to speak with a Client Specialist.

Overcoming Roadblocks in Life - With a Little Help

Out of the deep depths of misfortune comes bliss [Chinese proverb] – Something that will seem surprising to many is the fact that, for the last two years, Sir Richard Branson has been encouraging the managing directors of hundreds of Virgin companies to take on ex-offenders.

Many people end up in prison because they’ve had bad luck, setbacks, and roadblocks in their lives. And when they try to find employment or suitable accommodation, their criminal record becomes another type of roadblock. Recruiters and some landlords routinely undertake a criminal record check when evaluating applicants. Very few get hired or approved once information about a criminal record is revealed.

Branson was prompted to employ applicants with a criminal record after being invited by his friend Jane Tewson to spend a day in a high-security prison in Melbourne, Australia. Known for championing unpopular causes, Tewson wanted him to see the work that was being done to get prisoners employed after being released and to see why it was so important.

Representatives from Australian transport company Toll met with Branson. Toll has employed about 460 ex-prisoners over the past decade, none of whom are known to have reoffended so far. He then contacted the managing directors of Virgin companies saying Virgin must also try to employ as many ex-convicts as possible. The response was generally positive.

Branson learned about the UK charity Working Chance, founded four years ago, that specializes in arranging recruitment for women offenders coming out of prison. He now is involved with the charity, which has successfully placed 173 female ex-prisoners with companies like Pret a Manger, Sainsbury’s, and Virgin.

If more companies were to follow Branson’s example, share his vision, ex-offenders would find doors opening where they never would before. Society needs to support positive initiatives to encourage rehabilitation of prisoners. Finding worthwhile employment is critical to that second chance.

For background checks requested for purposes other than working with vulnerable people, the RCMP cannot disclose a pardoned criminal record, even for a sexual conviction. Once a record suspension has been granted, that criminal record is removed from the Canadian Police Information Centre’s database. While a record of the conviction still exists, it is kept separate and apart from the database used for criminal record checks.

Thus, an individual who sincerely wishes to make a new start, who regrets any previous mistakes that resulted in a conviction, can do so by removing that criminal record by obtaining a record suspension.

For your record suspension or a US Entry Waiver, contact Pardon Services Canada or call 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1-866-972-7366). A Client Specialist will handle the entire process for you.

Canada Should Learn From Measures Implemented Elsewhere

Canada’s federal government’s “tough-on-crime” package is headed in the wrong direction.

Researchers Alana Cook and Ronald Roesch of Simon Fraser University’s psychology department reviewed data from other jurisdictions that have already implemented some of the policies that Canada’s federal government is now pursuing relevant to cost, effect on crime rates, and impact on vulnerable populations. The results show that key elements have proven costly and ineffective in other countries.

Many changes to the Criminal Code that have been either enacted or proposed have the effect of increasing prison terms. However, analyses of studies conducted in Canada indicate that longer prison terms result in criminals being slightly more likely to reoffend upon release. Also, first nations and the mentally ill will be discriminated against.

Mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes will increase both the number of prisoners in the system and the length of sentence they serve. Yet research from the United States suggests they result in people who are not a threat to society being incarcerated and that prosecutors in that country often did not file charges calling for the mandatory minimum sentence even when the evidence was present. Research from South Africa suggested that the introduction of mandatory minimums in that country resulted in overcrowding of prisons and disproportionate prison sentences to offences.

The report points out that the reforms will also come at a significant cost to taxpayers. In the US, according to one study, a tripling of the incarceration rate over a 20-year period as a result of tougher crime laws resulted in a $43 billion increase in the amount of tax revenue spent on the prison system.

The researchers pointed out that studies suggest prisons in Canada are already overcrowded, the number of times guards have to use force against prisoners is increasing, and inmates have limited access to correctional programs. An increased prison population will only exacerbate these conditions.

Both first nations and the mentally ill are already over-represented in the prison system. First nations make up 4 percent of Canada’s population, but 20 percent of inmates. The proportion of Canadian inmates with mental illness is three times higher than in the general population. Mandatory minimum sentences will thus disproportionately affect these groups.

Cook and Roesch concluded that community-based programs targeting at-risk youth are more effective than incarceration at reducing crime rates and come with a much lower price tag. Researchers in California found that such programs working with at-risk youth are more effective and cost significantly less per person. 

Hidden Dangers in Conservative Omnibus Bill

Peter McKnight’s November 5 article in the Vancouver Sun, “Ottawa seems determined to gut youth act,” adds an element of concern regarding the Conservative government’s omnibus crime bill. The Youth Criminal Justice Act was passed in 2002 when Canada had the highest rate of youth imprisonment in the Western world. The YCJA was designed specifically to remedy this problem, to decrease our reliance on costly and ineffective imprisonment and provide alternatives to jail. Since the Act was passed, youth imprisonment and youth crime rates have dropped significantly.

Now, the federal government’s proposed amendments to the YCJA contained in Bill C-10 are directed toward getting more youths in jail and keeping them there. The YCJA provided for a lot of alternatives to jail, extra judicial measures that keep kids out of court but require them to accept responsibility for their behavior and to make amends through such efforts as engaging in community service or educational programs.

An important aspect of extra judicial measures is their informality, as such measures are typically imposed and accepted in the absence of legal advice or a judicial finding of guilt. If Bill C-10 is passed, this informality, as well as extra judicial measures, will likely become a thing of the past. The amendments require judges to consider past use of extra judicial measures as well as the existence of past findings of guilt.

The many alternatives to prison currently offered by the YCJA are better situated to address the reasons youth come into conflict with the law and thereby reduce their chances of reoffending. And the cost-effectiveness of such measures is apparent, since for one year it costs $20,000 to supervise one youth in the community, compared with $215,000 to house one youth in custody.

On a related note: Early November, Maclean’s and CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel, hosted a round-table discussion on the subject “Stephen Harper’s Canada. How do you like it so far?” CPAC’s Peter Van Dusen moderated the event. Mr. Van Dusen began by stating that the majority Conservative government has been in office for six months now and has been clearly advancing on the agenda they believe they were elected on, such as getting rid of the long gun registry, scrapping the wheat board monopoly, and tabling anti-crime legislation.

Among the attendees was Montreal Liberal MP and House Leader Marc Garneau. Mr. Garneau expressed concerns about the omnibus crime bill, stating that it will not lower crime rate and will do nothing for victims. He feels the government is ignoring the evidence with respect to crime rates going down and the lessons learned, which our American neighbours are passing on to us, that the crime bill is a deeply flawed policy approach.

Another attendee, NDP finance critic Peggy Nash, feels that, “on what Canadians say are their priorities – jobs, the economy, securing their retirement income, and making life more affordable – the Conservatives have not delivered.” She also feels that this government is becoming divorced from the concerns of the average person, having spent billions on mega-prisons and increasingly shutting down debate on important issues. 

