Schoolgirl killer Karla Homolka will be eligible to apply for a pardon as early as July 5, CTV News has learned.
Sources say she plans to apply, and she may be successful unless the government passes legislation currently held up in the House of Commons.
The NDP and Bloc Quebecois have stalled legislation introduced in May that would deny pardons to some of the most violent offenders, including murderers and some sex offenders.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said earlier this spring that Homolka's upcoming eligibility spurred the proposed reforms to the pardons system.
Although the government would like the House to sit until the bill passes, that would require unanimous approval, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported Tuesday night.
The new law would put an end to what the government considers a "rubber stamp" for pardon applications.
The vast majority of convicts who apply for a pardon are granted one. Last year, only 800 of 40,000 pardon applications were rejected.
The rule changes follow a public outcry after news broke that the National Parole Board granted a pardon to convicted sex offender Graham James, a former junior hockey coach, back in 2007. James was convicted of sexual assault against two teen hockey players, one of whom was Sheldon Kennedy, who went on to play in the National Hockey League.
A pardon does not erase a person's criminal record, but can make it easier for someone to get a job and travel abroad. In the case of sex offenders, a flag remains on the pardoned person's file, serving as an alert to community groups and employers should they seek work with children or other vulnerable people.
All but a small segment of criminals, such as dangerous offenders and those serving life sentences, are eligible to apply for a pardon.
Convicts must wait either three or five years after a sentence has been served, depending on the severity of the crime. In weighing applications from people convicted of serious offences, the parole board is obliged to ensure the person has not re-offended and has displayed "good conduct."
Homolka received a 12-year manslaughter sentence in a plea-bargain deal for taking part in the rape-murders of teens Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French. Videotapes found after the sentencing showed her to be a more an active participant.
Her release from jail in 2005 sparked nationwide outrage.
