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I beg your pardon?
Mine Training Society seeks criminal record suspensions for 36 NWT residents

Daron Letts
Northern News Services
Published Monday, August 19, 2013

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Records of a criminal past may spell the difference between a career in the mining industry and unemployment for many Yellowknifers, but the Mine Training Society is working to change that.

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Jessica Enzoe Riddle: Assists clients with pardon applications.

In February, the society began processing applications for NWT residents wishing to suspend their criminal records as part of the organization's Mining the Future Program, which is designed to eliminate barriers to employment commonly experienced by aboriginal people in the NWT, such as lack of education and job skills.

"One of the barriers to employment, especially for our aboriginal participants, is the existence of old criminal records," said Hilary Jones, the society's general manager. "Some are, like, from 1999. By and large, they're old, silly records and we need to get those removed."

Society staff are now working with the Parole Board of Canada to suspend the criminal records of 36 clients from around the territory. It's a costly and complicated process that takes about a year to complete, she said. The process requires fingerprinting and a photograph no older than six months, which cost between $25 and $75 to obtain. Additionally, the application fee is about $650, not to mention the expense of couriering documents to Ottawa.

After a year's worth of back-and-forth correspondence, the stack of paper involved in a successful application is about as thick as an NWT telephone directory.

"It's an arduous process. It's quite detailed and long, so we have our staff trained to help people," Jones said. "And we cover all the costs."

To be eligible, an applicant for criminal record suspension must be dealing with an indictable offence that is 10 years old or older or a summary offence that is five years old or older. The sentences must have been completed, as well. All addresses the applicant has resided in throughout the past decade must be provided, and a statement must be obtained from police forces in each of those jurisdictions confirming the applicant is not a person of interest in any ongoing investigations.

Job coach Jessica Enzoe Riddle contacts clients who declare a criminal record on their course application to inform them of the possibility of clearing their records.

"They're happy that there's funding available, but not just about the money. They're happy that there's somebody out there wanting to help them be able to clear their record," she said. "This is a barrier so this will help them with employment."

Last year, the society successfully suspended a criminal record of a summary conviction for a Yellowknife resident who wanted to work in mine security. After her record was cleared - following a year's worth of paperwork - she found employment in the industry and has since moved on to pursue an environmental science degree in Alberta.

Years earlier, another past client also demonstrated how people with past criminal records contribute to society, Jones said.

"He came out of prison, did all his work, and we got him some training in Class 1 (driver's licence). He now owns his own trucking company in the NWT. I see him regularly and we stop to chat. He's part of the family and he calls us. We're part of his support," she said.

Common past criminal offences among clients working with the Mine Training Society include assault, break-and-enter and marijuana possession. Common summary offences include mischief and driving under the influence.

"The offences are pretty old, most of the ones I've seen," Jones said.

A criminal record is a common barrier to employment for NWT residents hoping to enter the mining industry. Three years ago, about 75 per cent of trainees taking part in Mine Training Society programs had a criminal record. Most were men in their 30s. That trend seems to be changing, Jones said.

"We're noticing now, and I'm really heartened by it, that our applicants for our programs are getting younger, are better educated and don't have records," she added. "(Young people) are seeing there's an advantage to having a career in mining. It can be a long-term career. It's a well-paying career and people are starting to understand it's not a pick-and-shovel job. It's quite technical."

This month, 13 students, mostly men in their early 20s, enrolled in a mineral processing course scheduled to begin on Sept. 23 in Fort Smith at the Aurora College Thebacha campus. None of them had a criminal record.

"It was a delight," Jones said.

Clients who learn they have a chance to clear their record and find employment are grateful for the opportunity, she added.

"You can see them physically get lighter because this thing is off their back and they know they can travel and they have a better future," she said. "Everybody deserves a second chance. If you've done your time and paid back to society, you deserve your second chance."

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