A pardon in Canada is granted by the Parole Board of Canada. For most offences it is simply a matter of meeting the criteria for eligibility set forth in the program. However, as a result of recent legislation introduced by the Conservative government for some serious offences the review process is more rigorous and more subjective.
Things you should know
- You can prepare a pardon on your own. It cannot be done free of charge but you do not need a representative to handle it on your behalf.
- Most pardon applications are prepared by third parties. A pardon is laborious and time consuming. It requires communication with the police, courts, RCMP and the Parole Board of Canada. It is an important matter that should be handled professionally.
- A pardon application comes with considerable disbursement costs. Be aware of the TOTAL cost of processing a pardon with any company you engage. Many providers will offer discounted prices and bill you repeatedly down the road.
- No pardon services provider is sanctioned by the government.
- No one can guarantee you a pardon in a certain amount of time.
- Your eligibility date is set by the rules of the program. You cannot get around your eligibility date.
