Someone, somewhere out there in Canada, has the same birthdate or name as teacher Michelle Gagnon.
And that someone was pardoned for a sexual offence.
Gagnon doesn't know who the person is, but their criminal history has made her own work life a hassle, to say the least.
The 45-year-old St. Catharines resident has been tangled up in new changes to the way criminal background checks are done for employment or volunteering.
The changes by the RCMP were designed to make Canadians safer, but for those who share common birth dates or names with convicted criminals, the process has become a lot more complicated.
"I've been flagged," said Gagnon, who said her name is fairly popular in French.
"It's serious. I can't be labelled with someone else's criminal activity."
Gagnon needed a criminal record clearance to work as a supply teacher with French Catholic and public school boards. She found out last week from Niagara Regional Police that the clearance couldn't be provided.
Now, she has to be fingerprinted and her prints will be sent to the RCMP, a process she was told by Niagara Regional Police would take a minimum 120 days.
While the RCMP says the turnaround is really 14 days -- a widespread communications problem -- it's clear the number of people in Niagara who require fingerprinting for background checks has soared.
The NRP said 45 people have been flagged since the changes were brought in three weeks ago. That compares with the usual four people per year.
READ MORE.... http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2709772
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