Mum’s Two Cents: Keep The Schools Safe For Our Children

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Have you watched the news lately and started thinking about your child’s safety and security?

The news these days is enough for any parent to worry about their children. The build-up of drug-related crimes involving students and children making the headlines is appalling. It leads anyone to wonder whether both authorities and schools are doing the best they can to make our schools safe.

The administration’s campaign against drugs intensified over the last two years. Many a number of drug peddlers and users have been rounded up. Death tolls related to this campaign also continued to rise. However, syndicates involving drugs are incessant and show no signs of letting up.  The proliferation of illegal drugs into our society seems to show no signs of decreasing, either.

Alarming Drug-Related Crimes Involving Students

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Are You Eligible For A Pardon Under The Criminal Records Act {CRA}?

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Everyone deserves a second chance. If a criminal record is affecting your life, there may be some good news. The government implemented changes to the Criminal Records Act {CRA} in 2012 to make it easier for those who have paid for their mistakes to get a fresh start. Companies like Pardon Applications can help you with the process.

What is the Criminal Records Act?

It’s a piece of legislation that suspends the criminal records of people who have been successfully rehabilitated. It takes any official documentation of a criminal conviction out of the automated criminal records system and files it separately. This means that when you apply for a job or other actions that requires a criminal background check, your record won’t come up.

One of the changes made was to rename Canadian Pardon to Record Suspension in order to take some of the stigma out of the conviction. Those who are eligible have shown good conduct and are no longer engaged in criminal activities, so their past should no longer affect their future.

What Does a Pardon Accomplish?

The short answer is that it can change your life. Having even a minor record following you around can limit your ability to travel, make you ineligible for bonding, keep you from getting a job or even stop you from furthering your education. There’s also the shame attached to having to disclose past mistakes.

How Do You Apply for a Records Suspension?

There are a few preliminary requirements you must meet before submitting your application to the Pardon & U.S. Waiver Officers board. These include completing your sentences and passing the waiting period of five years. The rest of the process mainly involves obtaining records and filling in forms. The records you’ll need are:

  • Convictions, Conditional and Absolute Discharges form
  • Court records
  • Military Conduct Sheet, if you’re a member or former member of the military
  • Local Police Records Check{s}, Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Documents
  • Photocopy of any documentation to support your identification

Once you have all of that gathered together, you’ll need to obtain and fill in Schedule 1 Exception, Record Suspension Application and Measurable Benefit/Sustained Rehabilitation forms. Place all of these items together, and send them with a processing fee of $631.00 {CDN} along with your application. Then all you need to do is wait a short time for an answer.

Going through the process alone may be stressful and confusing. If you think you’re a candidate to get your record suspended, talk to a lawyer about your situation. This act was meant to give people like you some relief so they can move forward with the lives.

:camera: via Pixabay

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The Woes Of Taking Public Transport

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image is Feelart from freedigitalphotos.net

I used to take public transportation on a daily basis while working in the city more than 5 years ago. Commuting back then seems to be a walk in the park compared to what the commuters have to endure nowadays. I get to take public transport from time to time these days and mostly I have to endure horrendous traffic and long queues. I bet my stress level will hike up if I were to do it on a regular basis.

Unnecessary delays in train schedules, seemingly endless lines, and worse road condition, not to mention those unannounced public protest in the busiest road on a Friday, all make a commuter’s life a lot harder than it already is, and my heart goes out to the working mums who would miss the family dinner, or helping the children with their homework, or tucking the little ones to bed just because they cannot come home earlier. Now more than ever, I am thankful that I can earn my keep in the comforts of my home without having to worry about the adverse traffic condition or untimely road repairs.

Of course, these problems are not the only thing public commuters has to worry about. While agonizing about the thought of not making it to work, or class, or appointment on time, a person who takes public transportation also has to worry about his safety and security while traveling. The road is a dangerous place for travelers and accidents are waiting at every turn ~ it can be in a form of a derailed train, or one of those deadliest cars speeding by and hitting your UV van, or it can also be a pickpocket just waiting for a fellow passenger to let down his guard to attack and take whatever he can get his hands to.

With all the trouble a public commuter had to go to on a daily basis, I guess we can never really blame them for turning to social media to air their grievances about the public commuting system or lack thereof. I just hope the government has something up their sleeves to make public commuting in the country a lot less stressful and dangerous.

Have you tried public transportation recently, how was it?

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