A pardon, now known as a record suspension, provides an individual with a criminal conviction an opportunity, after the passage of a set amount of time to have their criminal record suspended and removed.The types of charges, the sentences the person received and the dates they were sentenced are all key factors in determining whether a person would qualify or not.
The Parole Board of Canada is the authority that oversees the suspension of criminal records. If an application to the Parole Board is approved, an individual with a criminal record receives a fresh start, so to speak. However, the Parole Board reserves the right to cancel, refuse or revoke record suspensions under federal law.