From the equality of rights springs identity of our highest interests; you cannot subvert your neighbor's rights without striking a dangerous blow at your own. Carl Schurz

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Pardon?

Not content to make it tougher and more expensive to get a pardon the Harper Conservatives are now intent on forcing the 22,500 applicants still in the queue  from before the changes to abandon their applications plus the fees they have already paid and to re-apply under the new tougher regime.

Julie Carmichael, a spokeswoman for Toews, said the government is exploring giving a partial credit to those who paid the $150 fee but who wish to resubmit their applications under the higher fee.

Applicants under the old structure now have to wait up to 18 months to have their case assigned to a parole officer, while applicants who paid the higher fee have to wait as little as two months. As the Federal Court is authorized intervene if a tribunal has "unreasonably delayed" a process in carrying out its statutory obligations I smell yet another court challenge of the Harper government, surely they must already hold the record for such challenges especially for the number of such cases they have lost.

Not only is this grossly unfair but it is also a blatant attempt to apply the rule changes retroactively.
I'm sure the cons feel they can get away with this as there is generally little support among the public for the victims in this case. What the general public doesn't realise is that when our government plays fast and loose with the laws and conventions of the land we all lose.

5 comments:

  1. I would like to say this is unbelievable, Kev, but then I'd be lying.

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  2. Was this another change buried in the mega omnibus budget implementation bill or was this something buried in the mega omnibus crime bill?

    The Harper Regime just changes the rules without consultation, parliamentary review or even justifications. It's frankly distressing.

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  3. Hi BY It sure is hard to keep track these days isn't it. The changes to the pardon system or as it is now called record suspension (pardon sounds too much like forgiveness to the pricks) was part of C10

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