Sunchild2071
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Glen Park, AB
First of all, glad that you turned your life around. I’m just wondering, and you don’t have to answer, but it’s food for thought… did you get a pardon / record suspension and/or was your past legal matter something which would require a “yes” answer? If you had a PAL before and are renewing it, that would mean that the prior application(s) only had the 5 year window, but now it’ll consider the entire lifetime. So in the past the answer could’ve been “no” but now would be “yes”, unless you had a pardon / record suspension.
Good question. I have no issue answering.
At the time I received my 10 year prohibition, I was in the raw beginning of trying to turn life around. Trust me to leave it as that is not an easy task.
After my prohibition time was up, I did a challenge for PAL and RPAL. CFP denied the challenge. Note that even if I could get a pardon, I believe all that was in the past is a part of me today, and I have no reason to hide it. My past certainly requires yes answers.
I was never a legal firearms owner prior to my prohibition.
After my challenge was denied, the following sequence happened. It may seem unbelievable. But it happened.
Out of the blue, the Alberta CFO called me. It was a lady. We had a VERY long conversation covering my entire criminal, addictions, and mental health history. Not minutes. At the end of the conversation, she offered me that if I could complete the firearms course in the next 30 days, she would issue my PAL and RPAL. She said it would be waiting in her desk.
I phoned every course outlet I could google, following that call. A few days later, I was put in touch with an instructor in Edmonton, who does the course at a large chain store. She would slip me in before my 30 day window closed. I was down to 2 weeks left. I receieved my papers.
The next morning, Monday, I scanned and sent my documents to the CFO at the email she provided to me. 3 days later, I received my card! I was shocked. It was postmarked the same day I emailed my results. SO I do believe that the lady I talked to was not lying, and that the card was in her desk, just waiting to get dropped in the mail.
This is a very Coles notes version. There is alot more to the story. I honestly felt a little relief, and possible even cried a bit when I pulled my card out of the envelope, knowing that from where I had come from, that my government finally bestowed the grace on me to allow me to finally be a citizen.
If you want to know more, or anyone else here, for that matter, I have no issue with absolute full blown disclosure. However, perhaps it might be helpful to have a complete new thread, for those of us with issues to focus more clearly on the steps of how to overcome the hurdles.
Today I signed and returned authorization to my MPs office, for them to inquire and try get resolution on mu file. There is nothing in the last 16 years on me. They know all the rest, very clearly, already.
I ramble a bit, but I hope I replied to your query with appropriate information.