SASKATOON – A jury trial has been set for the former leader of the now defunct Canadian Nationalist Party. Travis Patron is accused of impersonating law enforcement and his trial is scheduled to start Dec. 9, 2024, in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench.
In October 2022, Patron was convicted of hate speech against Jewish people and sentenced to one year in jail. He was released and was on probation at the time of his new charges.
Patron, now 32, was arrested on Aug. 2 and charged with criminal harassment, and two counts each of impersonating a peace officer and failing to comply with court-ordered conditions.
Saskatoon police say they were called to a hotel in the 600-block of Spadina Cres. at about 8:50 a.m. on July 29, about a disturbance involving a man impersonating a peace officer. Patron allegedly approached a woman and her child, identified himself as a police officer and accused her of abduction. The woman went into the hotel with her child to get help and police say Patron followed her inside and caused a disturbance. Bystanders intervened and Patron fled on foot.
In another incident on Aug. 1, police got a call that a man identified himself as a peace officer and offered to escort a woman into a building on the U of S campus. The woman declined and the man left. The U of S released his photo and warned staff and students that Patron wasn’t to be on U of S property.
Police obtained video evidence and identified Patron as the suspect in both incidents.
On Nov. 3, in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench, Saskatoon Senior Crown Prosecutor Lana Morelli entered an application for a muirhead order, ordering Patron not to disclose witness statements to anyone. Patron appeared in court by CCTV from the correctional centre.
On Dec. 15, the Crown will hold a pre-trial conference with the judge and Patron. It usually includes defence counsel but Patron is representing himself. The purpose of a pre-trial conference is to discuss issues that may arise during the trial.
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