Removing a DUI Conviction From Your Record Worth the Effort

If you have a DUI conviction, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to clear your record in order to move forward, rid yourself of the stigma, renew your self-respect.


Albert was last charged with impaired driving in 2004. His business had failed primarily due to increasing fuel prices, and alcohol numbed the pain. Declaring bankruptcy was the only solution. This might sound like an easy way out, but it is actually demoralizing. He found out quickly that it was extremely difficult to get work with a criminal record. He is going through rehabilitation with the Workers’ Compensation Board due to a back injury and will begin retraining soon.

He was raised in a hard-working logging and fishing town in Alberta. Hard drinking was the norm, and he began to drink at a very young age. It was so easy to be a part of that lifestyle, leading to destructive and harmful acts. Even now, it still hurts to think about how much better he could have been without alcohol ruling his life. It took a very long time to grow up and change his ways.

He has made significant improvements in his life, eating properly and exercising. He maintains a positive attitude, making his wife of 30 years proud of his efforts. He is focusing on the future, hoping to secure meaningful employment now that his Pardon has established a clean record.

If you have a DUI conviction, you will want to consider getting a Pardon, which will seal your record so that it is no longer visible. A criminal record can follow you for life, so a Pardon will provide relief from the stigma once and for all. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada who will answer all your questions and guide you through the pardon process.

More Discussion Warranted on Conservative Government's Omnibus Crime Bill

Texas tried to do what Canada plans to do, and it failed. A state budget crush in 2005 forced Texas to take a hard look at its own justice policy. Texas had the highest incarceration rate in the US, with one in 20 of its adult residents behind bars or on parole or probation. Policy makers found that sending people to prison was costing ten times as much as putting them on probation, on parole, or in treatment.


Texas reversed a $2 billion plan to build new prisons and spent a fraction of that amount – about $300 million – on improved drug treatment programs, mental health centres, probation services, and community supervision for prisoners out on parole. The strategy worked: Costs fell and crime fell also. By strengthening some of the alternatives to prison, the rate of incarceration fell 9 percent between 2005 and 2010, while the crime rate fell by 12.8 percent.

A coalition of experts in Washington DC attacked the Harper government’s omnibus crime package, Bill C-10, in a statement early October.

Tracy Velazquez, executive director of the Washington-based Justice Policy Institute said, “Republican governors and state legislators in such states as Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio are repealing mandatory minimum sentences, increasing opportunities for effective community supervision, and funding drug treatment because they know it will improve public safety and reduce taxpayer costs. If passed, C-10 will take Canadian justice policies 180 degrees in the wrong direction, and Canadian citizens will bear the costs.”

Conservatives in Texas say the Harper government’s crime strategy won’t work. Judge John Creuzot of the Dallas County Court states that billions and billions will be spent locking people up, but there will come a time when the public will say “That’s enough.” Representative Jerry Madden, a conservative Republican who heads the Texas House Committee on Corrections, says that building new prisons is extremely expensive, and if they are built, they will be filled. But if they are not built, innovative, creative strategies will evolve that keep the community safe and yet still do the incarceration necessary.

Even though crime in Canada is down to its lowest level since 1973, the Canadian government has increased the prison budget sharply. Federal spending on corrections in Canada has gone up from $1.6 billion in 2005-06 to $2.98 billion in 2010-11 – an increase of 86 percent. The budget for 2012-13 is $3.13 billion.

Prison sentences have already increased with the elimination of the two-for-one credit for time served waiting for trial. Bill C-10 would add new and longer sentences for drug offences, increase mandatory minimums, and cut the use of conditional sentences such as house arrest. In each of these aspects, Texas, as well as several other states, is doing the opposite.

Studies in Texas show that treatment and probation services cost about one-tenth the costs to build and run prisons. Besides, offenders emerge much less likely to commit fresh crimes than those with similar records who go to prison.

What this means for anyone interested in applying for a pardon is that the time to act is now. Any applications acknowledged and accepted by the Parole Board of Canada prior to the new legislation passing will be governed by the current laws. What is still unknown is exactly if and when the new legislation will take effect. The new legislation is currently before Parliament, but the timelines for passage and what the final version will look like remain to be seen.

Sweeping Omnibus Crime Bill Includes Controversial Measures

Bill C-10, the Conservative government’s omnibus crime legislation, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, blends nine previous bills that did not pass before last spring’s election. Late September’s debate on the bill was limited by the Conservatives at the same time as BC’s top trial judge was raising concerns about its consequences. BC Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman is concerned in particular about the bill’s plan to put more people in jail for longer.

 

Justice Bauman feels it will certainly put a strain on his court from the point of view of a manpower issue as well as on Corrections Canada and on the corrections in British Columbia actually housing these people. Given that judges rarely comment on political issues, and that controversy is raging over the crime bill, the Chief Justice was remarkably candid. He emphasized the views of correctional officers who insist jails and prisons are already overcrowded.

 

These comments are further evidence of the growing concern that more discussion, not less, is needed on these controversial measures. The ability of MPs to review and scrutinize the contents of this bill has been severely curtailed unjustifiably. Stiffer sentencing measures ignore the best evidence on public safety, crime prevention, and corrections. As well, no clear cost estimate has been provided for this punishment-oriented approach, which will cost taxpayers billions in correctional spending because of the vast increase in mandatory sentencing.

 

Another regressive step is the proposed changes for eligibility requirements for pardons. Under current legislation, the duration of the waiting period prior to your being eligible to submit your application for a pardon to the Parole Board of Canada depends on the nature of the offense, as follows:

 

• A summary non-sexual offense carries a 3-year waiting period.
• An indictable non-sexual offense or a summary sexual offense carries a 5-year waiting period.
• An indictable sexual offense or a personal injury offense, for which a sentence of 2 or more years was imposed, carries a 10-year waiting period.

 

This waiting period begins when your sentence has been completely fulfilled, and only when the waiting period has elapsed will the Parole Board of Canada accept your application. Bill C-23B currently before Parliament would make significant changes to these eligibility waiting periods, resulting in substantially longer eligibility waiting periods for prospective pardon applicants.

 

Under the proposed new legislation, the waiting period prior to eligibility would be extended to the following:

 

• A summary offense would carry a 5-year waiting period.
• An indictable offense would carry a 10-year waiting period.

 

Additionally, the new legislation extends the criteria that would render an applicant permanently ineligible for a pardon. Permanent ineligibility would apply to anyone:

 

• Who was convicted of any offense listed in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act - broadly speaking, Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act consists of sexual offenses
• Who was convicted of more than 3 indictable offenses each carrying a sentence of two or more years

 

What this means for anyone interested in applying for a pardon is that the time to act is now. Any applications acknowledged and accepted by the Parole Board of Canada prior to the new legislation passing will be governed by the current laws. What is still unknown is exactly if and when the new legislation will take effect. The new legislation is currently before Parliament, but the timelines for passage and what the final version will look like remain to be seen.

