Archives for the National Pardon Centre category.

One of my competitors has a blog that I watch from time to time. And I find it amusing because every blog entry reads like this:

“Here is a letter from a happy client who loves us…”

And then the entry continues with a letter congratulating the company on its excellence. It is not for me to decide whether or not the letter is a fake. And I am also not in the business of disgracing my competition which is why I have not named names. But…I am willing to do a pardon or waiver for half price to the first person who actually reads this blog AND discovers the competitor I am referring to. Send your answers to info@nationalpardon.org I would be very happy if someone actually managed to do this.  

In the meantime I thought it would be fun to turn things around. So, in the interest of blog entries that are nothing more than letters from one person to another here is a letter I sent to an actual person who asked me how long the pardon procedure takes to complete. I guarantee it is 100% authentic.

 

Hi Albert,

Our expedited service is only applicable as far as the work done in our office in concerned. Once the file is sent to the Parole Board it is out of our hands. That being said we are seeing our expedited files finished within 2- 8 months right now (that estimate includes time at the National Parole Board). Of course there are always exceptions since we are dealing with the government, which is why we cannot guarantee this time but that is honestly the average response we expect at the moment.

You should also be aware that expedited services are only available if the client is currently eligible or if he/she will be eligible very soon. We have no way of getting around the probationary periods imposed by the Parole Board.

As for emergency pardons there are some situations that warrant special treatment by the Parole Board. The work on our side does not change but if we can provide proof of emergency status then the response time from the Parole Board can be shortened. However, work is not a valid reason because work is the number one reason people finally get around to obtaining a pardon. Unfortunately, our clients tend to wait until the criminal record is adversely affecting something in their life before realizing the importance of the application.

I hope that information helps. Please let me know if you have further questions or if you would like to get a file started.

Kind regards,

Michael Ashby

(514) 842-2411 x 227
http://www.nationalpardon.org/

 

It has been a long time since we were covered extensively in the Media. Since we opened our doors in 2002 we have been featured and/or quoted in everything from the Globe and Mail to La Journal de Montreal, and quite a few in between.

Two of my favourite articles appeared in a little weekly, English language paper here in Montreal, The Montreal Mirror. The paper covered two stories. One was the business in pardons in General and another was the story of a local Montreal business by the name of Pierre Charade.

Pierre is a producer for RDS, which is the French language sports channel. And since meeting Mr. Charade back in 2002 we have stayed in touch and I have advertised on his programs regularly. It is been a positive working relationship. And I like to think that part of what we do here at the National Pardon Centre is build working relationships. In other words, we help our clients get their lives back on the right track. And every once in awhile a client surprises us and helps us out in one way or another.

So if you are interested here is the article on the National Pardon Centre in General.

And here is the article about Mr. Charade’s adventures at the US Border.

As always, if you have any questions just give me a shout. I can be reached by email or phone most of the business day.

Sincerely,

Michael Ashby

mashby@nationalpardon.org
514.842.2411 x 227

When it comes to bad service and/or outright scams a lot of people think that the Better Business Bureau will be the answer to all their problems. Unfortunately such is not the case. While the BBB can be a positive venue for dispute settlement the truth is that they have no authority whatsoever to force a settlement, even if one party is clearly in the wrong.

Now, you might want to ask why the National Pardon Centre bothers with a Better Business Bureau membership at all. It is a good question that I have asked myself several times. The truth is that we don’t get many complaints and the ones we do get are dealt with in the office. We are not the kind of organization that screens calls and ignores unhappy clients. At the National Pardon Centre we understand that these applications can be affecting your life in a serious and important way and we do not take that lightly. So when someone contacts us upset because a pardon or waiver is not getting done as fast as it should we always take the time to clearly explain the problem, if there is any.

