Public Safety committee  I can certainly answer that. Speaking personally, I found myself ideologically having a complete shift in thinking in a relatively short period. I became more proactive in my community, volunteered my time, and travelled across the country to come to Ottawa. I love it here. I

Public Safety committee  I think I've been rehabilitated for a long, long time. For me it's tremendously important, because, if you haven't noticed, I'm pretty type A, I'm pretty achievement-oriented, I'm goal-oriented. I take complete responsibility for everything that I've ever done in my life, and I d

Public Safety committee  When I sit in the coffee shops, go to a pub, or go out with my buddies to a game, and stuff like that, the common consensus is that we need to be tougher on crime; we need to punish people and lock them up. But you're right that I don't confess. If I'm with my close friends they

Public Safety committee  Ultimately, I think you're going to crush that 96%. I was thinking of how to say it eloquently, but that's really what's going to happen, because no one is going to get a pardon. I go back to my opening remarks. When I was arrested, one incident netted me 11 indictable offences.

Public Safety committee  That's an excellent question. I can only speak from what I feel and from my personal experiences. Your points are very valid. I too have been a victim of crime. I've had my house broken into three times. I've had my wife cry. I've had my dog stolen. I took those acts all very pe

Public Safety committee  Yes. I went through my sentencing. I did parole. I did fines. I took programs. Everything that Corrections Canada told me I had to do, I did.

Public Safety committee  Yes. I had significant restitution that I had to pay. So you can assume correctly, yes.

Public Safety committee  For professional reasons and for closure.

Public Safety committee  I have some very strong feelings. I don't necessarily share the same feelings as all the members of the board of the John Howard Society. I think Karla Homolka is a monster. She should never have gotten out of prison, and that's it. I have an interesting insight, as I played hoc

Public Safety committee  I have nothing to hide. I was a property offender. I sold schedule II drugs--steroids--and I committed fraud. So I would be classified as a non-violent offender. Some people would say that my crimes were almost victimless. I don't believe that. There's a victim in every crime.

Public Safety committee  I think the name change is foolish. I think you'd lose a tremendous amount of significance by calling it a record suspension. Pardon, to me, represents the complete circle, the closure of it. I have paid my debt to society, and that society has now acknowledged it and has basical

Public Safety committee  As I said, and I think I've said it several times, and I've said it to John and to other people, I'm not unique. I just decided that I'm going to speak up and I'll be a voice. I can't speak for anybody else. I'm not unique. I would guarantee that if we were betting people here, w

Public Safety committee  I would just like to touch on that, if I may, with the doubling of the waiting period, for lack of a better term. I'm a 42-year-old man. It takes approximately five to seven years under present legislation to get a pardon. If you're going to double that, does that mean I am going

Public Safety committee  I can speak to that first. First of all, it would affect me tremendously professionally. I've been fortunate enough to find myself in a career where people are forgiving, understanding, and results-oriented. As long as you do a good job, they're prepared to overlook your indiscr

Public Safety committee  Good afternoon, everyone. It is a privilege to be here among you all. Can an old dog do new tricks? Can a leopard change its spots? Yes, indeed. I am a testament to that. I have a significant criminal record—over 25 indictable convictions. When you get arrested in Manitoba, the