Research publications

Contents

• 1 Background
  • 1.1 Summary of Bill C‑31
  • 1.2 Types of Pardons
  • 1.3 History of Changes to the Pardon System
• 2 Desciption and Analysis
  • 2.1 Amendments to the Criminal Records Act (Clauses 2 to 29)
    • 2.1.1 Purpose of the Act (Clause 4)
    • 2.1.2 Changes in Terminology and Definitions (Clause 3 and Other Clauses)
    • 2.1.3 Parole Board of Canada – Powers of Employees (Clauses 5 and 6)
    • 2.1.4 Eligibility for a Pardon (Clause 11)
    • 2.1.5 Criteria for Granting a Pardon (Clause 13)
    • 2.1.6 Criteria for Revoking a Pardon and for When a Pardon Ceases to Have Effect (Clauses 21 and 23)
    • 2.1.7 Disclosure of Information About a Person Who Has Been Granted a Pardon (Clauses 18 and 19)
  • 2.2 Consequential Amendments and Coordinating Provision (Clauses 33 to 55)
  • 2.3 Transitional Provisions and Coming into Force (Clauses 30 to 32 and 56)
• Notes

1 Background

1.1 Summary of Bill C‑31

On 10 June 2021, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, introduced Bill C‑31, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (short title: Reducing Barriers to Reintegration Act)1 in the House of Commons.

Bill C‑31 makes a number of changes to the federal pardon system with the stated intention to “reduce barriers to pardons.”2 Some of the principal changes make it easier and quicker for those convicted of a crime to obtain a pardon. At the same time, the bill adds new instances in which a person is ineligible for a pardon or in which a pardon may cease to have effect. It also expands the circumstances in which police and other authorities may obtain information about a person who has received a pardon.

Key changes proposed in the bill include:

• replacing the term “record suspension” with the word “pardon”;
• reducing the waiting periods for pardons;
• relaxing the eligibility rules and criteria for granting pardons;
• expanding the authority of Parole Board of Canada staff to assist in processing pardon applications;
• removing exceptions to when a subsequent offence results in a pardon ceasing to have effect; and
• expanding the circumstances in which information about a person who has received a pardon may be disclosed to support a criminal investigation and/or to protect vulnerable people.

In a news release about Bill C‑31, the government also stated its intention to reduce the application fee for a pardon to “as low as $50,” and to make the application process more accessible.3 On 31 March 2021, the application fee was set at $657.77.4

According to the federal government, these changes aim to support the safe reintegration into society of individuals with a criminal record, thereby improving public safety while also addressing systemic inequities faced by some groups in the criminal justice system.5

1.2 Types of Pardons

Bill C‑31 deals with pardons for federal offences granted by the Parole Board of Canada (the Parole Board) under the Criminal Records Act (CRA).6 In 2012, this type of pardon was renamed “record suspension.”7 A record suspension does not erase a criminal record; rather, it requires that the record be kept separate and apart from other criminal records at the federal level. This means that the record will not be found in a Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database search.8 Under the CRA, a record suspension means that the conviction “should no longer reflect adversely on the applicant’s character” (section 2.3(a)(ii)).

A person who cannot obtain a record suspension under the CRA has the option to seek executive clemency under the royal prerogative of mercy. Clemency is granted only in exceptional cases, where no other remedy is available.9

The Office of the Governor General is vested with the discretionary power to grant clemency. In most cases, however, requests for clemency are processed under section 748 or 748.1 of the Criminal Code.10 These sections authorize the Governor in Council to grant free or conditional pardons and to cancel fines or forfeitures imposed under federal law.11 A free pardon means that the person is treated as never having committed the offence. It erases the relevant criminal record from all official databases and cancels any consequence stemming from the conviction. A conditional pardon has the same meaning and effect as a record suspension under the CRA. It may be granted in advance of eligibility under the CRA where there is evidence of undue hardship.12

In addition to the remedies available under sections 748 and 748.1 of the Criminal Code, the Governor General may cancel or interrupt the execution of a sentence and may remove or alter a prohibition related to a conviction. In practice, the Governor in Council and the Governor General grant clemency on the advice of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.13

