The Canadian authorities provide the Record Suspension or Pardon (as known previously) to people with criminal records in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) to seal their criminal history in case of a background check in order to aid them in getting back on the correct track and live a normal life.
A criminal record, however feeble and petty, creates great havoc in the convicted person’s life. Rejections faced everywhere – job, residence, volunteering, immigration to the US and even the trivial matters as well. People judge cruelly and this causes depression and gloom in the convict’s mind. A record suspension soothes the harsh effects of rejections and condemnation to a great extent.
How to obtain a Record Suspension?
The labor to obtain a Record Suspension is tedious. It involves myriads of paperwork, legal communication between governing bodies and thus, a significant amount of time. A lawyer or an expert is crucial for the proceedings and the convict’s actions are minutely analyzed by the authorities. They do so to make sure whether the person is deemed sound and fit to be living among normal citizens. In Ontario, the Ministry of Public Safety does so and then the convict’s criminal records are sealed.
How long to wait?
The wait can be quite long. The sands of time may count in billions because the information regarding the records traverses a lot. The info and documents entertains many tables of the various administrative bodies and ultimately, the Parole Board of Canada.
The Eligibility Criteria
A person is not eligible for a Record Suspension if:
- He/she has been convicted of a child sexual offence.
- He/she has more than three offenses prosecuted of sentences of two or more years.
Even prior to applications, certain criteria have to be fulfilled, including the expiration of the prison sentence and reimbursement of all penalties and fines. Other relatively trivial conditions include parole, probation and a certain amount of waiting time depending on the crime committed.
A good conduct is also considered. A person of foreign ethnicity or a person lacking a Canadian passportwho has a crime recorded in his/her country of origin can also apply for a record suspension in Ontario, under certain norms and conditions. For more details on Record Suspension, applications to gain amnesty and other relevant details, check out nationalpardon.
How to make sure whether the process is right or not?
In order to avoid any misconceptions or confusions, you ought to approach professionals or experts adept in the field because they can guide you properly and provide you a better insight into the legal affairs. Risks should be avoided at all costs as it is to reduce the fires of trouble, not ignite it and the legal matters are too fragile to be put at stake.
The experts are aware of the alterations in the laws and can guide you accordingly. They analyze the proceedings carefully and can detect loopholes and mistakes in the documentation, if any.