Pardons / Record Suspension Services in Winnipeg

Pardons / Record Suspension Services in Winnipeg

If you want to live in the provincial capital of Winnipeg, you’re opening yourself up to a lot of personal and professional opportunities in Manitoba. If you have an interest in politics or even independent game development, there’s a place for you in Winnipeg. But there’s one thing that can get in the way of your ambitions, and that’s your past, specifically a criminal conviction. In these situations, a record suspension, formerly known as a pardon can make all the difference.

Criminal Convictions: The Facts

A Canadian that has been charged, arrested, and convicted of a criminal violation in a Canadian court of law will serve time in jail or probation, pay a fine, or possibly do both. In addition to this, however, a criminal conviction will now appear on their “file,” and this data will be stored in the Canadian Police Information Centre database, which is accessible by both law enforcement groups, as well as the public. This record will stay forever until an application for a pardon is granted.

This means that any Canadian willing to pay the fees required can conduct what is called a background check to see if a person has a “clean” background. This background check will only display criminal convictions, no other personal details, but this can have a big impact on a person’s life. Record suspensions, however, remove this data from normal CPIC inquiries.

Employment Challenges

One of the areas where a criminal record can have very serious repercussions is career opportunities. Many jobs legally require employees to not have a criminal conviction. Someone working in education or nursing or personal support work (PSW) or even UBER, for example, will have a required background check to see if there is a criminal record. If there is one, that’s an automatic rejection for the job.

And while some jobs don’t legally require a clean record, there’s no law that says an employer can’t make a hiring decision based on the presence of a criminal record. If two people are equally qualified, but one has a conviction and the other doesn’t, the employer can choose to go with the “clean” individual rather than the person with a conviction, and the basis of this decision is perfectly legal.

Travel Issues

People that frequently travel to the United States are also potentially compromised when it comes to a criminal conviction. While the American Customs & Border Patrol doesn’t conduct background checks on every single Canadian traveler entering the country, they have the legal right to do so.
Under American law, if the CBP decides to conduct a background check and finds a criminal conviction, they can permanently bar entry to that traveler. A criminal conviction that falls under their moral turpitude category, such as assault or drug trafficking, can get you banned.

Other Interference

While professional and travel complications can arise from a criminal record, it can affect your personal life as well. Landlords can check potential tenants for criminal records, and decide to refuse tenancy should they find such a record present.

When it comes to families that are thinking of adopting, one of the requirements to ensure a safe, positive home and influence is a background check. Once again, a criminal conviction can negate your chances of successfully adopting a child if this is a priority for you.

We Can Help

If you want to give yourself as many personal and professional opportunities as possible, Pardons Canada is here for you. Contact us with your details, and we can help you get on the road to a record suspension and a second chance.