Many people who are charged with a criminal record and the charges are later withdrawn, dismissed, stayed, peace bond, conditional and absolute discharge, believe that their criminal charges just disappear. Unfortunately this is not true.
If you’ve been fingerprinted by the police and charged with a criminal offence, then the charges can be seen when a criminal check is done by employers or the Americans. This comes as a shock to many people who assumed the old charges were gone.
A file destruction is necessary to remove your prints, photos, court and police records so that when a criminal check is done, no one will see anything.
You only need a Pardon or Record Suspension if you have been convicted of a criminal offence. The process to obtain a Pardon or Record Suspension is more complex and requires final government approval.
Here is a recent article in the Montreal Gazette and National Post that features Pardons Canada titled “Criminal Records May Plague Student Protesters for Years”.
If you have any questions regarding this topic or about Pardons, Record Suspensions and US Entry Waivers email us at info@pardons.org or call 1-877-929-6011 or 416-929-6011.