So why join the Better Business Bureau? We joined the Better Business Bureau because there are some companies in this industry who do not treat their clients the same way we do. And inevitably those companies are NOT a part of the BBB program. While we do not have a great need for dispute resolution (if any at all) it is fairly clear that the companies that have decided to join the BBB are the ones who need it least of all. And that is a good indicator of the reliability of a pardon or waiver service in my opinion. Feel free to visit the

So be careful when choosing your service. While the BBB is not the answer to the potential problems of doing business with a company for the first time it is a reasonably good indicator of the quality of service you are going to receive. My experience in the pardon and waiver business is that anyone doing reliable business online is a member of the BBB. The ones that aren’t are probably worth staying clear of.

If you have any questions concerning this article or any others on this blog feel free to get in touch with me.

Sincerely,

Michael Ashby

Communications Director
514.842.2411 x 227

www.nationalpardon.org

 

 

By far themost common crime I deal with on an average day doing pardons is DUI. No question about it. So when I came across this post from reddit.com I had to repost it to my blog here.  I suggest linking through to the actual post itself to read the discussion that followed. It is definitely worth a read.

 http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/9ypdl/i_do_not_drink_and_drive_at_all_am_i_alone/

 

 

 

 

MONTREAL, Oct. 19 /CNW Telbec/ - The National Pardon Centre-Canada’s not-for-profit pardon centre that assists Canadians from coast to coast with the clearance of criminal records-is now a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accredited, electronic fingerprinting and identification agency.

Fingerprinting is the first step in any pardon or waiver application. It is a process that must be completed by all applicants, and one that in the past-using ink and paper print methodologies-could take up to 12 months to complete. Prior to receiving the RCMP accreditation, The National Pardon Centre (NPC) invested heavily in leading-edge electronic fingerprinting technology, such that it’s now possible to complete the fingerprinting process in a mere 72 hours. The electronic system is available only in city centres, so NPC also made a significant investment in card scanning. “We’ve now eliminated geographic barriers to beginning the pardon or waiver application process,” says

Michael Ashby, director of the National Pardon Centre. “No matter where you live in Canada, you can benefit from this technology,” he adds.

Receiving the important stamp of approval from the RCMP is the culmination of a rigorous, three-year undertaking that involved systems up-grades and organizational and employee security screening. “We sought this accreditation because, frankly, our clients come first,” explains Ashby.

Until recently, electronic fingerprinting simply wasn’t available. “We’re really at the forefront of this system that the RCMP has introduced,” says Ashby. “We wanted to offer our clients the benefit of a ‘one-stop shop,’ that not only meets-but exceeds-their needs and expectations. The National Pardon Centre continues to provide the best pardon and waiver service in Canada. Nothing is outsourced.”

Through its web site (www.nationalpardon.org), Alberta and Quebec locations, the National Pardon Centre assists people in obtaining U.S. entry waivers and criminal records pardons; making the process easier and more affordable.

Fingerprinting is conducted onsite at NPC’s Montreal and Calgary walk-in centres, or offsite for groups of 20 or more, using their mobile services. There is no additional charge for fingerprinting; the service is included in the cost of obtaining a pardon or waiver.

The National Pardon Centre also offers background checks, and free community education, seminars and client assessments.

For further information: Media: Keri Wallis, (514) 842-2411 (X 225); Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre, (Day) (514) 842-2411 (X 227), (Night) (514) 875-2466, Toll Free: 1-866-242-2411, info@nationalpardon.org; http://www.nationalpardon.org

A lot of my clients ask if they are required to tell people about their pardon if asked. This usually applies to things like job applications and the US border. I have discussed the US border in length on this blog so for the purpose of this article I will just discuss how this situation affects things here in Canada, particularly in relation to job applications. The truth is that there is no correct answer but hopefully some of the following information will be of help.

11. When asked if I have a criminal record after obtaining a pardon, what should I say?
.

You cannot deny the fact that you were once convicted of an offence. However, you may choose to disclose that you have obtained a pardon, which is proof you are a law-abiding citizen. The correct response would be: “Yes, I have been convicted of a criminal offence for which I have been pardoned.”