 

Move to Quadruple Pardon Application Fees Provokes Backlash

The Conservative government wants to quadruple the cost of applying for a pardon, increasing the cost from the current $150 to $631. Critics say this will have many negative consequences. Last spring’s public consultation process overwhelmingly rejected the fee increase. A report on the consultations was released mid-August.


An impressive body of discerning groups, including prison advocates, church groups, criminologists, psychologists, and the Canadian Bar Association are greatly disturbed at the prospect. As well, among 14 government bodies that felt the increase would prove prohibitive were the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, Citizenship and Immigration, the Justice Department, and Public Safety Canada.

More than 98 percent of the 1,074 individuals and organizations who responded in the public consultations objected to the fee increase. The three-member independent advisory panel used the public and internal government responses to advise Public Safety to keep the fees at $150, but this recommendation has been rejected.

A summary of the common responses provided by government agencies states that such a large fee increase for applicants would pose a financial burden and serve as an impediment for many potential applicants attempting to reintegrate into society.

Ontario Conservative Senator Bob Runciman is urging the government to reconsider its proposal to quadruple the fees for seeking a criminal pardon, saying that he thinks that there’s an inherent unfairness in the approach the National Parole Board is taking.

Thousands of Canadians apply for pardons for such necessities as employment opportunities, security clearances, rental requirements, volunteering, and adoption. Runciman feels that the Board should consider the complexity of each case when calculating fees. For example, processing a pardon for shoplifting is less complicated than for someone convicted of arson.

The Parole Board’s director for clemency and pardons, Denis Ladouceur, testified about the process to a group of senators studying the fee increase. He explained that for an indictable offence the act compels his staff to do more exhaustive verifications.

Senator Runciman has suggested a tiered approach, based on the level of the crime committed. The Liberal public safety critic is open to the idea, whereas the NDP’s justice critic opposes any fee increase.

A pardon doesn’t erase a conviction, but it does allow people who have completed their sentences and shown that they are law-abiding to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.

If you are interested in starting the Pardon process, the time to act is now. While there is still uncertainty regarding if and when the new legislation will become law, what is certain is that the sooner you begin the process, the better your chances of having your application governed by the current legislation.

Waiting Period Prior to Pardon Eligibility Subject to Change

Under current legislation, the duration of the waiting period prior to your being eligible to submit your application for a pardon to the Parole Board of Canada depends on the nature of the offense, as follows:

 

• A summary non-sexual offense carries a 3-year waiting period.
• An indictable non-sexual offense or a summary sexual offense carries a 5-year waiting period.
• An indictable sexual offense or a personal injury offense, for which a sentence of 2 or more years was imposed, carries a 10-year waiting period.

 

This waiting period begins when your sentence has been completely fulfilled, and only when the waiting period has elapsed will the Parole Board of Canada accept your application. Bill C-23B currently before Parliament would make significant changes to these eligibility waiting periods, resulting in substantially longer eligibility waiting periods for prospective pardon applicants.

 

Under the proposed new legislation, the waiting period prior to eligibility would be extended to the following:

 

• A summary offense would carry a 5-year waiting period.
• An indictable offense would carry a 10-year waiting period.

 

Additionally, the new legislation extends the criteria that would render an applicant permanently ineligible for a pardon. Permanent ineligibility would apply to anyone:

 

• Who was convicted of any offense listed in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act - broadly speaking, Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act consists of sexual offenses
• Who was convicted of more than 3 indictable offenses each carrying a sentence of two or more years

 

So what does this mean to you? It depends on how far into the Pardon process you are. Any applications acknowledged and accepted by the Parole Board of Canada prior to the new legislation passing will be governed by the current laws. What is still unknown is exactly if and when the new legislation will take effect. The new legislation is currently before Parliament, but the timelines for passage and what the final version will look like remain to be seen.

 

If you are interested in starting the Pardon process, the time to act is now. While there is still uncertainty regarding if and when the new legislation will become law, what is certain is that the sooner you begin the process, the better your chances of having your application governed by the current legislation.

 

Restorative Justice Deserves Greater Consideration

Restorative justice emphasizes repairing the harm caused by crime. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results can be transformational. It is viewed as a process that improves upon the traditional criminal justice in that it has significant benefits:

• Rather than defining crime only as lawbreaking, it recognizes that offenders harm victims, communities, and even themselves.

• Rather than giving key roles only to government and offender, it includes victims and communities as well.

• Rather than measuring how much punishment has been inflicted, it measures how much harm has been repaired or prevented.

• Rather than leaving the problem of crime to the government alone, it recognizes the importance of community involvement and initiative in responding to and reducing crime.

The concept that true healing after a crime doesn’t necessarily come from harsher punishment but rather from the coming together of criminal and victim, giving them a chance to understand one another and work to repair the harm done.

In theory, this approach has merit, viewed strictly from an objective point of view. But when a victim is given the opportunity to be involved in such a program, the prospect of meeting with the offender could well be daunting. So a better understanding of the process would be helpful and beneficial for anyone concerned with the Federal Government’s Safe Streets and Community Act, Bill C-10.

Three principles form the foundation for restorative justice:

1. Justice requires that we work to restore those who have been injured.

2. Those most directly involved and affected by crime should have the opportunity to participate fully in the response if they wish.

3. Government’s role is to preserve a just public order, and the community is to build and maintain a just peace.

Resources for information on the process, when reviewed, show it to have great potential. Yet, although programs exist across Canada to facilitate such meetings, restorative justice hasn’t become widely accepted. Now some victims’ advocates fear such programs will be used even less often due to the federal government’s tough-on-crime agenda and its emphasis on incarceration. Of particular concern are the mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug and sex offences.

Measures introduced recently in the government’s sweeping omnibus crime bill interfere with judges’ abilities to tailor sentences and consider restorative-justice options. Mandatory minimums do not allow restorative justice to take place.

Understandably, for anyone wanting to get a pardon to clear his record, now is the time to act. Pardon Services Canada assists people in the process. A Client Specialist ensures that all the required forms are created and compiled to support the application. Pardon Services Canada’s pro-active approach ensures that each case is processed expeditiously and applicants are kept informed at each stage of the process.

Straightend Out, Moving On

The benefits of counseling, along with the support of family, cannot be fully realized and appreciated until a person needs to seek help.


Larry currently lives in Red Deer, Alberta, with his wife and teenage son. He strives each day to be a strong, positive influence in his son’s life. He owns his own home and has had steady employment for over 20 years. Now, with the prospect of retiring soon, his pardon has allowed him to gain peace of mind, closing once and for all that chapter of his life. He looks forward to traveling more comfortably, perhaps volunteering as well. He truly has moved on.

When he recalls the time when he had succumbed to the pressures the being involved with the wrong crowd, he is numbed. All the negative influences that controlled him were overpowering. He regularly used narcotics, and he became aggressive and antisocial. He eventually was charged and convicted for possession of narcotics, and then for the purpose of trafficking. The last blow came when he was charged and convicted for assault with a weapon.

