A Canadian pardon helps individuals with a criminal record remove the limits caused by their criminal past. These limits must be eliminated in order for the individual to live a normal, successful and happy life. Some of the limits that individuals with a criminal record face without a Canadian pardon are:
· Employment: Employers often conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees prior to hiring them. This has become a more mainstream practice as employers seek to reduce liability, and a criminal background check provides the employer with an immediate judgment of character.
· Job Promotion: Often job promotions involve higher levels of confidentiality and trust, and therefore criminal background checks are often conducted ‘just to be safe’. Having a criminal record will have a negative effect on any promotion decisions.
· Ability to be bonded: An individual with a criminal record will often encounter more difficulties when attempting to be bonded. This is often a crucial factor in an employer’s decision making process when determining whether to hire an individual.
· Travelling: Travelling plans can often be affected by the existence of a criminal record. For example, the discovery of certain criminal convictions will result in an individual being denied permission to enter the United States.
· Education: Many post-secondary institutions that require ‘on the job training’ require a clear criminal background check. These fields of study include law, medicine, law enforcement and child care.
· Immigration: Immigration Canada will often reject individuals with a criminal record who are applying for Canadian citizenship. In fact, an individual with a criminal record may be at risk of deportation in some circumstances. In this situation it is vital that the process of obtaining a pardon is initiated before citizenship is applied for.
· Child Custody: Many judges now view the existence of a criminal record as a negative statement of character. This can become a crucial factor in their decision making process when establishing child custody rights between parents or legal guardians.
· Volunteering: Many volunteer organizations require criminal background checks before an individual can begin volunteering, and the existence of a criminal record will create limitations on how, where, and even if an individual will be allowed to volunteer.
· Adoption: Government agencies will not allow people with a criminal record to adopt children. A Canadian pardon will mediate that effect.
As stated earlier, an individual with a criminal record will often encounter limits when attempting to advance with any of the abovementioned activities. A Canadian pardon will provide a resolution to these limits, as all information relating to the criminal record is removed from police databases and are kept separate and apart from other ‘non’ pardoned criminal records. In effect, a Canadian pardon will permanently seal a criminal record, ensuring that it cannot be investigated or discovered during a criminal background check and most police investigations. It is only in extremely rare circumstances that police can apply to the Minister of Public Safety with a formal request to ‘open’ a pardoned criminal record. For the vast majority who get a Canadian pardon, their criminal record will effectively cease to exist, and there will no longer be any limitations, giving them back the opportunities they deserve. If you would like more information on Canadian pardons, please visit Canadian Pardons.
