{"id":869,"date":"2019-01-20T20:22:15","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T20:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalpardon.org\/?page_id=869"},"modified":"2019-01-20T20:22:15","modified_gmt":"2019-01-20T20:22:15","slug":"publications-press","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/?page_id=869","title":{"rendered":"Publications and Press"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;TAP TO CALL NOW&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#223f83&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-phone&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:tel%3A18662422411|||&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1550113634327{margin-right: 25px !important;margin-left: 25px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;APPLY ONLINE&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#cd001b&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-wpforms&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%2Fapply-online-pardon-canada%2F|||&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1550113642891{margin-right: 25px !important;margin-left: 25px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Editorials by Michael Ashby&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h1|font_size:28px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:28px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032398175{margin-bottom: 38px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1571663553276{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_872\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-872\" style=\"width: 428px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-872\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1.jpg\" alt=\"Opinion: Automatic Pot Pardons are a Bad Idea\" width=\"428\" height=\"181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1.jpg 428w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1-300x127.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Opinion: Ashby: Pardons for pot possession are still few and far between<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Ashby: Pardons for pot possession are still few and far between&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fottawacitizen.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2Fashby-pardons-for-pot-possession-are-still-few-and-far-between||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]No one should be surprised that Bill C-93 (An Act to provide no-cost, expedited record suspensions for simple possession of cannabis) hasn\u2019t lived up to the hype. Only 44 \u201cpot pardons\u201d have been granted since the Liberal government passed the legislation back in March. <a href=\"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/opinion\/columnists\/ashby-pardons-for-pot-possession-are-still-few-and-far-between\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1553191915417{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18249\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18249\" style=\"width: 439px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-18249\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"439\" height=\"104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png 460w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957-300x71.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 439px) 100vw, 439px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quebec shouldn&#8217;t raise the age limit on marijuana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Quebec shouldn&#8217;t raise the age limit on marijuana&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fmontrealgazette.com%2Fopinion%2Fopinion-quebec-shouldnt-raise-age-limit-for-cannabis||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]I need someone to explain why Quebec is taking a hard stance on marijuana.<\/p>\n<p>Why are we raising the age limit on this stuff when anyone older than 14 already knows where to get it anyway? Why make the softest drug imaginable unavailable to the very generation that is most curious about druges?<a href=\"https:\/\/montrealgazette.com\/opinion\/opinion-quebec-shouldnt-raise-age-limit-for-cannabis\"> cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032229543{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_872\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-872\" style=\"width: 428px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-872\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1.jpg\" alt=\"Opinion: Automatic Pot Pardons are a Bad Idea\" width=\"428\" height=\"181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1.jpg 428w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ottawa-Citizen2-1-300x127.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Opinion: Automatic Pot Pardons are a Bad Idea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Opinion: Automatic pot pardons are a bad idea&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fottawacitizen.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2Fmichael-ashby-automatic-pot-pardons-are-a-bad-idea||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]The debate over pardons for pot offences is another example of politicians and activists making much ado about nothing.<\/p>\n<p>They should ask themselves if a pardon in these cases is the right thing to do. Is it fair? Is it worth the limited time and energy our government has to get things done? <a href=\"http:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/g00\/opinion\/columnists\/michael-ashby-automatic-pot-pardons-are-a-bad-idea?i10c.referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fottawacitizen.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2Fmichael-ashby-automatic-pot-pardons-are-a-bad-idea\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032511681{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_882\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-882\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-882\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png\" alt=\"Opinion: Non-medical drug use should be a health issue, not a criminal matter\" width=\"460\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png 460w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957-300x71.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-882\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Opinion: Non-medical drug use should be a health issue, not a criminal matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Opinion: Non-medical drug use should be a health issue, not a criminal matter&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmontrealgazette.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fopinion-non-medical-drug-use-should-be-a-health-issue-not-a-criminal-matter||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]When will Canadians find the courage to legalize cocaine? What about all the other drugs, for that matter? Since marijuana has become an election issue, we should stop wasting time and just talk about all drugs at once.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/montrealgazette.com\/news\/national\/opinion-non-medical-drug-use-should-be-a-health-issue-not-a-criminal-matter\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032586324{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_882\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-882\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-882\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png\" alt=\"Opinion: Non-medical drug use should be a health issue, not a criminal matter\" width=\"460\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png 460w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957-300x71.