His decision to undergo two years of counseling to straighten himself out was one of the best moves he’s ever made. His parents’ influence, in particular his father’s, helped him to reassess what is important in life. During this stage, his parents helped him to become a mature, respectable, productive member of society. Now, several years later, he realizes that family ties and good health are the two most important factors any person can have.

Pardon Services Canada assists people who want to obtain a pardon in order to do just that, put the past behind and move on. A Client Specialist ensures that all the required forms are created and compiled to support the application. Pardon Services Canada’s pro-active approach ensures that each case is processed expeditiously and applicants are kept informed at each stage of the process.

Speak to a Client Specialist – toll free at 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1.866.972.7366) – at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

Disclosing a Pardon for a Criminal Record Not Advisable

When a prospective employer requests a criminal record check through the Canadian Police Information Centre’s database, information about a pardoned conviction cannot be released.

Only one exception requires such disclosure, that being convictions for violent sexual or personal injury offences. These are “flagged” for vulnerable sector background checks. A vulnerable sector check will be performed for potential employees or volunteers who wish to work with children, ill or disabled people, or senior citizens.

The purpose of a pardon is to restrict access to a person’s criminal past, and once a pardon is granted, a conviction will not be disclosed on a background check. The person’s clean record is reinstated and there is no reason to ever have to admit it.

No one should ever feel compelled to volunteer information on a past conviction when a pardon has been granted. Unfortunately, sometimes when a person is asked directly if he has ever been convicted of a crime, the sense that honesty is the best policy prevails. He feels obliged to reveal that fact but to also state that he has received a pardon. However, is this decision wise?

In several Canadian provinces, human rights legislation prohibits discrimination based on a pardoned conviction. This protection may be theoretically guaranteed, but actual enforcement is not always assured. Discrimination based on other aspects such as gender, race, age, and disability is illegal, yet anecdotal evidence exists to show it is still practiced. Therefore, the reality is that a person who volunteers that he has a pardoned conviction will more than likely be passed over for someone else with a crime-free background.

Thus, if an employer poses any sort of question regarding the existence of a criminal record, anyone who has been granted a pardon can honestly reply that he has a clean criminal record. That pardon is a person’s vehicle with which he can wipe the slate clean, make a fresh start, and move on unencumbered.

Pardon Services Canada assists people who want to obtain a pardon in order to do just that, put the past behind and move on. A Client Specialist ensures that all the required forms are created and compiled to support the application. Pardon Services Canada’s pro-active approach ensures that each case is processed expeditiously and applicants are kept informed at each stage of the process.

Encumbered by Debt, Saw No Way Out

Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of [Henry Wheeler Shaw] – With significant debt and credit obligations, “John” became burdened with an enormous debt load as he was inexperienced with managing his financial commitments. Having multiple creditors and feeling powerless and fearful, he made the fateful decision to bilk his employer to try to make the long-overdue payments.


Since that time, he has attended a debt counseling workshop and has completely restored his excellent credit rating. With a supportive family, he has completed an apprenticeship at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and now holds a journeyman machinist certification. His path has not been easy, but he feels it has been rewarding, having learned many valuable lessons about himself and his role as husband, father, and member of the community.

His pardon has improved his ability to travel for work as well as allowed him to work in roles for which security clearance is required. He believes it has also helped to lessen the shame and embarrassment he feels due to the mistakes he has made. He looks forward to being able to help with his children’s sports teams and clubs by coaching or volunteering.

Anyone wanting to apply for a pardon should take advantage of a complimentary private consultation. Pardon Services Canada’s role and familiarity with the pardon process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that each applicant’s case is handled expeditiously.

Speak to a Client Specialist – toll free at 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1.866.972.7366) – at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

Possible Disclosure of Criminal Record Causes Concern

The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), an office of the RCMP, maintains criminal records in a database accessible for criminal record checks. However, a pardoned criminal record is removed from that database and will not show up on background checks. Except for the few offences that carry a life or indeterminate sentence, all Canadian criminal offences can be pardoned. But, if a person has committed a sex-based offence, the conviction will remain flagged in the database in case a “vulnerable sector” background check is done.


Vulnerable sector checks are performed only when a background check is requested for the purpose of working with vulnerable persons, who are defined as being in a position of dependence on others (1) due to age, disability, or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent, or (2) are otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of authority or trust relative to them. Therefore, a vulnerable sector check will be performed for potential employees or volunteers who wish to work with children, ill or disabled people, or senior citizens.

Employers are generally thought to have well-reasoned criminal record check policies tailored to the jobs for which they are hiring; they typically do not implement blanket prohibitions against hiring applicants with a criminal record. Protecting the safety of their employees, customers, and service providers is a legal obligation, which is met by background checks ensuring that people with unsuitable histories are not employed in vulnerable positions.

Understandably, individuals with arrest and conviction records face almost insurmountable barriers in getting hired. Certainly one might worry about arrest records being used improperly, such as long-ago arrests that never led to conviction, or inaccurate information being considered in the evaluation or a person’s eligibility. People’s attempts to maintain gainful employment have been thwarted by arbitrary restrictions. One such individual was let go after two years of solid service because the company obtained a contract that barred employment of anyone with a conviction record.

It should be emphasized that, for background checks requested for purposes other than working with vulnerable people, the RCMP cannot disclose a pardoned criminal record, even for a sexual conviction. Once a crime is pardoned, it is removed from the CPIC’s database. While a record of the conviction still exists, it is kept separate and apart from the database used for criminal record checks.

Thus, an individual who sincerely wishes to make a new start, who regrets any previous mistakes that resulted in a conviction, can do so by removing that criminal record by obtaining a pardon.

Conservative Government Proposes Pardon Application User Fee Increase

Numerous complaints have been expressed about the Conservative government’s proposal to increase the user fee for pardon applications. The proposed increase is viewed as dramatic and prohibitive, stemming “from a purely economic logic without regard for the needs of pardon applicants or the community.” As well, “it would discourage people with a criminal record from applying,” and “will only result in pardons becoming more inaccessible to a majority of those with records, especially women who will be unable to afford to apply.” “Criminals who could not afford to apply … would be shut out from employment and education opportunities.”


The $50 user fee for the processing of a pardon application was officially increased to $150 on December 29, 2010. Then, the Government of Canada announced its intent on February 2, 2011, to have pardon applicants assume the administrative costs of processing a pardon application, which would increase the current user fee to $631. The proposed increase is based on a cost-recovery approach. The Parole Board of Canada held an online consultation in February to seek feedback from Canadians on the increase. Of the 1,086 responses received, only 12 were supportive.

The most common reasons expressed in support of the increase:

1. A person who commits a crime should be responsible for the fees associated with processing their pardon; and
2. Pardons should not be subsidized by hardworking law-abiding citizens/taxpayers.

