With or without a passport I am not sure he would get into Canada
Can I Go to Canada with a Felony?
Any American that has a felony conviction on their criminal record may not be permitted entry into Canada unless they have received special permission from the Canadian government. Even if the conviction happened 20+ years ago, foreign nationals with a felony may never be deemed rehabilitated by the passage of time and
risk being denied entry at the Canadian border even decades later. The Canadian border has full access to all the criminal record databases in the United States, so anyone who has been convicted of a felony will very likely be flagged at the border.
Entering Canada with a Felony - Travel to Canada with Felony