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-882\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Distracted Driving Should be a Criminal Offence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Distracted Driving Should be a Criminal Offence&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmontrealgazette.com%2Fnews%2Fquebec%2Fopinion-distracted-driving-should-be-a-criminal-offence||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]Is it time to make distracted driving a criminal offence? By distracted, I mean staring at our cellphones, of course. If you\u2019re reading this behind the wheel of your car, you probably don\u2019t think so. c<a href=\"http:\/\/montrealgazette.com\/news\/quebec\/opinion-distracted-driving-should-be-a-criminal-offence\">ont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032638596{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_882\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-882\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-882\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png\" alt=\"Opinion: Non-medical drug use should be a health issue, not a criminal matter\" width=\"460\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957.png 460w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette1-e1434478106957-300x71.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-882\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The federal government\u2019s pardons backlog is a crime against the vulnerable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Opinion: The federal government\u2019s pardons backlog is a crime against the vulnerable&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmontrealgazette.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fopinion-the-federal-governments-pardons-backlog-is-a-crime-against-the-vulnerable||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Is it OK\u00a0to steal from a criminal? The criminals probably don\u2019t think so. What about fraud? Is it OK\u00a0to commit fraud against someone who has a criminal record?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s another question: If a corporation can be found guilty of a crime, why not a government agency?\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/montrealgazette.com\/news\/national\/opinion-the-federal-governments-pardons-backlog-is-a-crime-against-the-vulnerable\">cont. reading<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032693582{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_883\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-883\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-883\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/logo-ipolotics-300x57-1.jpg\" alt=\"Pardons Backlog: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied\" width=\"300\" height=\"57\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-883\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pardons Backlog: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Pardons Backlog: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipolitics.ca%2F2014%2F10%2F10%2Fthe-pardon-backlog-justice-delayed-and-denied%2F||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]Have you ever thought finding a job was impossible? Most of us have at one time or another. But imagine looking for work with a criminal record holding you back. Then imagine knowing that Canadian law says you\u2019re eligible to have that criminal record removed \u2014 and that it should have been done years ago.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ipolitics.ca\/2014\/10\/10\/the-pardon-backlog-justice-delayed-and-denied\/\">cont reading.<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032746564{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_884\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-884\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-884\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette.png\" alt=\"The Consequences of a DUI Arrest\" width=\"460\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette.png 460w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Montreal-Gazette-300x71.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-884\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Consequences of a DUI Arrest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;The Consequences of a DUI Arrest&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmontrealgazette.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fopinion-if-the-chance-of-killing-someone-doesnt-stop-you-from-drunk-driving-heres-another-important-reason||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Want to drink and drive? Forget about it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Forget that you might kill yourself or someone you love. Forget that you might kill a stranger. Forget that it might be a child or a single parent or a veteran.<\/p>\n<p>Those are all great reasons not to drink and drive this holiday season, or any other<br \/>\ntime. But for many\u00a0people, those reasons aren\u2019t good enough.<a href=\"http:\/\/montrealgazette.com\/news\/national\/opinion-if-the-chance-of-killing-someone-doesnt-stop-you-from-drunk-driving-heres-another-important-reason\">\u00a0cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032796277{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_885\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-885\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-885\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg\" alt=\"Unpardonable Policy\" width=\"600\" height=\"69\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg 600w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar-300x35.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Unpardonable Policy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Unpardonable Policy&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorialopinion%2F2011%2F11%2F29%2Funpardonable_policy.html||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]You haven\u2019t struggled to find work until you\u2019ve struggled to find work with a criminal record tied to your back. Perhaps this is the reason Canada\u2019s pardon program is such an astonishing success. And yet the Conservative government is happy to ignore this fact. But with less than 4 per cent of offenders granted a pardon ever committing another crime, common sense tells us there is not much room for improvement.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thestar.com\/opinion\/editorialopinion\/2011\/11\/29\/unpardonable_policy.html\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032889627{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_883\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-883\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-883\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/logo-ipolotics-300x57-1.jpg\" alt=\"How the Parole Board Treats the Presumption of Innocence\" width=\"300\" height=\"57\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-883\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">How the Parole Board Treats the Presumption of Innocence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;How the Parole Board Treats the Presumption of Innocence&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipolitics.ca%2F2014%2F04%2F04%2Fhow-the-parole-system-treats-the-presumption-of-innocence%2F||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]Is it okay to punish a criminal for the same crime twice? The Conservative government thinks so. Recently, the Supreme Court of Canada disagreed, ruling that the government\u2019s attempt to retroactively impose tougher parole eligibility rules would\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/repeal-of-early-parole-violates-rights-supreme-court-rules-1.2579913\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">violate offenders\u2019 charter rights<\/a>.