The most common reasons expressed in opposition:

1. It would pose a financial burden for applicants, with many unable to pay the increased fee;
2. It would make it difficult or impossible for people to apply for a pardon who need one to help them obtain employment or pursue their education; and
3. It amounted to further punishment to that already imposed by the court.

Even an Independent Advisory Panel that reviewed the complaints about the proposal said “it also feared the proposal fee hike would have a punitive effect on many applicants.” Their June report tabled in Parliament mid-August states that those who do not have the means to pay such an amount would be doubly penalized, and recommended the government maintain the $150 fee and instead give the Parole Board more resources.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews suggests that the fact a number of criminals currently use third party companies to prepare their applications shows some are willing to incur a greater expense in order to obtain a pardon. What should be apparent is the fact that people want to make sure the challenging and somewhat difficult process is done correctly. The current fee is $150; a fee increase of such significant proportions will surely prove prohibitive and detrimental.

Considering that well over 3 million Canadians have criminal records, with 1.5 million being eligible to apply for a pardon, and that the number of those eligible grows by about 60,000 per year, it is apparent that the societal impact is significant. Most of these records resulted from minor offences, many for a lack of better judgment that people are trying to rise above and put behind them. The majority of pardon recipients, over 95%, have not reoffended, proving the fact that people do put the past behind.

Without a pardon, people with a criminal record definitely have difficulty getting employment, finding accommodation, pursuing education, travelling – quite simply, living a normal life. The pardon process helps free offenders from the limitations of having a criminal record, shedding the associated stigma, and moving on with their lives.

Pardon Services Canada assists people who want to obtain a pardon in order to do just that, put the past behind and move on. A Client Specialist ensures that all the required forms are created and compiled to support the application. Pardon Services Canada’s pro-active approach ensures that each case is processed expeditiously and applicants are kept informed at each stage of the process.

Don't Let Your Criminal Record Serve as a Barrier

A conviction can follow a person throughout his or her life, preventing the individual from moving forward, reintegrating into society. Obtaining a pardon is the only way to eliminate the stigma of having a criminal record. A criminal record remains on file in Canada but it can be purged, allowing a person to pursue employment or promotion, to volunteer, to adopt, to rent an apartment, to further education.


How to obtain a pardon: An individual must apply to the Parole Board of Canada. However, the PBC requires individuals to have fulfilled certain terms before submitting an application: Applicants must have completed their sentences as well as observed the required waiting period after completion of the sentence(s).

Sentence completion prerequisites: Fines, costs, restitution and compensation orders, and surcharges must have been paid; the individuals must have served their time as outlined in their verdicts; individuals must have finished probation orders.

Waiting period after sentence completion: A summary conviction requires a 3-year waiting period; an indictable conviction, a 5-year period; and a personal injury conviction, a 10-year period.

What a pardon achieves: A pardon removes the federal records of a criminal conviction from federal databases so that it is no longer visible and cannot be accessed. It is recognition that a person convicted of a criminal offence has completed a sentence and has demonstrated law-abiding behavior in the community for a prescribed number of years.

A pardon is evidence that a conviction should no longer reflect negatively on a person’s character. The Criminal Records Act restricts access to records under federal jurisdiction and removes any disqualifications that would result from a conviction. Further, it specifies that information about pardoned offences shall not be sought in the employment applications of organizations under federal jurisdiction. Also, the Canadian Human Rights Act forbids federal agencies and departments to discriminate against an individual based on a pardoned record.

Why a pardon should be obtained: Criminal record checks are now routinely undertaken in relation to employment, housing, volunteering, child custody, adoption, and the like. So in addition to safeguarding against discrimination normally associated with pursuing such endeavors and improving one’s marketability, eliminating the shame or stigma associated with having a criminal past will definitely improve one’s sense of self-worth.

If you need a pardon, contact Pardon Services Canada to assist you. A Client Specialist will ensure that all the required forms are created and compiled to support your application. Pardon Services Canada’s pro-active approach ensures that your case is processed expeditiously and you will be kept informed at each stage of the process. Your pardon is guaranteed.

Removing the Barrier to a New Life

How long must a person endure the mantle of a criminal record, after having served his sentence and atoned for past mistakes? Unfortunately, a criminal record continues to “follow” a person by remaining accessible through a criminal record check or a background check, frequently done nowadays by such concerns as potential employers, rental agencies, and banks.


This procedure is done in order to safeguard the workplace, its customers, and service providers. Unfortunately, if a criminal record is found to exist, the applicant is refused the job that he interviewed so well for, that perfect apartment is no longer available to him, the volunteer opportunity that would broaden his horizons will not be accessible.

Even travel can be hampered, whether it be for pleasure or business, especially when attempting to enter the United States. It is illegal for a Canadian convicted of a criminal offence to cross the border. The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) stores data on all criminal records and gives the US Customs and Border Protection Agency access to its files. Thus, travelers with a record risk being detained at the border, not being allowed to cross, and possibly being arrested or having their vehicles confiscated.

A criminal record has therefore become a significant barrier to living a fulfilling life. However, once a period of time has passed after the completion of a sentence, a person is entitled to apply to the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) for a Pardon. Once granted, a Pardon will cause a record to be kept separate from the accessible CPIC database, “sealing” it, so that it will not be revealed in a background check. Also, a US Entry Waiver will help those who wish to travel to the United States. This document can be applied for even without having received a Pardon and will enable cross-border visits for both business and pleasure.

The process for obtaining these documents can be difficult and time consuming, so seeking the help of a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada is advisable.

Temptation Obscures the Obvious

Better shun the bait than struggle in the snare [John Dryden] – Here is the story about how one young man has overcome a most unfortunate introduction to life in Canada.


As a recent immigrant to Canada in the mid-eighties, having settled in Lethbridge, Alberta, he got his first job as a delivery driver for a local pizza parlor. He found a credit card in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store and put it in his pocket. In his home country at that time, there were no such things as credit cards. Later on, he told a coworker about what he had found. This person said that they could use the card to get free gas at a local gas station. Being young and naïve, he didn’t fully realize just what was he was about to do. He did sense this wasn’t right, but feeling the peer pressure, being gullible, he agreed to let his coworker use the card at a gas station for himself and his friends. After the card had been used this way a few times, the police eventually came to his home to arrest him. His coworker had been questioned by the police and then implicated him while denying any participation.

Now a husband and parent, he looks back on what happened with great embarrassment, wishing he had followed his instincts and not taken part in such fraudulent activities. Following this most unfortunate stage of his new life in Canada, he has not been involved in any other criminal activity. He has a son for whom he feels he is a role model, having a positive attitude and demonstrating a law-abiding life style. He spends a great deal of time helping his son in his sports endeavors as well as assisting his church and the local community kitchen. He has embraced his religion, attending church regularly, seeing this as a positive influence in his life.