That answer does beg the following question though: If I choose NOT to tell about my pardon, then what happens? The best answer I can give is that nothing happens at all (there are some exceptions with certain job application that require extensive security clearance but you would be giving your permission in advance for a more extensive search to be done anyway. For the average old job app’ there is not much to worry about).

In the case of a job application if you lie to your employer and he/she finds out, then that would be grounds for dismissal. But I am fairly certain that if you admit you have a criminal record, then you are not getting the job anyway. It is your call. You be the judge.

You should be aware that there is really no straight answer to this question and there is certainly nothing written down in the law books. If you lie about having been convicted of a crime there is no legal penalty that I have ever heard of. So if the Parole Board says you cannot deny that you have been convicted, you might want to ask yourself “why not”?

The Canadian Human Rights Commission states the following in relation to pardoned criminal convictions:

Discrimination and Harassment

.

Section 25 of the Act defines this ground as a conviction for which a pardon has been granted by any authority under law.
.
Once a pardon has been granted, differential treatment because of a conviction for that crime is prohibited. People who have been pardoned of conviction of an offence deserve the same chance as everyone else to make the most of life.

I think it is nice that the Human Rights Commission makes the above statement but the problem is that we all know that human nature is not so forgiving. In a job interview if it comes down to you and another person and you are the one with the criminal record, we all know who is getting the job. I may disagree with the National Parole Board on this one but if I had a pardon for an old criminal conviction I would certainly just say NO when asked if I have ever been arrested. Since no one can find out anyway, why would I disclose my pardon?

Please keep in mind that this is not legal advice. This post is just my understanding of the system and some of my own judgment. In the end you need to evaluate each situation you are in and decide for yourself whether or not you must disclose your pardon.

When it comes to pardoned Canadian criminal records, I am afraid there are few straight-forward answers.

What should you get if you par for a pardon? The first obvious answer is that you should eventually receive a pardon from the National Parole Board of Canada. I say eventually because any pardon application takes some time to prepare, submit, review and eventually grant. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, the company you choose to process it or even if you are doing the application all on your own. If you are applying for a pardon it takes some time to put everything together. But if you are trying to choose a company to handle your paperwork for you, you should know what you are getting into. The fact is that some companies will sell you a pardon service and do nothing more than “help” you do the work on your own.

Here are a few examples of the legal disclaimer from a few pardon services companies.  It almost sounds if they all exist under one ownership but I don’t think that is the case. What is more likely is that there is a little bit of legal-jargon-plagiarism going on (my own website has been hit that way on several occasions). I haven’t written the names of the companies in question because the purpose of this blog is not to make enemies. The purpose is to help you, the reader be informed. But rest assured these are actual disclaimers from actual companies in their respective cities.

Company # 1: Vancouver, British Columbia

Co. #1 helps its customers navigate the bureaucracy associated with the filing and processing of applications for pardons and U.S. entry waivers and record purges. We do not provide legal advice. Should you require legal assistance please consult a lawyer.

Company # 2: Toronto, Ontario

Co. # 2 helps its customers navigate the bureaucracy associated with the filing and processing of applications for pardons and U.S. entry waivers. We do not provide legal advice. Should you require legal assistance please consult a lawyer.

Company # 3: Toronto, Ontario

Co. # 3 helps its customers navigate the bureaucracy associated with the filing and processing of applications for pardons and U.S. entry waivers and record purges. We do not provide legal advice. Should you require legal assistance please consult a lawyer. 

And finally here is the term of service agreement from my own company:

The National Pardon Centre: Montreal, Quebec / Calgary, Alberta

I understand that upon file activation the National Pardon Centre will act on my behalf for the purpose of obtaining, for me, a Canadian pardon, purge and/or file destruction from the National Parole Board of Canada, and/or a USA Entry Waiver or Visa Waiver from the DHS (Department of Homeland Security).

