tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42038606306223075012026-07-23T23:05:04.026-07:00Pardon Me, Canada, your source for information on criminal records and pardons in Canada. Stay up to date and informed on legislative changes and more with the Pardon Me, Canada Blog.AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-63750225032533732762012-03-15T09:59:00.000-07:002012-03-15T09:59:39.300-07:00

Canada is being urged to learn from the Americans’ mistakes: the U.S. mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws turned out to be not only ineffective in reducing drug use but also contributed to a disastrous over-incarceration problem. A zero-tolerance approach allows organized crime and gang violence to flourish and saddles non-violent drug offenders with jail and criminal records that have “ruined

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-34681268492095108962012-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:002012-03-02T09:56:18.369-08:00

It’s important to note that Canadians who seek pardons, most typically to find employment, are low-risk offenders with minor charges. The Parole Board of Canada’s own statistics show that only 4% of those who receive pardons go on to re-offend. Despite this fact, the Canadian Government has increased the Parole Board of Canada’s pardon application fee from $150 to $631 – a 320% jump. Increasing

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-87440760808447401432012-02-21T10:50:00.000-08:002012-02-21T10:50:54.180-08:00

More than 2,000 athletes are expected to attend the 2012 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, happening in March. Organizers have been pressed to secure volunteers, with a total of 1,700 needed in order for the games to run smoothly. People are needed to help with food services, transportation, and security. Since all volunteers must go through an RCMP background check, time is of the essence.

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-26099236628577131192012-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:002012-01-17T11:49:55.157-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-62404818941694712712012-01-10T13:25:00.000-08:002012-01-10T13:29:57.648-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-4174343723702563882012-01-04T11:07:00.000-08:002012-01-04T11:07:04.923-08:00

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.

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-38955372980819490942011-12-28T10:45:00.000-08:002011-12-28T10:45:13.001-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-3714170414245979662011-12-21T11:29:00.000-08:002011-12-21T11:29:33.529-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-91924775350967392952011-12-20T10:11:00.000-08:002011-12-20T10:11:22.723-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-66901780346541123572011-12-16T16:15:00.000-08:002011-12-16T16:15:04.682-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-32381036064577593672011-12-09T12:38:00.000-08:002011-12-09T12:38:22.924-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-2589487453112966712011-12-02T12:48:00.000-08:002011-12-02T12:48:10.029-08:00

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.

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-16001238298444420232011-11-21T10:04:00.000-08:002011-11-21T10:04:22.346-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-20311519466746030312011-11-15T09:52:00.000-08:002011-11-15T09:52:00.398-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-59153883586726832022011-11-07T10:14:00.000-08:002011-11-07T10:19:52.199-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-69629355094417406132011-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:002011-10-26T09:49:50.797-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-42510807687313464962011-10-24T12:27:00.000-07:002011-10-24T12:27:19.024-07:00

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,

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-19253987283271786472011-10-18T11:08:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:08:32.075-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-18597581625590055272011-10-11T11:22:00.000-07:002011-10-11T11:22:12.701-07:00

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,

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-24634344908662856902011-09-29T11:08:00.000-07:002011-09-29T11:08:27.131-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-78237525382809672512011-09-26T16:18:00.000-07:002011-09-26T16:27:12.305-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-80571003504345982112011-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:002011-09-22T10:20:12.919-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-1614770554801875662011-09-14T12:01:00.000-07:002011-11-24T15:27:33.242-08:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-85147000399067259692011-09-02T13:04:00.000-07:002011-09-02T13:04:44.796-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4203860630622307501.post-32903686714803160162011-08-12T16:08:00.000-07:002011-08-12T16:08:28.264-07:00

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

AllClearedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17704489369851185273noreply@blogger.com0