REGINA — Travis Patron of Redvers has trials coming up for assault and promotion of hatred. Both are jury trials set for Court of Queen’s Bench.
Patron is the leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party, and has faced several charges over the last two years.
A jury trial had been scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 4 for Patron in Court of Queen’s Bench for the charges of aggravated assault and assault causing bodily harm. That trial has been postponed because jury trials are not being held right now due to COVID concerns. The trial on the assault charges will now be held June 20-24 in Court of Queen’s Bench.
A trial on the promotion of hatred charge will be held Sept. 26 in Estevan.
Assault charges
Patron had previously been charged with assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault for an incident in Regina in late 2019.
He has been committed to stand trial in Regina Court of Queen’s Bench for the assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault.
The alleged assault took place Nov. 2, 2019.
Police were dispatched at around 2:30 a.m. that day to the 1900-block of Victoria Avenue after receiving a report of an alleged assault.
Police said two women, 33 and 43, had just been assaulted. They both had visible injuries from the incident, police said, and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The women and Patron had allegedly been in conversation earlier in the evening. The women told police Patron offered them rides home, and when they declined, the alleged assault occurred, police said.
During the night of the incident, the Regina Police Service was able to spot the suspect, but he refused to be interviewed.
Upon further investigation, police were able to identify Patron and arranged for him to be interviewed.
As a result, Patron was charged with assault causing bodily harm, aggravated assault and breach of probation. The probation orders he was charged with breaching in that case were issued by judges in Ontario and Quebec following assault charges against Patron in those provinces.
Hate crime charge
In February 2021, Patron was charged with willful promotion of hatred toward an identifiable group for posts on his website and videos that he created and shared.
Carlyle RCMP launched an investigation into statements and videos posted by Patron. The hate crime investigation involved Saskatchewan RCMP’s major crimes unit, Saskatchewan RCMP’s national security section and British Columbia RCMP’s hate crimes unit.
As required under the Criminal Code section in question, evidence gathered was forwarded to the Saskatchewan attorney general, following which a decision was made to lay the charge. Carlyle RCMP were directed to arrest and charge Patron with wilfully promoting hatred to an identifiable group, and Patron was initially held in custody on that charge.
Incident at CBC Building
On Feb. 12, 2021, Regina Police Service members were dispatched to the CBC building on Broad Street in Regina for an unwanted guest.
The information received in the call was that a man was at that location, disturbing staff and trying to enter a restricted area.
When police arrived, the suspect was speaking with a supervisor but when he was asked to leave, he again refused. He also refused to cover his nose and mouth properly with a mask.
He was told that he would be forcibly removed and then charged under the Public Health Orders for refusal to wear a mask. Patron then ran around the lobby and eventually out the front door (which was the goal, according to the Regina police). Outside he continued to make loud proclamations. The officers confirmed his identity; he was warned not to return and then watched by police until he left the area.
Incident at provincial legislature
On Feb. 22, 2021, Patron was charged with four criminal charges in connection with an incident at the Saskatchewan legislature.
Earlier that day, at about 3:52 p.m., police were dispatched to the legislature for a report of a fight. The information received in the call indicated that a man who refused to leave, or put a mask on, was fighting with security personnel inside the legislature.
When police arrived, Patron was in the custody of security. Preliminary investigation indicated Patron had been asked to leave the building three times and each time refused, eventually becoming confrontational with security staff.
Investigation showed Patron was on several conditions, including that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. Regina Police Service members arrested him and charged him with:
• Mischief under $5,000, willfully interfering with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property, section 430(4) of the Criminal Code;
• Resist Arrest, section 129(a) of the Criminal Code;
• Breach of a Release Order, section 145(5)(a) of the Criminal Code; and
• Breach of Undertaking, section 145(4)(a) of the Criminal Code.
Held in custody
Because Patron was charged with an indictable offence while on release for another indictable offence, the onus was on him to prove why he should be released, rather than the onus being on the Crown to show that he should be held.
After initially refusing a show-cause hearing, claiming the court had no jurisdiction over him, Patron had a show-cause hearing and it was ruled that he would stay in custody in trial. A mental health assessment was also ordered.