1.3 History of Changes to the Pardon System

Bill C‑31 effectively reverses a number of changes made to Canada’s pardon system by two bills passed in the early 2010s: Bill C‑23A, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act (short title: Limiting Pardons for Serious Crimes Act)14 and Bill C‑10, An Act to enact the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act and to amend the State Immunity Act, the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and other Acts (short title: Safe Streets and Communities Act).15 This section provides a brief history of the relevant aspects of these bills.16

On 11 May 2010, the Honourable Vic Toews, then Minister of Public Safety, introduced Bill C‑23, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (short title: Eliminating Pardons for Serious Crimes Act) in the House of Commons.17 This bill passed second reading and was referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) on 14 June 2010. Pursuant to an order made by the House of Commons on 17 June 2010, the bill was then divided into two bills: Bill C‑23A and Bill C‑23B.18

Bill C‑23A was quickly passed without amendment, receiving Royal Assent and coming into force on 29 June 2010. It amended the CRA to extend the waiting period for a pardon from five years to ten years for the most serious violent offences and sexual offences against minors, and from three years to five years for certain other offences punishable on summary conviction. It also expanded the criteria to be met before the Parole Board could grant a pardon. In 2010, the government also increased the application fee for a pardon from $50 to $150.19

Bill C‑23B, meanwhile, was subject to further study by SECU and ultimately died on the Order Paper when Parliament was dissolved on 26 March 2011. The contents of the bill were later incorporated into Bill C‑10, an omnibus crime bill that passed into law on 13 March 2012.20 This resulted in a number of further amendments to the CRA, including:

• changing the term “pardon” to “record suspension”;
• extending the waiting period for a pardon from five years to ten years for all offences prosecuted by indictment, and from three years to five years for all offences punishable on summary conviction;
• making those convicted of sexual offences against minors ineligible for a pardon, with limited exceptions; and
• making those convicted of three indictable offences carrying sentences of at least two years of imprisonment ineligible for a pardon.

The 2012 amendments were accompanied by another application fee increase from $150 to $631, based on a full‑cost recovery model.21

In January 2016, then Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, publicly stated his intention to re‑examine the changes made to the pardon system by Bill C‑23A and Bill C‑10.22 In May 2016, the Parole Board launched public consultations on the application fee.23 Later that fall, Public Safety Canada conducted a broader consultation on the recent legislative reforms.24 In the fall of 2018, SECU undertook a brief study of the pardon system and presented a report to the House of Commons. The report recommended that the government review a number of aspects of the system, including the application fee structure and the use of the term “record suspension.”25 Almost all of the witnesses who testified before SECU identified the application fee as a significant barrier to those seeking a record suspension.26

Bill C‑31 reverses many of the key changes made by Bill C‑23A and Bill C‑10, though it continues to make those convicted of sexual offences against minors ineligible for a pardon.

2 Description and Analysis

Bill C‑31 contains 56 clauses. This section discusses key aspects of the bill; it does not describe every clause.

2.1 Amendments to the Criminal Records Act (Clauses 2 to 29)

2.1.1 Purpose of the Act (Clause 4)

Clause 4 of Bill C‑31 adds new section 2.01 to the CRA. This section describes the purpose of the CRA, which includes “reduc[ing] barriers to reintegration.”

2.1.2 Changes in Terminology and Definitions (Clause 3 and Other Clauses)

In March 2012, references to “granting a pardon” in the CRA were replaced with “ordering a record suspension.” According to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety who spoke in sponsorship of the original Bill C‑23, this change was thought to better reflect what the pardon system actually does, which is to conditionally seal criminal records from public view, rather than to erase the records entirely.27 In his testimony before the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs about Bill C‑23A, then Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Vic Toews, opined that “record suspension” better reflects the role of the state, which is not to offer forgiveness, but to support the rehabilitation of individuals convicted of a crime.28

Bill C‑31 reverses this change in terminology, reviving the term “pardon” and related expressions throughout the CRA. In his testimony before SECU in November 2018, Member of Parliament Wayne Long suggested that “record suspension” has a more punitive connotation than “pardon.” 29 He referred to the following comment made by Senator Kim Pate: “Pardon indicates that someone has moved on from where they were, not just that we’re hanging it over your head like a big dagger about to drop down on you if we perceive you’ve done something wrong.”30 Another witness with firsthand experience applying for a record suspension felt that the term “pardon” is more meaningful to applicants seeking to move forward with their lives.31

Clause 3 of Bill C‑31 repeals and replaces the definition of “record suspension” with a substantively similar definition of “pardon.” Unlike the pre‑2012 definition, the new definition of “pardon” clarifies that it does not apply where a reference is made to clemency‑based pardons. Clause 3 also adds a new definition of the term “terrorism offence,” which is relevant to an amendment made by clause 11(3) of the bill (see point 2.1.4 below).

