Anyone who has done one or two of these applications can make a career out of doing applications for others

From other lawyers, I have recently heard unfavourable comments about organizations who promote themselves as expert in obtaining pardons.  At least one organization now offers, for an increased fee, an expedited service.  The simple fact is that a pardon application requires three basic processes.  Each must be completed correctly, else the whole process will be delayed.  The first is obtaining certified copies of the court charges, the second is a CPIC records check and the third is completion of the application form. 
In my recent blog about amendments to the Criminal Records Act, I commented about "anyone who has done one or two of these applications can make a career out of doing applications for others. This is evident in the significant growth of organizations that offer pardon removal services."

I don't know about who is following my blog, but after posting that entry, some woman with a toll-free number called me in response asking if I was interested in her doing a guest column.  I didn't bother calling back because I was pretty sure the guest column was going to be a promotion for some not-for-profit pardons organization. (The 'not for profit' claim is probably misleading because, no doubt, the person who runs the deal pays himself or herself a salary based the organizations net profit.)

The New Pardon Regime

The Criminal Records Act, the enactment that sets out the procedure for obtaining a criminal pardon, all of sudden is in dire need of revision, only because one sex offender received one three years ago and because Karla Homolka is eligible to apply for one on July 5, 2010.  See the Globe and Mail article "MPs agree to head off Homolka’s bid for pardon"

Although this has all the elements of political pandering in the extreme, it is probably the case that the current law is too generous in providing a waiting period as short as three years and making the granting of pardons contingent only on the passage of time.

As well, you won't hear me complain about there being more work for lawyers to do.

When I mean work, I first mean the obvious challenge to the issue of retroactive application.  If a person is convicted when the old regime was in place, shouldn't he or she have the benefit of the pardon benefits that existed at the time?

Next, lawyers will probably play a more significant role in the pardon application process as the proposed legislation will require candidates for pardons to demonstrate their entitlement.  Right now, anyone who has done one or two of these applications can make a career out of doing applications for others.  This is evident in the significant growth of organizations that offer pardon removal services. 

It will be interesting to see what develops.