Stop RCMP Denial of Access to Criminal Records, Canadian Employers and Vulnerable Sectors at Risk

We, the undersigned, are appalled and mortified that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arbitrarily and without notice, revoked the ability for employers to conduct Vulnerable Sector Searches and have removed all access to the disclosure of Criminal Records to employers for employment purposes. This means that persons with a past criminal history of sexual deviance or violence, who may pose a threat, will no longer be identified to employers who serve the well-being of vulnerable populations including children or seniors, and are looking to hire.

The RCMP (with knowledge of The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and Public Safety Canada) conducted a surprise audit of Police Services across Canada. Without cause, reason or justification, the RCMP put an immediate stop to providing Vulnerable Sector Searches (reserved for those who provide for the wellbeing of children and other vulnerable persons) and instructed Police Services to stop reporting past criminal history.

The RCMP have elected to substitute reasonable reporting by this un-committed written response by imposing the use of the phrase
There May or May Not Be a Criminal Record in Existance.

Employers and prospective job applicants alike who rely on timely employment decision making and results of diligent screening are now being directed to wait for what may be four (4) months to clarify whether There May or May Not Be a Criminal Record in Existance through Fingerprint Screening. We believe that not only is this untenable for employers, potential applicants, and vulnerable populations but it is also in contravention of Canadian law. The Access to Information Act deems that all persons of Canadian citizenship or with permanent residency has a right to and shall, on [written] request, be given access to any record under the control of a government institution.

As employers, job applicants, members of vulnerable populations, family members, and concerned citizens it is our contention that once an individual consents with written permission to the disclosure of a criminal record check, then all parties they deem being entitled to the information should be provided access without delay. The right to freely access our personal and authorized information upon our request is not to be subject to arbitrary decisions of government institutions, and again, in contravention of the Access to Information Act, unwieldy delays.

We urge you to keep our vulnerable populations safe and to place a moratorium on the implementation of the directive issued by the RCMP and immediately reverse this hasty decision and to reinstate full access of Vulnerable Sector Searches and Criminal Record information in the same format as it was prior to December 1, 2009.