Canadian Government Proposing to Increase Pardon Fees Again

It has been reported today by both the Globe and Mail and the CBC that the Canadian Government Proposing to Increase Pardon Fees Again by quadrupling the National Parole Board filing fee, which would make this the second fee increase in less than a year. The Canadian government says that it will not subsidize criminal pardons, also know as record suspensions, proposing to increase the pardon fee to $631, up from the current fee of $150. The $150 filing fee was just increased in December 2010 from $55 to $150 and now the government is proposing an even more drastic fee increase.

The reasoning behind yet another fee increase is that more work will be required to complete the pardon application, as Canadian legislation was changed last year to make the pardon application process more complicated. Canadians applying for a pardon must now clearly demonstrate how received a pardon would benefit their life while also explain how a pardon would sustain their rehabilitation into society as a law abiding citizen.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews claims that “the proposed increase is a necessary adjustment that responds to inflation, workload increases and processing costs.” This increase would drastically impact the pardon application for thousands of Canadians with minor offences who would not be able to afford this new filing fee and who are already reeling from the fee increase in December of 2010.

According to Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews;

Canadians are right to expect that convicted criminals be held fully accountable for their crimes. That’s why our government is proposing that criminals pay for the administrative costs of applying for pardons.

We believe that ordinary Canadians shouldn’t have to be footing the bill for a criminal asking for a pardon. People aren’t entitled to pardons; that’s something society decides.

Source: Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews

via The Globe and Mail and the CBC

Liberal public safety critic Mark Holland responded with:

The increase would put a wall up for those convicted of minor, non-violent offences who can’t afford to pay the fees to clear their records and get on with the rest of their lives.

Liberal public safety critic Mark Holland

Via the CBC

News reports have continuously blamed the pardon of convicted sex offender Graham James in 2007 for all the publicity and public outcry that the pardon system has received in the last year. This one case is repeatedly referenced in all news publications on the pardon application system in the last year however the proposals being made will affect thousands of Canadians, many who have minor charges such as DUI or shoplifting charge. Express Pardons is monitoring the new proposed fee increases and will be continuously updated our website as information becomes available. Get your application started today in order to avoid any more fee increases – apply now.