So you can see that at the National Pardon Centre we are doing the work on your behalf, not just helping you do it yourself. Of course sometimes we need your help too. For example, if you cannot visit our office in person then you need to provide us with a set of your fingperints because we can’t scan fingers we don’t have in front of us. But with everything else, if we can do it for you we are going to. This is because at the National Pardon Centre we believe in providing quality service at a reasonable price. And we also understand that a good service is worth paying for.

At the National Pardon Centre we want you to get your pardon and we want you to be happy with the efforts we will go to in order to make sure that happens. If you want to be comfortable with your choice then please call us. We will be happy to help with your Canadian pardon and/or US entry waiver application.

And finally, if you have any questions, or you’re still unsure, please feel free to contact me directly:

Michael Ashby

Communications Director and Co-founder of the National Pardon Centre

At the National Pardon Centre we believe that everyone deserves a second chance. But after watching this documentary about the recent DC Tea Party I might have to change that to “almost” everyone. The video stunned me into silence at first but now I just feel sad that people in the world can possibly be this ignorant, angry and stupid. I do hope one day the walls of racism fall because they seem to be standing strong in America. Watch the video and allow the mind to boggle. It is an experience.

I was reading an article the other day about how the Russian search engine Yandex is gaining in popularity. Of course it will never rival google for any of us here in the English speaking world but nonetheless I couldn’t resist searching “National Pardon Centre” just to see what popped up. Well here you are. The best I could get was an image result of our old logo.

I am not sure if this post has any value whatsoever in the world of pardons but I still like the idea of our website floating around in Russian cyberspace. So if you speak Russian and have a criminal record in Canada we will do our best to help you out. But your application for a Canadian pardon or US entry waiver will have to be done in French or English.

One of my competitors is such a nuisance that I feel I need to reiterate a point I have been making concerning the pardon and waiver service industry.

My impression of most of my competitors is that they are small but competent companies run by honest people. But unfortunately this industry still has a bad rep and it is because there are a few dishonest people running borderline scams in the form of a pardon and waiver service.

The most notorious company for this operates on the fringe. It does nothing directly illegal but it certainly allows its clients to believe things that are simply not true. Below is an excerpt from its website:

In order to open a tracking file and assist you with the process, we must receive our fee. After opening up a tracking file, we require a signed note from you authorizing us to work on your behalf. At that time we would:

	Advise and assist you in acquiring the required documentation
	Help you complete all required government forms

So for 500 dollars or so this company is offering to “help you” do what you will be doing yourself anyhow.  Again, this is not illegal but the rest of the website certainly leads a user to believe that the service being offered is a little more “complete”. At the National Pardon Centre, for example, we do not “help” you do the work. We do the work. It’s just that simple.

And this is just one example of the reasons that the pardon and waiver service industry is regarded as being just a little bit unscrupulous. A company that is only “helping” you do the work is not really doing anything at all. You would not hire a painter to watch you paint your house.

So please be careful when choosing a pardon and waiver service. Check the website over thoroughly and determine what (if anything) you will be paying for. See if the company offers fingerprinting services, see if it is RCMP accredited, verify that you can visit the office in person if you wish.

Be careful with the choice you make but also remember not to be too paranoid or you may never feel comfortable taking this important step. Remember what I said. Most of my competition appears to be honest enough. I receive complaints concerning only a couple of companies, but unfortunately I can’t list them here because complaints are only complaints and have never been verified.

And on a final note I would like to assure anyone interested in obtaining a pardon or waiver that the National Pardon Centre is honest, upfront and legitimate. We are not the cheapest company in the business but we are also not the most expensive. And I give you my personal word that we will handle your case professionally and that you will get real value for your money. If you have any questions about the National Pardon Centre I can be emailed at mashby@nationalpardon.org. I am a founder and a director of the company. You can see my profile by clicking here and I would be happy to have my organization handle your case.