Former Canadian Nationalist Party leader accused of impersonating law enforcement in Saskatoon

A former leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party is accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer twice in Saskatoon.

Travis Patron, 32, founded the now defunct federal party, which promoted anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ views.

The party was de-registered by Elections Canada in March 2022 due to its failure to maintain an active party membership of at least 250 people.

Patron, who is from Redvers, Sask., is charged with two counts of impersonating a peace officer, two counts of failing to comply with court-imposed conditions and one count of criminal harassment. He appeared in Saskatoon provincial court on Thursday.

Patron introduced himself to the judge as a federal agent of Canada representing the Canadian Nationalist Party. When asked if he understood the charges against him, he said he was exercising his right to remain silent.

The Crown opposed Patron's release and he was remanded in custody to return to court next week.

"The Crown feels that his detention is an extreme matter of public safety." Crown prosecutor Tom O'Hara said in court.

U of S issued notice

Saskatoon police say officers were called to a hotel in the 600 block of Spadina Crescent East on July 29 after a disturbance involving a man impersonating a peace officer.

Police say the man, now identified as Patron, had said he was a police officer and accused a woman of abducting her own child.

Police say the woman sought help inside the hotel. Patron allegedly followed her inside, causing a disturbance, but bystanders intervened and he fled on foot, police say.

Saskatoon police then received a report about a similar incident on the University of Saskatchewan campus on Monday.

Police say Patron approached a woman, identifying himself as a peace officer, and offered to escort her through the area, but she declined his offer and he left.

The university issued a notice on Wednesday about Patron allegedly trespassing and impersonating staff. The notice asked members of the campus community who saw Patron on campus to call protective services.

Police say they used video evidence to confirm Patron was responsible for both incidents. Police say he was arrested without incident on Wednesday afternoon at an address in the 200 block of Fifth Avenue North.

Criminal history

Last October, Patron was found guilty of wilfully promoting hate speech against Jewish people.

A video posted online showed Patron denouncing what he described as "the parasitic tribe" who he claimed control the media and Canada's central bank.

"What we need to do, perhaps more than anything, is remove these people once and for all from our country," Patron said in the video, speaking directly to the camera.

He was sentenced to one year in jail, less time served. He had been in custody since March 2021 after an unrelated disturbance at the legion hall in Redvers.

Earlier in 2022, he was convicted of assaulting two women in Regina in November 2019 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.