Privacy and security is an important part of Pardon Services Canada’s business. That’s why all of our client data is hosted on Canadian servers.

Canadians and Americans have different laws around privacy. Canada gives our clients the greatest protection. In fact, our system is so robust that some provinces require public agencies to store information in Canada. For example, British Columbia and Nova Scotia have laws about this.

We believe our clients’ information is just as important as those agencies’ records. That’s why we have adopted this best practice as our own.

Why are Canadian servers important?

Information held on US servers is subject to the Patriot Act. This allows the US government to access personal information held by private companies. You would never know if your file had been accessed. The companies aren’t allowed to tell you. If we were to hold information on US servers, they would have to share it on request.

While we don’t believe the US would have a reason to search client files, there is no reason to take chances. Recently, President Donald Trump signed an executive order. Section 14 of this order exempts foreigners (such as Canadians) from the US Privacy Act. This would let various agencies access files without even an active investigation. This could include the border agency.

Again, we’re not saying they would have the time or inclination to do this. However, we feel better knowing that our clients’ files are protected by Canadian privacy law.

How to protect your privacy

Protect your personal information by ensuring that data is hosted securely. If you are looking for a company to help you with your criminal record, ask about data storage. Make sure your information is protected by Canadian privacy laws.

If you are considering a Record Suspension (pardon) or US Entry Waiver, contact us today for a free consultation at 1-866-972-7366.