Latest updates

In October 2022, a group of Fresh Start Coalition members — including members of our Community Expertise Committee — had a virtual meeting with the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Marco Mendicino. The meeting provided an important opportunity to ensure the Minister heard directly from people affected by criminal records. Following the meeting, we … Read more

Find out why changing the way Canada deals with old criminal records would be transformative for thousands of survivors of intimate partner violence. Read the op-ed in the Toronto Star by Fresh Start Coalition members Emilie Coyle (Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies), Pamela Cross (Legal Director of Luke’s Place), and … Read more

We’re doing a summer advocacy blitz to make sure that the issue of record suspensions is a government priority heading into the Fall. Pitch in by emailing your elected representative – a template email is below. Please personalize it to make it your own – these emails are best if they speak of your own … Read more

From April to June 2022, many supporters of the Fresh Start Coalition participated in stakeholder consultations launched by Public Safety Canada in order to explore the possibility of an automatic system for sealing criminal records. A wide range of organizations and individuals involved with the Fresh Start Coalition made their voices heard, either in writing … Read more

This week, Ralph Mastromonaco, a member of the Fresh Start Coalition’s Steering Committee, published an op-ed in the Montreal Gazette, making the case for transformational reform of Canada’s record suspension system. While it may be tempting for politicians to resort to “tough on crime” rhetoric and policies, Ralph explains, such policies do not keep Canadians … Read more