2.1.3 Parole Board of Canada – Powers of Employees (Clauses 5 and 6)

Currently under the CRA, only the Parole Board can grant or revoke a pardon, with the exception of pardons for certain cannabis offences that may be dealt with by Parole Board employees. Clauses 5 and 6 expand the powers of employees to carry out the functions of the Parole Board. In particular, clause 5 of the bill adds new subsection 2.1(1.1) to the CRA, which allows employees to make determinations about an applicant’s eligibility for a pardon and to grant pardons for less serious offences. According to Public Safety Canada, this change is meant to “streamline the decision‑making process.”32

2.1.4 Eligibility for a Pardon (Clause 11)

To be eligible for a pardon under the CRA, a person must wait a certain amount of time after the expiration according to law of their sentence (section 4(1)). Clause 11(1) of Bill C‑31 reduces this waiting period as follows:

• from ten years to five years, for offences prosecuted by indictment and for military service offences that meet certain minimum thresholds of punishment (category A); and
• from five years to three years, for all other offences punishable on summary conviction and all other military service offences (category B).

Clause 11(1 ) of Bill C‑31 also allows the waiting period to begin even if a person has outstanding fines to pay (new section 4(1.2)). Currently, the waiting period does not begin until all fines are paid. In her testimony before SECU, a representative of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies identified this rule as one of the most frequent barriers to obtaining a pardon that her clients encounter.33

Under the current law, a person is ineligible for a record suspension if they have been convicted of three offences prosecuted by indictment and that carry sentences of at least two years of imprisonment. This is sometimes referred to as the “three strikes” rule.34 Clause 11(3) amends section 4(2)(b) of the CRA to eliminate this rule. At the same time, it adds a new category of ineligibility for those convicted of a terrorism offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of ten years or more.

2.1.5 Criteria for Granting a Pardon (Clause 13)

Section 4.1(1) of the CRA sets out the criteria that must be met for the Parole Board to order a record suspension. These criteria vary depending on whether the offence at issue falls under category A or B (see point 2.1.4 above). Clause 13(1) relaxes the criteria for both categories of offences. These amendments are summarized in Table 1.

Under the amended criteria, a pardon can be granted for a category B offence without needing to make an interpretive judgment; the question is simply whether the applicant has been convicted of another offence since the expiration of their sentence. This allows pardons for less serious offences to be dealt with administratively. Indeed, it is for this category of offence that Parole Board employees are allowed to grant a pardon under new subsection 2.1(1.1) (see point 2.1.3 above).

2.1.6 Criteria for Revoking a Pardon and for When a Pardon Ceases to Have Effect (Clauses 21 and 23)

Currently under section 7(b) of the CRA, the Parole Board may revoke a record suspension if there is evidence that a person is no longer of “good conduct.” Clause 21(3) of Bill C‑31 amends this provision so that it applies only to category A offences. This aligns with the changes to the criteria for granting pardons discussed above, according to which “good conduct” is no longer a requirement for category B offences.

Currently under section 7.2(a)(ii) of the CRA, a record suspension ceases to have effect when a person is convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code, with the exception of certain impaired driving offences. Clause 23(3) removes the latter exceptions. Thus, under Bill C‑31, a pardon ceases to have effect if a person is subsequently convicted of any Criminal Code offence, including impaired driving.

2.1.7 Disclosure of Information About a Person Who Has Been Granted a Pardon (Clauses 18 and 19)

The CRA includes a number of provisions related to the disclosure of information about a person who has received a record suspension. Bill C‑31 amends some of these provisions as follows.

