Pardon Legislation Changes in Bill C 10

To see the entire Bill C 10 go to: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=5124131&file=4

The Canadian Government has grouped 9 previously proposed legislation changes into one omnibus crime bill, formally known as Bill C 10 or The Safe Streets and Communities Act. Bill C 10 covers a large range of legislation changes, including proposed changes to the Canadian pardon system.

The following changes will be made to the Canadian pardon system once Bill C 10 is passed into law:

Under the new Bill C 10 the pardon process will no longer exist. In its place there will be record suspensions. A record suspension will be for people who the Board determine are in good conduct and have been in good conduct for a certain amount of time. A record suspension will be granted to people who the Board feel should no longer have their criminal record reflect adversely on their character. As a criminal record can negatively impact many aspects of someone’s life, a record suspension will allow someone to move forward with their life in terms of employment, travel, adoption and volunteer work.

Eligibility for a record suspension will be different than the eligibility for a pardon. To be eligible for a record suspension the wait time is 5 years for a summary offence and 10 years for an indictable offence. The person must remain in good conduct during this time period in order to be eligible for a record suspension. The eligibility wait time for a record suspension starts from when all sentences are completed, this includes probation and payment of all fines.

Bill C 10 will make individuals who have been convicted of certain offences ineligible for a record suspension. Anyone who has been convicted of a Schedule 1 offence or who has been convicted of more than three indictable offences will not be eligible to apply for a record suspension under the new legislation.

The National Parole Board, or the Parole Board of Canada, will have complete control over granting, refusing or revoking a record suspension under Bill C 10. There will also be added emphasis on the fact that the applicant will have to prove that a record suspension would provide a “measurable benefit to the applicant and would sustain his or her rehabilitation in society as a law-abiding citizen.”

While it is not yet clear as to when Bill C 10 will be passed into law, these changes will remove the pardon system completely while implementing tougher restrictions for record suspensions. Express Pardons has continuously campaigned for clients rights in regards to Bill C 10 and has spoken out to publications such as the Vancouver Sun, the Vancouver Sun Opinion, the Windsor Star, the Times Colonist and iPolitics.

Express Pardons will continue to monitor Bill C 10 and provide expert pardon services and record suspensions when the new Bill is passed. We strongly encourage anyone who has a criminal record in Canada to apply for a pardon now before Bill C 10 is passed into law. Contact Express Pardons at 1-866-416-6772 or visit www.expresspardons.com .