His pardon has allowed him to secure better employment in order to afford to travel with his family to popular vacation destinations and to attend such local events as the Calgary Stampede. Pardon Services Canada offers a complimentary private consultation for anyone wanting to apply for a pardon, to have his police file deleted, or to obtain a US Entry Waiver. Pardon Services Canada’s role and familiarity with the pardon process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that each applicant’s case is handled expeditiously.

Speak to a Client Specialist – toll free at 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1.866.972.7366) – at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

Driving While Intoxicated vs. Driving Under the Influence

Drinking and driving: there are stupider things, but it's a very short list. [Author Unknown]


Whatever you call it, the charge is the same – it involves operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. It could be as “simple” as an over-the-counter cold or flu medicine but the bottom line is: if you are Driving Under the Influence, you are breaking the law.

No one would disagree that operating a vehicle while under the influence of any substance that limits your ability to think clearly, respond quickly, stay alert, and remain attentive is a dangerous activity. So why do people continue to do so?

Since a DUI – Impaired Driving, Blowing over .08, Refusing to Blow, or Refusal to Take a Breathalyzer – is among the most common criminal convictions in Canada, a few prevailing myths, or misconceptions, need to be brought to light:

Myth No. 1: A person is legally allowed to drive with a blood alcohol level below .08.

Truth: If you are stopped by police, you could be tested with an “approved roadside-screening device” (ASD), which tests for alcohol in your body, showing a “pass,” “warn,” or “fail.” A warn shows for blood-alcohol levels between 50 - 100 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood, and a fail for levels of 100 milligrams or higher. The legal limit is 80 milligrams (called .08). A pass will probably allow you to leave, but that is not automatic.

Under the BC Motor Vehicle Act, even if you’re not over .08, you may be immediately prohibited from driving for 24 hours if the police have reasonable and probable grounds to believe that your ability to drive is affected by alcohol or drug. The police may also impound your vehicle for 24 hours. If the ASD shows a warn or fail, the police may demand you to take a breathalyzer test, for which you must go to where the breathalyzer is located, usually the local police station. Also, since the fall of 2010, if your blood alcohol level on the ASD is between .05 and .08, new penalties will be imposed.

Full details are certainly worth exploring. The bottom line, though, should be: If you’re not sure how much you’ve had to drink, take a bus, call a taxi, prevail upon a friend, but do NOT even get in your vehicle, let alone drive it.

Myth No. 2: One beer – one shot – one glass of wine – is fine.

Truth: Several factors determine how much it takes to get drunk: your weight, your gender, your age, your food intake, how much you’ve drunk in the past. Also, the number of drinks consumed is not an accurate indicator: alcohol levels in drinks vary because of the type of drink that is prepared. Bottom line: If you drink, don’t drive.

Myth No. 3: Second offence is the same as the first offence.

Truth: People who have already been convicted with a DUI offense suffer more serious consequences. The usual sentence: For a first offence of over .08, impaired driving, or refusing to blow, the mandatory minimum sentence is a $1000 fine and a one-year driving prohibition (unless the judge considers your case more serious because of aggravating facts such as high breathalyzer readings or an accident).

Previous drinking and driving convictions mean higher penalties – usually a minimum of 30 days jail for a second offence within a few years of the previous conviction, and a minimum of 120 days jail for each offence after that. And if you kill or injure someone, the penalty is always a jail term. Again, full details are worth exploring.

Myth No. 4: Driving under the influence of drugs is not a DUI.

Truth: You can get a DUI for driving under the influence of anything. If you drive under the influence of either prescription narcotics or recreational, street, or illicit drugs, you can be charged with a DUI. Prescriptions explicitly reiterate not to drive or operate machinery while taking certain medications. Numerous prescription drugs can impair one’s motor skills to the point that their driving abilities are diminished. Ingestion of prescription and/or illegal drugs can cause altered speech patterns, dilated or constricted pupils, decreased motor function, and rapid, slowed, or labored breathing.

If you have a DUI conviction, you will want to consider getting a Pardon, which will seal your record so that it is no longer visible. A criminal record can follow you for life, so a Pardon will provide relief from the stigma once and for all. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada who will answer all your questions and guide you through the pardon process.

Taking Control, Moving Forward

A worthwhile person seeks not the easy life, for the easy life does not make a worthwhile person [Chinese proverb]. Here is the story about how one young man has “changed his ways” and found a better way to live life.


When he began his involvement in the drug trade, he was too naïve to question how it might impact his future. He was young and impressionable and fell in with the wrong crowd because he was materialistic, wanting all the finer stuff that comes with the so-called “good life,” without having the skills to acquire them legitimately. He felt that he was navigating through life with tunnel vision, looking only for the quick fix to satisfy his needs, wanting the easy path to financial security.

He was convicted twice as a teen for break and enter and theft, once to steal food because he was homeless and hungry, then for being an accomplice with the wrong crowd that committed another similar offence. He also has had several drug-related convictions, dating back to the late 1980s.

His several bouts of incarceration convinced him that the most important asset we have in life is time, and the most rewarding part of this gift is the freedom to choose how to spend it. In the time that has passed, he has adapted to a new mindset, acknowledging that the only way to find satisfaction is to earn an honest living, which ultimately leads to fulfillment.

He sees that although his pardon can’t erase the stigma of his crimes, it can empower him to seek better employment opportunities, being bonded if need be, travel to broaden his scope of opportunities. He realizes that he didn’t choose to go to jail; instead he ended up in that situation by the choices he made. He understandably regrets these choices, and his deepest regret is not having learned from their impact sooner. Although he has missed out on many opportunities as a result of his criminal past, he now sees he has an opportunity to move forward and become a productive member of society. He feels he now has the confidence to achieve success and support himself through hard work and diligence.

Pardon Services Canada offers a complimentary private consultation for anyone wanting to apply for a pardon, to have his police file deleted, or to obtain a US Entry Waiver. A pardon seals a criminal record so that it is no longer visible. Pardon Services Canada’s role and familiarity with the pardon process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that each applicant’s case is handled expeditiously.

Speak to a Client Specialist – toll free at 1-8-NOW-PARDON (1.866.972.7366) – at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

What You Need to Know About Social Media and Background Checks

Rather than having to rely on an applicant’s resume, references, or interviews to find information, the explosion of technology and social media websites like Facebook has made it easier than ever to learn details about potential hires – and recruiting managers have begun to take advantage. Significantly, though, there are privacy concerns as well as human rights concerns to be considered.

This practice, while becoming more common, does have some serious legal risks, in particular violating Canadian privacy legislation. The current feeling is that the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (or PIPEDA) would prevent that kind of collection of personal information. PIPEDA, a federal law that protects the privacy of personal information in Canada, prohibits a federally regulated employer from using or collecting an employee or potential employee’s personal information without their knowledge and consent, subject to a number of exceptions. The viewing of an employee’s blog and the use of it for hiring purposes would seem to fall under these provisions.

