January is always a busy time of year for us here at the National Pardon Centre. There are many reasons for this but one of the main reasons is that people tend to travel over the holidays. And whenever people are travelling (to American at least) the the ones with the criminal records are going to find themselves in trouble.

Unfortunately what tends to happen is that people try crossing the border for the holiday season. They are quickly rejected by a border guard doing his job and, come January, when people realize that a Canadian Pardon or US entry waiver is important, they call us.

I always tell people to stay away from the border until things are taken care of but the fact is a lot of people just aren’t aware that an old criminal record is a problem. The other thing is that a lot of people are able to travel to the States without getting caught, creating a false sense of security. And finally, a lot of people (all of us as matter of fact) have a tendency to wait until things like this catch up with us before we decide to finally take care of it.

If you have a criminal record you need to have it taken care of regardless of what may or may not have happened at the border. Even if the criminal record is not affecting your life, there is a good chance that it will in the future. But don’t wait until your holidays are ruined to finally make the decision to clear things up. Give us a call at the National Pardon Centre. We can help make sure your past is not going to come back to haunt you.

 If you have any questions relating to Criminal Records, Canadian Pardons or US Entry Waivers please feel free to email me directly at mashby@nationalpardon.org.

Happy New Year to Everyone.

Michael

 

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

 

 

I must be one of them city folk because I just can’t seem to understand the debate about a long gun registry. For the record I am not a hunter, I am not a gun owner and I dislike guns in pretty much all but arcade forms and even those I have quietly grown too old to enjoy. So I am understandably biased in this debate. But I still think it is reasonable that we, as a society, ask anyone who owns a gun to register it. And I refuse to believe that registering a weapon capable of killing a man is too difficult a thing to do.

Even if the long gun registry is not an effective tool for fighting crime I still think it is a reasonable thing for gun owners to register their weapons. The bottom line is that if you own something designed for killing it is not over stepping the bounds of governemtn control to request that you register it.

I deal with criminal records at work and when I see a crime involving guns it makes me nervous. I apologize to all the hunters out there who are law abiding gun owners but the fact is that guns really do kill people. And if you have to make a compromise I don’t think registering a deadly weapon is a big one.  

There are many names for the most commonly pardoned criminal conviction in Canada. The chances are good that you will be familiar with at least one or two of them. But whatever you want to call it the charge is the same and it involves operation of a motor vehicle while intoxiced by alcohol or drugs or whatever. It could even just be cough medicine because the bottom line is that if you are driving under the influence of anything you are breaking the law.

Unfortunately society took a long time to learn its lesson on this one and the truth is that we are still learning it based on the number of annual criminal convictions in Canada. But thanks to the efforts of police, government and even NGO groups like MADD, drunk driving is now about as socially acceptable as kicking puppies into traffic. It’s just not ok.

So why do so many people still drink and drive or drive under the influence? I think what has happened is that the legal limit for alcohol intoxication is so low that it is nearly impossible to have anything to drink at all without being above the legally acceptable blood acohol level. And this is probably a good thing. But I would guess that many people out there still feel that a couple of drinks will not render them unable to drive a car safely. And there is the problem. You may not feel drunk. You may not feel intoxicted. And you may even feel that you are completely ok to drive safely. But in the eyes of the law if your blood alcohol limit is elevated you are breaking the law and there is no discussion period, except of course in front of a judge at a later date.

 In Canada the law is as follows for blood alcohol limits: 0.05% is a 24-hour suspension and a fine, 0.08% is a D.U.I. charge.

But I think the best guideline for drinking and driving is this: If you drink anything at all don’t drive! It is the only way to be sure you are not putting yourself and others at risk

If you have been convicted of a DUI charge you will want to consider getting a pardon ASAP. Contact the National Pardon Centre. We can help!

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?
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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

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Section 25 of the Act defines this ground as a conviction for which a pardon has been granted by any authority under law.
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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.