PARDON ME - Commissionaires offers professional pardons service

Trusted experts and digital fingerprinting mean faster turnaround times


June 2, 2009 – Toronto – Commissionaires Great Lakes today announced a new, state-of-the-art professional pardons processing service across the golden horseshoe and southwestern Ontario to assist eligible Canadians in clearing their criminal records. Commissionaires’ leading edge digital fingerprinting and the expertise of fully trained and trusted staff, make securing a pardon fast, efficient and convenient. Commissionaires Great Lakes offers this new pardons service through its network of offices in Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Barrie, Sarnia, and London.

“Many Canadians who have paid their debt to society and who now make productive contributions in the community often face real challenges in many parts of their lives because of a minor brush with the law in the distant past,” observed Jim Watts, President and CEO of Commissionaires Great Lakes. “Our new service takes this burden off the shoulders of eligible applicants by wiping their records clean; professionally, efficiently, and cost-effectively,” Watts concluded.

Law-abiding citizens with past criminal convictions confront significant barriers to full participation in society. A criminal record can severely limit job opportunities and freedom to travel outside of Canada. Renting an apartment, getting bonded, child custody and visitation rights can all be compromised by a prior criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted by the federal government to law-abiding citizens three years after a summary conviction sentence has been served and five years following a completed sentence for indictable offences.

“To many applicants, applying for a pardon can be a daunting, complex, and intimidating task,” noted Jim Watts. “Having a trusted expert lead them through it and handle the paperwork means that the entire process is faster and easier, giving the customer peace of mind”

Commissionaires’ new pardons service involves a simple three-step process:

Step 1: Digital fingerprinting:
All pardons require applicants to be finger printed. Commissionaires’ digital fingerprinting service means a faster turnaround time, usually in fewer than ten days.

Step 2: Forms and records:
Upon receipt of the digital fingerprinting report, the applicant attends a private and confidential meeting with a Commissionaires pardons expert to review the results, complete the necessary forms, and determine what, if any, additional records and documentation are required to complete the pardon application. This part of the process is critical and requires attention to detail to ensure the application is accurate and complete.

Step 3: Filing the application:
The completed application is formally filed with the National Parole Board for consideration. Having a fully completed and accurate application helps to eliminate delays at the NPB.

About Commissionaires
Commissionaires was founded to provide meaningful employment for former Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel. The organization has long been recognized as Canada’s premier security provider, protecting people and property for public and private sector clients from coast to coast. While employing leading-edge technology in delivering security services, Commissionaires has remained true to its roots by providing employment to those making the transition to civilian life after active service in the military and police forces. Commissionaires’ services and security solutions include: security guarding, enforcement, identification services, training and security consulting. The integrity, strong work ethic, proven skills and discipline of Commissionaires give clients confidence and security everyday, everywhere.