However, PIPEDA does not apply where the personal information is “publically available,” including a publication in electronic form. It is arguable that a job applicant’s disclosure of personal information in a publically available blog post would qualify; however, it is difficult to predict exactly how the exceptions would be applied.

As well, PIPEDA applies only to federally regulated employers, a very small percentage of employers in Canada. While British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta have enacted similar legislation, Ontario, for example, has not, leaving provincially regulated employers in that province facing fewer legislative barriers to the collection of personal information on the Internet.

In addition, even if the information is publically available on an applicant’s Facebook page, human rights legislation ensures that certain types of information cannot be used to make hiring decisions. While employers cannot ask job applicants about protected characteristics such as marital status, race, religion, and age, this information will often come up in an online search and can be difficult for employers to avoid.

Background checks are routinely performed, and if you have a criminal record it will be revealed. This criminal record can be removed, though, so if you want to “even out the playing field” when applying for employment or promotion, pursuing adoption, hoping to volunteer, become bonded, you should start the process right away by contacting a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada to apply for a pardon. Once it is obtained, that criminal record will be sealed so that it is no longer visible. You would also be well advised to review your Facebook, Twitter, myspace, or any other social media site to ensure it reflects you in the most positive light possible.

We Do Have the Power to Right Our Wrongs

“Addiction”: being enslaved to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming – such a state is extremely difficult to overcome, but it can and does happen! Here is one young man’s description of how his life has improved.


In his late teens, he was constantly attempting to escape his problems through drugs and alcohol, leaving home to either rent accommodation or live on the streets. He attended school only sporadically, and fell in with the “wrong crowd,” stealing to get drug money and causing property damage in the process. He now firmly believes that there are no excuses for his behavior and no amount of apology or regret can undo the damage and hurt he caused.

He felt that he had paid heavily for his actions, and having finished all his punishment had given him the chance to create a positive future and to work towards a better life. However, he felt that he was still being held back by his criminal record.

Now ten years later, his pardon has removed his record will allow him to further develop his carpentry business and to establish contacts in his trade outside the country. He feels that he is continuing on the right path as a responsible, law-abiding citizen. Perhaps the most significant way he has improved is through his new attitude and outlook on life. He feels that he has been successfully rehabilitated and no longer has drug and alcohol addictions.

If you are in similar circumstances yourself, Contact Pardon Services Canada for help. You too can gain the peace of mind that he most certainly has.

Impact of Coping with a Criminal Record

In many respects, a criminal record might not be restrictive if a person has experienced no need to undergo a criminal record check – if someone is gainfully employed, has been living comfortably in a home for which a mortgage was obtained without difficulty, has no need or desire to work or volunteer with children’s schools or sports endeavors, doesn’t need a loan, isn’t being considered for a promotion, isn’t attempting to rent an apartment, has no wish to travel across the US border, doesn’t require a licence, has no need to be bonded … Well, all these conditions and more could suddenly become significant if matters change, and that’s what life is all about.

Even if a person has not felt the need to have his criminal record removed, the fact that it still exists and could potentially be discovered by friends, family members, coworkers, or employers takes its toll. Although the impact of this state of affairs might not be consciously registered, overt symptoms can and will evolve. Occasionally we experience anger, stress, or depression, not understanding the cause. When we leave unattended matters that in the back of our minds we know should be addressed, they can affect our well being.

Understanding anger is important. This is the first step in anger management. You should know that anger rises within you when you feel incapable of doing certain things. Anger can manifest itself in forms such as self-pity, depression, or rage and needs to be dealt with.

Understanding stress is important. Stress can be either positive or negative; for example, stress experienced while preparing for a job interview will heighten the senses in order to perform well. However, negative stress, experienced for example during bereavement, demanding work conditions, or family strife, produces negative feelings like anger and frustration, leading to physical problems such as headaches, insomnia, or stomach upset.

Understanding depression is important. Life is full of situations that cause stress. When you are having difficulty dealing with a source of stress, you may have situational depression, which is an emotional event. The most common symptoms are fear, sadness, and hopelessness and usually disappear after you adapt. But symptoms of major depression can sometimes last much longer and need the help of a health professional.

Having a criminal record is a state much like a “life sentence”: a criminal record is “a summary of an individual’s contacts with law enforcement generally computerized in the NCIC (National Crime Information Center).” Regardless of the type of offence, it will follow a person for the rest of his life unless he takes that all-important first step to remove his record through applying for a pardon.

Most Canadian criminal records can be removed with a pardon, ensuring that all of a person’s criminal records and charges are separated from other personal records and rendered inaccessible. Pardon Services Canada’s role and familiarity with the pardon process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that each applicant’s case is handled expeditiously. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

Haunted by the Past

A foolhardy decision made in an effort to impress his friends caused a young man to bring marijuana home with him to Canada after visiting the Netherlands. Being young and careless, he attempted to head home on a flight that stopped over in the United States. Security personnel of course immediately detected his contraband. At once he felt the shame and regret overwhelm him, realizing how ridiculous his actions had been.

He has spent the last 11 years regretting what he did. However, during those same 11 years, he has started a family, has continued his post-secondary education, and has never been involved in any other criminal activities. He fully intends to remain an honest, law-abiding person.

He would now like nothing more than to put this incident behind him and begin visiting the United States as he once did as a child. He is also being encouraged by his advisors to continue his graduate studies in research and innovation in the US. His pardon and US entry waiver will now ensure that his goals are attainable, and he and his family can move forward, once and for all.

If you need to obtain a pardon or a waiver, Pardon Services Canada's role and familiarity with the process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that your case is handled expeditiously. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada now to guide you through the process.

Helping People by Helping Our Planet

Pardon Services Canada is proud to have been presented with Urban Planet’s 2010 Certificate of Diversion, outlining how much waste our organization has diverted this past year from the landfill. Changing the way we deal with waste is a necessity – every tonne of paper diverted from landfills through recycling and shredding reduces our carbon tax footprint by approximately 3 tonnes.

This Certificate of Diversion provides documented proof of the efforts of Pardon Services Canada to reduce our environmental impact and improve our community, showing a true commitment to environmental conservation and global responsibility.

Our client confidentiality is assured in part due to these ongoing efforts. All documents prepared in the process of securing pardons and waivers for our clients are kept totally confidential. Once we finish processing each case, we destroy all the information we have.

Call us with your questions today, toll free: 1-8-NOW-PARDON. Our commitment to service ensures that a knowledgable Client Specialist is available to assist you.

"Money trials are not the hardest..."

... money trials are not the hardest, and somehow or other, they are always overcome. [Amelia E. Barr]
 
That “tangled web we weave…” out of despair, grief, frustration, or desperation – not seeing things so clearly when we are faced with trials and tribulations that sometimes lead us astray. This fellow surely has overcome that time of his life and moved on in the right direction.

