Oh Canada... (felon permission to travel to the True North)

If you are like me, you may have thought that once convicted of your felony, your travel days to Canada were officially over.

As someone who has always loved Canada (growing up in the Midwest put me within hours of a border at most times). I love the French language of the east coast. I love the beauty of Brittish Columbia. I love the ability to cross a bridge or a border in my car and be in another country in less than a half a day from I-90/I-94 (which pretty much run the length of the U.S.).

However, once convicted of my felony, I believed that it would be an unreachable country into the future, due to laws that forbid felons from entering. My birthdays of being in Whistler, Canada and trips to Montreal for a change of pace would be something of past memories. My family would still be able to go, but I would be stranded on this side of the border - no Alaska Cruise that "happens" to stop in Vancouver. No academic conferences that happen to be in Toronto or Calgary.

I happened to mention these issues to another PhD student at my school, who happens to be from Canada. We were talking about a conference I cannot attend, because it will be in Canada. She informed me of a couple ways for U.S. ex-felons to gain permission for travel into Canada. The shock that turned into a smile was fathomable as I started to realize that "for now" I may be unable to travel North, but perhaps not "forever." Just like my program of recovery, we have to live in the day and I do not know what the future will bring, but I have a new HOPE that I will once again travel freely and legally to a Country I happen to love.

So, of course, I wanted to share this news with all of you. 

The best way to get permission to travel to Canada is to fill out an application (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5312ETOC.asp#5312E4) that you have been rehabilitated. The application is something you do in advance and pay approx. $200 to find out if they will approve you. You must be 5 years post-sentencing (including probation) - or 10 years for major offenses (ones that could carry 10 years of prison time). You need to show that you have been rehabilitated and are not likely to offend again. This is done through sharing a lot of documents asked by the application (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5507E.pdf) Documents include: court documents, sentence completion documents, a criminal clearance document, state police and FBI documents, and more. Does this sound burdensome? Yes. Is it worth is? Once deemed rehabilitated, you would be free to enter/leave the country any time. Keep in mind that it can take up to 6 months for a rehabilitation application to be approved.

For those that want it to be simpler and do not plan to travel much to Canada, they can "take their chances" at the border - in a legal way. If you bring proof of rehabilitation to the border (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/inadmissibility/rehabilitation.asp#a2) you may be assessed right there for entry. Immigration officers at the border do the assessment on site.

"You are eligible to apply for deemed rehabilitation at a port of entry if:

• you only had one conviction in total or committed only one crime
• at least ten years have passed since you completed all sentences (payment of all fees, jail time completed, restitution paid, etc.)
• the crime you committed is not considered a serious crime in Canada AND
• the crime did not involve any serious property damage, physical harm to any person, or any type of weapon.

A request for deemed rehabilitation is not guaranteed to be approved.
If you think you are eligible, be sure you have these documents if you travel to Canada:

• passport or birth certificate plus photo identification
• a copy of court documents for each conviction, and proof that all sentences were completed
• a recent criminal record check
• a recent police certificate from the country where you were convicted and from anywhere you have lived for six (6) months or longer in the last 10 years."

It is still a lot to collect and travel with all these documents, but it may mean that you do not have to cross Nova Scotia or Victoria Island off your bucket list.

Everyone who travels to Canada from the U.S. may need to meet some requirements. It used to be so easy to just drive across the border and show your driver's license, but now it is a little trickier:

• "have a valid travel document, such as a passport,
• be in good health,

• have no criminal or immigration-related convictions,

• convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to your home country,

• convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit, and

• have enough money for your stay. (The amount of money you will need can vary. It depends on things such as how long you will stay, and whether you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.)

You may also need a:

• medical exam and

• letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada."

Oh great Canada, I am sure I will see you in person again!

The Comments

Okay, I can't help myself. I keep going back to those nasty comments - likely made by other students who I was not close to in my phd program. One comment said something like, "I hope you weren't referring to yourself as a hero..." and went on to bash me. I would think it was perfectly apparent that the hero was my former adviser, whom I had so much respect for. I know I have to just "let go" of the judgement and negativity toward me.

I wish I had some way to fully make whole what my actions took away from this world. The board of an amazing small organization made the decision to close the doors due to my embezzlement. There are victims - an entire community, my staff, etc., due to what I did. Are some acts just so unforgivable? If a former gang member who killed someone can turn their life around and do good in the world, can't I?

My journey to where I am today took me to depths of irrational thoughts and actions that are outrageous. However, I cannot change the past, not live in the past. All who believe I am unforgivable have a right to do so. However, I am not an enemy to my community because I did something wrong. Which would have been the bigger tragedy? To have followed through on the suicide my actions led me to believe was my only way out or for me to learn, grow, and give back every day so that someone else may never end up in the same desperation?

For those nay-sayers in this world, people who think that I could of/should of been able to control my actions knows nothing of addiction, of the depths of self-hatred that fuels the desperation. No matter how capable, smart, caring, or giving you are, addiction will make all the good disappear. Once in recovery, should people keep judging?

I've made amends to those I could, I'm paying restitution, and I try to give back to all my communities. I can never make whole what we lost. You can never make it worse for me than I make it for myself. I believe, though, in second chances. I believe that everyone can change if they want to. I surrendered myself to recovery and change. I became a PhD student after making those changes.

You can call me names, unfriend me, bad mouth me to others, gossip, kick me out of school, but what you cannot do is make me give up my recovery, my gratitude, my love of life, my real friends/family, my ability to smile, laughter, my desire to make the world just a bit better, my "paying it forward," or even my ability to separate who you are from the judgment you throw at me. I forgive all who demean me. I forgive all who judge me. I forgive all who intentionally choose to hurt me. My life has purpose and I will keep doing the next right thing no matter how many judge me, how many dead ends I cross, how many metal slabs I have to sleep on.

I'm actually glad the comments are there. They will always keep me humble and remind me that I did a terrible thing. I hurt an already vulnerable community. Sham me, throw stones, but, perhaps, in time, you can talk to me, hear my story, and maybe even you can discover forgiveness.