One of the stars from the acclaimed TV series Dragons Den, Kevin O’Leary is launching a new series called Redemption Inc. which will be about giving ex-cons a chance at getting a job.
Every day we speak to Canadians who have old criminal records which are getting in the way of employment. Most companies in Canada are now doing criminal background checks for new employees and this has made it even harder for people with criminal records to get work.
Imagine you are now a responsible adult trying to get a better job or a promotion at your current job and your 20 year old petty theft, dui, pot possession, assault charge shows up in a criminal background check and you lose the job opportunity because of something that happened 20 years ago. This situation occurs every day across Canada and it could have been prevented if the person had obtained a pardon.
Even if you have been charged with a criminal offence but the charges were later withdrawn, dismissed, stayed, absolute or conditional discharged, an employer will still see the red flag in a criminal check and can decide accordingly to not hire you as a result of this.
Once a pardon is granted, your will no longer be haunted by your old criminal record and you can continue living your life without the burden of having a criminal record. With the upcoming passing of Bill C-10, it will become more difficult for Canadians to obtain a pardon but not impossible.
Here is a recent article in the Globe and Mail which talks about the upcoming show “Redemption Inc.” and the challenges that are faced with people who have criminal records to which a pardon has not been granted:
