Name Changes To Be Linked to Criminal Records

The province intends to prevent people with criminal records from hiding their past through a legal name change.

Justice Minister Ross Landry will introduce the Identification of Criminals Act today, Nov. 7.

Currently, there is no mandatory connection between the name-change process and criminal records, making it difficult for law enforcement to identify people with criminal records who change their name.

"This is another tool that will help police do their job," said Justice Minister Ross Landry. "Criminals try to exploit the system, and we are committed to making it tough for them to succeed."

Under the legislation, people who want to legally change their name would need to submit fingerprints for a criminal records check.

The legislation does not apply to people changing their name because of marriage. Also, children will not be fingerprinted.

The RCMP would conduct the criminal records check and link the new name to the person's record, if there is one. This information is then available to law enforcement across Canada. Once the check is completed, the fingerprints will be destroyed.

Nova Scotia would be the fourth jurisdiction in Canada with legislation to allow police to carry the criminal record from the first name to the second.