His fraud convictions occurred at a time when he was both unemployed and grieving over the recent death of his father. His first conviction resulted from his having his income taxes prepared inappropriately. He pleaded guilty and was given a conditional discharge. He also purchased an automobile with a cheque for which he had insufficient funds and then sold the vehicle. He feels that both of these instances were completely out of character, resulting from his having gone through a frustrating and anxious stage. He had never been in trouble prior to these convictions and has not been since.

He is now married and has pursued several academic upgrades that have allowed him to obtain a senior position with a well-respected company. He is responsible for operations in three provinces with a focus on operations, safety, regulatory compliance, and training. The maturity and skills he has gained have made him a productive member of society.

His pardon will better equip him to provide for his family and will enable him to continue to advance his career. In his current place of employment, he has had to turn down numerous opportunities for transfer to Europe and the USA because of his past convictions. He can now apply for positions for which he is well qualified without the fear of his criminal record being revealed.

If you are in similar circumstances yourself, Contact Pardon Services Canada for help. You too can gain the peace of mind that he most certainly has.

Time for Action

At times every one of us feels bound by circumstance – the day-to-day limitations that prevent moving forward. One of these is the sense of feeling hopeless, not having the means to move forward and develop a better life.

If a person is encumbered by a criminal conviction that prevents gaining employment or promotion, pursuing adoption, applying for a loan, renting a residence, or other such goals, that sense of hopelessness will prove to be a seemingly inescapable burden. 

What to do? Five steps to help make the situation better make a great deal of sense:

Talk – find some company either to talk about your worries, fears, thoughts, doubts, or simply to just talk about anything else to take your mind off what’s bothering you.

Move – walk, jog, cycle, dance, play with your children or your pets. Movement can relax, inspire, allow a different perspective.

Move forward – start something, either a project on hold or something new. Accomplishing something improves self-esteem and helps to take you forward.

Help someone else – reach out to family, friends, even strangers. Altruism is its own reward. Something even so insignificant as a smile or a helping hand will work.

Stir your senses – experience music, books, food, places with sights, sounds, aromas.

Perhaps one project that has been on hold is seeking a pardon for the criminal record that has been holding you back. If this is the case, you are well advised to contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada to guide you through the process.

Pardon Services Canada’s role and familiarity with the process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that your case is processed expeditiously. That peace of mind you seek is within reach.

Scared Straight

As he was leaving the RCMP station after being released, he saw his wife and baby daughter waiting for him. That was the moment he broke down, feeling incredibly remorseful and embarrassed for what he had done. They were everything to him and he was so scared of losing them.

He had used cocaine occasionally, not considering the full consequences of this type of life style. At the time of his arrest, he had gone to the airport to pick up his friend who was arriving for a short visit. On the drive home, they were pulled over by the RCMP who conducted a search. Finding him with a small amount of cocaine, the RCMP arrested them. He was charged with possession; his friend was not. After retaining a lawyer, he was later released. Realizing the court process was likely to be a long, drawn out process, he wisely decided to plead guilty and was fined $500 – he wanted to settle matters and get on with his life.

When a door closes, a window opens – this terrible experience has truly changed him for the better. He now lives a clean life and has built up a good business and partnership with his wife and family.

His waiver will now allow him and his family to visit the United States without worry. If you are in need of a waiver, Pardon Services Canada's role and familiarity with the process will ensure that all documents required are obtained in a timely manner and that your case is processed expeditiously. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada now to guide you through the process.

Traveling to Mexico with a Canadian Criminal Record? What you should know before you go.

There has been increased media awareness of the dangers of traveling to the United States with a Canadian Criminal Record after an ever growing number of Canadians are being turned away, now needing U.S. Entry Waivers. What about Canada’s other NAFTA partner, the one with the beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, gorgeous resorts and spectacular ruins? Are these also off limits to Canadians with a criminal record?

According to Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada      

“Canadians traveling to Mexico with a criminal record might be refused entry and returned to Canada on the next available flight. Canadians in this situation should contact the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa prior to making travel arrangements.”

Furthermore,

“Since March 1, 2010, Canadian citizens, including those with dual nationality, are required to present a valid passport in order to enter and exit Mexico. Canadians without a valid passport will be refused entry and returned to Canada.”

So, Canadians who have a criminal record should take measures before planning a trip to Cancun or Puerto Vallarta to avoid getting turned away at the border.

In addition, even though Mexico has less stringent screening measures than the United States; Canadians with a criminal record face another danger. There are many testimonies of people going to Mexico for a vacation or on business and stopping over in Houston or Los Angeles. When they lay-over in these American hubs they are questioned and sent back to Canada. This is a result of the Information Sharing Acts between Canada and the U.S. You can read more about these regulations in this article.

Don’t get turned back either in Mexico, or on your trip through the States. Get a Canadian Pardon to hide the existence of the record from U.S. and Mexican border authorities. Take that family vacation that you always wanted without fear of getting turned away. Apply Today!

Changes to the Canadian Pardon – Get Your Pardon, Before It’s Too Late

 A Canadian Pardon will soon become “Record Suspension”. This change, along with tougher restrictions and a four-fold increase in the price of a pardon are coming. Apply now, or it may be too late.

A Change in Name

                One of the changes proposed by the new government is aesthetic. What is currently known as a Canadian Pardon will be changed to Record Suspension. This name change will not have any effect on people who currently have a Canadian pardon. Furthermore, the change will not have an effect on what a pardon, soon to be record suspension, actually accomplishes. The criminal record will continue to be sealed and made hidden from background checks conducted by future or current employers, volunteer organizations or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The change in name is meant to reflect the tough on crime stance of the Conservative government and is backed up by a higher price and new restrictions.

A Change in Price

                The current fee charged by the National Parole Board for processing and reviewing a Pardon Application is $150. Under the new legislation, the fee will be increased to $631. The fee increase seeks to take the financial burden of the application process away from the tax-payer and onto the applicant.

New Restrictions

                The new legislation will also make it more difficult, or in some cases, impossible to apply for a Canadian Pardon.

o   The applicant must not have been convicted of an offence involving sexual activity relating to a minor – as set out in a schedule of specified offences – unless the applicant can demonstrate s/he was “close in age” and that the offence did not involve a position of trust/authority, bodily harm or threat of violence/intimidation;

o   The applicant must not have been convicted of more than three (3) offences prosecuted by indictment.

o   The National Parole Board be granted “absolute discretion” to “order, refuse to order, or revoke” a record suspension

o   The waiting periods be extended from three to five years for summary offences and from five to ten years for indictable offences.

What to Do

                For most Canadians with a criminal record the main effect will be the substantial change in price given in Bill C-23b. Without professional paralegal help the pardon process can be expensive, extremely time consuming and repetitive given high rejection and error rates. With the new restrictions and increased price, the process is becoming even more difficult.

                There are professional experts in the field of Canadian Pardons who are able to help get you your pardon before it’s too late. With affordable rates and available financing from a trusted service provider a clear record is available. Don’t wait until it is too late. Get your Canadian pardon today.