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ipolitics.ca\/2014\/04\/04\/how-the-parole-system-treats-the-presumption-of-innocence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cont. reading\u00a0on ipolitics<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/How-the-pardon-system-treats-the-presumption-of-innocence1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">continue reading on nationalpardon.org<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032947958{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_885\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-885\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-885\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg\" alt=\"Ottawa\u2019s anti-crime agenda hurts Canadians looking for a new start\" width=\"600\" height=\"69\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg 600w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar-300x35.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ottawa\u2019s anti-crime agenda hurts Canadians looking for a new start<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Ottawa\u2019s anti-crime agenda hurts Canadians looking for a new start&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorialopinion%2F2013%2F02%2F03%2Fottawas_anticrime_agenda_hurts_canadians_looking_for_a_new_start.html||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]It\u2019s hard to understand how keeping Canadians from finding a decent job adds up to being tough on crime. But that is what the Conservative government has done with a section of its omnibus crime legislation\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/openparliament.ca\/bills\/41-1\/C-10\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bill C-10<\/a>. Perhaps there is hope in knowing that several measures from the bill have already been shot down by the courts.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thestar.com\/opinion\/editorialopinion\/2013\/02\/03\/ottawas_anticrime_agenda_hurts_canadians_looking_for_a_new_start.html\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032994232{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_885\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-885\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-885\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg\" alt=\"Ottawa\u2019s reefer madness\" width=\"600\" height=\"69\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg 600w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar-300x35.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ottawa\u2019s reefer madness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Ottawa\u2019s reefer madness&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorialopinion%2F2012%2F10%2F03%2Fottawas_reefer_madness.html||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]If ever there was an example of beating a dead horse, it is the continuing prohibition of marijuana in the 21st century. The propaganda campaign failed so completely that most Canadians no longer believe marijuana is worth worrying about. Since the federal Conservatives are escalating the war on drugs, we have to wonder who they think they\u2019re kidding.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thestar.com\/opinion\/editorialopinion\/2012\/10\/03\/ottawas_reefer_madness.html\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator el_width=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: 24px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010737448{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032994232{border-radius: 1px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_885\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-885\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-885\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg\" alt=\"Ottawa\u2019s reefer madness\" width=\"600\" height=\"69\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar.jpg 600w, https:\/\/staging.nationalpardon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TorStar-300x35.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ottawa\u2019s reefer madness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Canadians don\u2019t need to be protected from marijuana&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23223f83|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorialopinion%2F2012%2F12%2F01%2Fcanadians_dont_need_to_be_protected_from_marijuana.html||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;By Michael Ashby, Director, National Pardon Centre&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:20px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:24px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221;][vc_column_text]Canadians need to stop framing the marijuana issue in the timeless tradition of good vs. bad. We have to get past the medical argument, the gateway argument, the economic argument, the addiction argument, the failure of the war on drugs argument and many others. It\u2019s not a question of right or wrong.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thestar.com\/opinion\/editorialopinion\/2012\/12\/01\/canadians_dont_need_to_be_protected_from_marijuana.html\">cont. reading<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1547492265349{padding-bottom: 30px !important;background-color: #cd001b !important;}&#8221;][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1544536648507{background-color: #cd001b !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: x-large; text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Call us: <\/strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ffffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"tel:18662422411\">1-866-242-2411<\/a><\/strong><\/span><strong> 8:30am \u2013 5:00pm Monday to Friday<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;CONSULTATION REQUEST&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#1e3c82&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1549733712608{padding-right: 25px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%2Ffree-consultation%2F|title:Free%20Consultation%20Request||&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;TAP TO CALL NOW&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#223f83&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-phone&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:tel%3A18662422411|||&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1550113634327{margin-right: 25px !important;margin-left: 25px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;APPLY ONLINE&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#cd001b&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-wpforms&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%2Fapply-online-pardon-canada%2F|||&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1550113642891{margin-right: 25px !important;margin-left: 25px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Editorials by Michael Ashby&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h1|font_size:28px|text_align:left|color:%23444444|line_height:28px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; custom_style=&#8221;letter-spacing: -0.075em;&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548032398175{margin-bottom: 38px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_container=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1548010805279{margin-bottom: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-869","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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