Graham James pardoned????

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=316693

No, it's not a late April's Fool joke. Apparently he was pardoned by the parole board *THREE YEARS AGO*. Why is it only coming out now? The Prime Minister's Office was "shocked". Yeah, me as well. What is our judicial system doing?

Maybe someone who knows better can explain -- does this only mean he is let out, or is this a full pardon, as in his conviction is take from his record?

This is TSN's explanation:

A pardon does not erase a person's criminal record, but
it means the information is kept in a separate file and doesn't show up
on checks of the Canadian Police Information Centre, a key
law-enforcement database used by the RCMP and other police forces.

In the case of someone convicted of serious sex
offences, the criminal record is kept apart from others, but the name is
flagged in the CPIC system. According to the parole board, that means
details of the person's conviction would be discovered by a check that
takes place if they apply to work with children, the disabled or other
vulnerable people.