That Elusive Second Chance

Redemption Inc. is a new TV reality series that provides a chance-of-a-lifetime experience for former “guests” of Canadian correctional facilities – certainly controversial, perhaps disconcerting to some parts of the viewing audience. But these competitors have paid their debt to society and deserve a second chance.

Each of the eight episodes will test ten ex-cons’ business acumen by placing them into real-world scenarios to demonstrate their sales, marketing, and teamwork skills. These are individuals who have served time for various offences, except violent crimes and crimes against children. At the end of nine weeks, one candidate deemed most likely to succeed will get $100,000 to start a business, a prize that comes from the host’s own pocket.

This new twist on the reality shows currently available on television is based on the theme of giving ex-convicts a second chance. Self-made multimillionaire and TV personality Kevin O’Leary’s Redemption Inc. puts ten ex-convicts through a series of weekly entrepreneurial challenges to see who most deserves a $100,000 investment in their dream business. The show is based on the premise that “every criminal is a businessman,” for example, a successful drug dealer is also a logistics expert, great in sales, marketing, inventory control. This type of person can apply those talents to something legal.

Ex-cons face an uphill battle when they return to society. Challenged to find employment, arrange a loan, get a credit card, find accommodation, they are often not able to support themselves or their families and many find themselves back in prison. Since it costs a quarter of a million dollars a year to keep a person in prison, it makes sense to help ex-offenders to move forward.

With O’Leary as host, ex-con-turned-businessman Brian O’Dea assists as key advisor and constant inspiration to competitors. O’Dea is a convicted smuggler who has since gone on to become an author, businessman, and public speaker. O’Dea mentors the contestants during the segments. Their rehabilitation begins with working as labourers at a shop specializing in detailing luxury cars. Their efforts, compared to the average employee, have earned the full respect of the shop owner. When an ex-con is given a second chance like this, he is not like a regular employee – he strives to stay visible.

If you have a criminal record, it will thwart your efforts to get that second chance. To prevent it from getting in your way, you should obtain a pardon, which will remove your record from the Canadian Police Information Centre’s database so that it is no longer accessible during criminal record checks. A pardon, also known as a record suspension, will allow you to make a new start. Contact a Client Specialist at Pardon Services Canada to assist you.

Pardon Applications Expected to Become More Costly

A cost-benefit analysis conducted by consulting firm RIAS Inc. for the Parole Board of Canada says operations have changed significantly since the legislative changes regarding pardon applications. The number of legitimate applicants for a criminal pardon is expected to plunge by almost half under stricter new rules. The law requires the Parole Board to assess the behaviour of applicants from the time of their conviction to ensure granting a pardon would not “bring the administration of justice into disrepute.”

Board staff now requires more time to obtain additional information from applicants, research cases, wait for responses to queries from criminal justice participants, build files, and make recommendations. In addition, board members require more time to review cases and to make decisions based on the merits of each case.

As a result, the Conservative government wants to hike the cost of seeking a pardon to $631 from the current $150, saying taxpayers should not have to subsidize the process. The move to hike the price is in the final stages of approval under the User Fees Act. Such a fee increase means that fewer people are expected to apply, and more will be screened out early on.

An individual with a criminal record faces many roadblocks in life, and receiving a pardon eases the burden. A pardon doesn’t erase a person’s criminal record; rather, it removes the federal records of a criminal conviction from federal databases so that it is no longer visible and cannot be accessed. A pardon thus makes it easier to get a job, travel, find accommodation, arrange a loan … in essence, return to society and live an unencumbered life.

About 10 per cent of Canadians, which is over three million people, have a criminal record. Under the former legislation, the Parole Board of Canada received about 37,000 pardon applications a year — 27,750 of which were complete enough to be processed.

A law passed in 2010 toughened the requirements and, in some cases, increased the waiting times for pardon applicants. Under the current legislation, the Board anticipates 25,000 applications annually— expecting to evaluate only 15,000 (down from 27,750) of which will be eligible for processing.

Critics say the planned fee hike will mean a tougher path for convicts trying to turn their lives around. That’s because the law now demands more detailed information, including more supporting documentation, says the analysis. Applicants may also require more time and effort to complete applications.

These are estimates based on historical intake, but of course, actual applications received and percentage accepted for processing will only be known with time, following any increase in the user fee.

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. 

Freedoms and Liberties of Citizens Vital to Progress of Society

Furthering the freedoms and liberties of citizens should be a principal goal of government. However, the Tories are instead straying farther away from supporting the individual freedoms that are vital to the progress of society by inducing government control and restriction of human behaviour. Proposed legislation for a criminal pardon in Canada threatens to curtail such freedoms and liberties.

Bear in mind the fact that, in many instances, tough-on-crime approaches do work. However, as a whole, we need a system that is smart on crime – one that seeks to address the root causes of criminal behaviour and that deals with these problems through prevention and treatment – rather than through the internment and repression of those who have made mistakes.

A section of the Conservative government’s Bill C-10 that bears particular mention is the amendment to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This amendment aims to vigorously attack the criminals who control the drug trade by imposing longer sentences on traffickers and consumers, and imprisoning those who are convicted of benign drug offences. Our new legislation on pardons in Canada will result in considerably greater numbers of individuals being inordinately burdened.

Millions of individuals are compelled to act and be treated as criminals simply because they enjoy the effects of certain substances as a result of drug prohibition by overbearing governments. Drug prohibition has also been distinguished by violence, corruption, and poverty. Through a system of indirect state sponsorship, profits associated with this trade have also surged as prohibition has entrenched the criminals involved in trafficking by allowing them to be the sole financial beneficiaries.

Certainly, the prospect of drug legalization is extremely complex. But most developed nations have been moving toward more liberal drug policies. For example, Portugal has decriminalized all drug possession, and the experience has, by almost all indications, been notably successful. Drug consumption, crime rates, and violence have all dropped significantly since people have been free to consume drugs without the fear of jail casting a shadow. Regrettably, new laws about pardons in Canada are nearly diametrically stanced.

Governments must cautiously calculate their actions and enact sensible policies that bridge the gap between what the government believes it was elected to achieve and what is best for the country.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.