Currently under section 6.2 of the CRA, the name, date of birth and last known address of a person who has received a record suspension may be disclosed to the police if the person’s fingerprints are found at the scene of a crime or during an attempt to identify a person who is deceased or has amnesia. Clause 18 of the bill amends this section to allow for similar disclosure where a person’s DNA is found in one of these scenarios.

According to section 6.3(2) of the CRA, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s criminal record system, CPIC, must include notations that allow police officers to determine whether a person has received a record suspension for an offence listed in Schedule 2 of that Act. Clause 19(1) of the bill amends this section so that it also applies to offences listed under Schedule 1 of the CRA.

It is not clear why Schedule 1 offences were not included in this provision in the past. Schedule 1 consists mainly of sexual offences against minors, while Schedule 2 consists mainly of other sexual offences (though it also includes some offences listed in Schedule 1). Under both the current and amended versions of the CRA, a person convicted of a Schedule 1 offence is ineligible for a pardon unless they meet certain specific criteria necessary for an exception (sections 4(2)(a) and 4(3)), which indicates that Schedule 1 offences are deemed to be the most serious.

Section 6.3(3) of the CRA requires the police to verify, upon request, whether a person has a record suspension noted in CPIC when they are applying to work with children or other vulnerable people. The provision only applies if the person consents to the verification in writing.

Clause 19(3) of Bill C‑31 sets out two additional scenarios in which this type of verification is required:

1. when a person’s fitness to be granted parental rights is being investigated (new subsection 6.3(3.1) of the CRA); and
2. when a person is being licensed for an activity that may place them in a position of trust or authority toward a child or vulnerable person (new subsection 6.3(3.2) of the CRA).

Overall, these amendments expand the circumstances in which information about a person who has been granted a pardon may be disclosed.

2.2 Consequential Amendments and Coordinating Provision (Clauses 33 to 55)

In addition to amending the CRA, Bill C‑31 makes consequential amendments to the Criminal Code, the National Defence Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Income Tax Act, the DNA Identification Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and it creates an amendment to coordinate its provisions with those in Bill C‑21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).

These amendments relate solely to the change in terminology discussed above at point 2.1.2. They replace the term “record suspension” with “pardon” in various provisions, including in some statutory definitions. Where both terms appear, a distinction is made between pardons granted under the CRA and clemency‑based pardons granted by exercising the royal prerogative of mercy or under section 748 of the Criminal Code.

2.3 Transitional Provisions and Coming into Force (Clauses 30 to 32 and 56)

Clause 56 indicates that Bill C‑31, other than section 55, comes into force on a day fixed by Order in Council.

Clauses 30(2) and 30(4) allow those applying for a pardon for an offence committed before Bill C‑31 comes into force to benefit from the most favourable set of criteria available to them within a range of options. Regardless of when such an application is made, it is to be dealt with according to the version of the CRA in force on whichever of the following dates provides for the least restrictive regime:

1. the date on which the offence was committed;
2. the date on which the sentence was imposed; or
3. the date on which the application is being considered.

At the same time, if Bill C‑31 provides for a shorter waiting period than the least restrictive regime, the applicant benefits from the shorter waiting period (clause 30(2)).

Under clause 30(3), the new powers of Parole Board employees in Bill C‑31 apply to all applications, regardless of the timing of the application or the offence at issue.

Clause 30(5) of the bill ensures that in the different versions of the CRA, the provisions on record suspensions and pardons can be interpreted as applying to either a record suspension or a pardon, regardless of the terminology used in a version. However, there appears to be a discrepancy between the English and French versions of this clause. In French, it refers to any version of the CRA that speaks to a “suspension de casier” or a “pardon.” This includes versions of the Act in force since 13 March 2012, as well as the new version amended by Bill C‑31, but excludes versions prior to 13 March 2012, which use the term “réhabilitation.” In English, the clause refers to any version of the CRA in force prior to Bill C‑31 that speaks to a record suspension or a pardon. This includes all versions of the Act in force prior to Bill C‑31, but excludes the new version as amended by the bill. This clause would be clearer if it simply said that any version of the CRA may be interpreted as applying to either a record suspension or a pardon (or a “réhabilitation” in the French version), if the context so requires.

Clauses 31 and 32 ensure that references to a pardon in other Acts amended by Bill C‑31 can be read as references to a record suspension where necessary.

Notes