Patron given 60 days to raise retainer

Patron writes letter to the Queen asking for his party to have its own justice system for members

December 4, 2019, 5:04 am
Kevin Weedmark

Travis Patron leaves court in Regina on Monday last week. He is facing charges of aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm and breach of probation as a result of an alleged assault that sent two women to hospital in Regina. He asked for a 60-day adjournment to raise a retainer for a lawyer, then wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth claiming his party has been discriminated against and asking the Queen to allow his party to set up a parallel justice system for its membership to among other things “ease the burden of an already delayed court system.”

Canadian Nationalist Party leader Travis Patron asked for 60 days to get together a retainer for a lawyer when he appeared in court in Regina Monday, November 25.

Patron, who ran in the Souris-Moose Mountain riding in the recent federal election and finished last with 166 votes, is charged with aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, and breach of probation stemming from an alleged assault late in the night on November 2 in Regina that sent two women to hospital.

Also in court Monday, he asked for a relaxation of his court-ordered curfew, saying the curfew interfered with his “job” as a political candidate.

When his name was called in provincial court, Patron requested time to put together a retainer for a lawyer.

He requested 60 days to gather his retainer for a lawyer.

Judge Marylynne Beaton pointed out that the adjournment he requested is significantly longer than that typically granted by the court.

When asked by the judge what type of work he does, Patron responded, “political candidate,” and told the court he earns money as a political candidate.

The Crown didn’t contest Patron’s request for a 60-day adjournment, noting his charges are significant.
He was granted an adjournment to Jan. 20.

Curfew relaxation requested
Before leaving, he asked the court to amend a release condition pertaining to his curfew, putting his job forward as the reason for the needed change and telling the court the curfew is “causing me some problems.”

The Crown agreed to allow for an exception for employment purposes.

According to the Regina Police Service, police were called shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 2 to the 1900 block of Victoria Avenue in Regina for a report that two women, aged 33 and 43, had been assaulted. The women were taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said the women and a man had spoken earlier that evening. It’s alleged the man offered them rides home and that, when his offer was declined, the assaults occurred.

Police say they attempted to speak to Patron nearby shortly after the alleged assaults, but he refused to speak with them. They determined his identity and interviewed him later, after which he was charged.

One of the charges was for breach of probation stemming from a previous conviction. On March 7, Patron was ordered by a judge to keep the peace and be of good behavior as part of his probation conditions.

Letter to the Queen asks for parallel justice system for Patron’s party
Patron’s group has been banned from dozens of public venues for his hate speech and because of violent incidents his followers have allegedly been involved in.

Individuals wearing “Canadian Nationalist Party” hats and t-shirts were involved in two violent incidents in Ontario this year.

In one incident, individuals wearing “Canadian Nationalist Party” hats and t-shirts were involved in a brawl in the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto during a Pride event in June.

Videos show the individuals in Canadian Nationalist Party gear attacking individuals in the Eaton Centre.
Supporters of the party were also involved in violent altercations at the pride parade in Hamilton on June 22.

Patron’s group has been banned from public facilities from the Legion Hall in his home town of Redvers to Saskatoon City Hall, the University of Regina, the University of Toronto, the Toronto Public Library, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to TCU Place in Saskatoon.

“To date, our constituency has initiated no violence, said nothing hateful, and done nothing illegal,” Patron wrote to the Queen, despite scenes like this of Canadian Nationalist Party supporters attacking individuals, a hate crime investigation by the RCMP against Patron, a criminal conviction and probation order against Patron and pending criminal charges against Patron for a serious assault that sent two women to hospital.

Patron wrote a letter to the Queen Thursday complaining that these bans violate his rights.

His letter begins:
“Your Majesty,
“I come to you today on behalf of the Canadian Nationalist Party with news that threatens the very well-being of our society and our ability to determine our political trajectory as a country. What we have observed and experienced in Canada as a federal political party indicates that our rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights And Freedoms are being actively suppressed by the current government. From the very inception of our party in 2017 up until the most recent 43rd Federal Election, our constituency has been prevented from assembling publicly and freely communicating our policies with Canadian voters at essentially every opportunity.”

(Editor’s note: Patron was allowed to participate in all three all-candidate debates organized by chambers of commerce in Souris-Moose Mountain, was allowed to print and mail election brochures, was allowed to set up billboards, and was given the same access to local media as all other candidates).

Like many of Patron’s missives, the letter to the Queen includes vague and unspecified threats: “As we have clearly stated from day 1, when diplomatic solutions are not available, those being censored have no choice but to resort to undiplomatic methods,” and “Continued violation of our constitutional rights and self-determination will leave us no option other than pursuing avenues of change outside conventional democratic channels.”

Despite a hate crime investigation against him by the RCMP, criminal charges, and widely reported brawls and attacks involving Nationalist Party supporters, Patron insists in his letter his group has done nothing wrong.

“To date, our constituency has initiated no violence, said nothing hateful, and done nothing illegal. Yet, from the very outset of this campaign in early 2017 to the end of the 43rd Federal Election we have experienced systemic discrimination.”

Patron suggests the Queen set up a separate legal system for members of the Canadian Nationalist Party.

“Today, we are requesting your permission to establish an extrajudicial tribunal capable of settling criminal and civil liabilities on behalf of our membership. The intention of this extrajudicial organization would be to ease the burden of an already delayed court system, protect the rights of Canadians to a fair trial, and to uphold the rule of law.

“This extrajudicial tribunal would be responsible for settling criminal and civil liabilities of our membership and for upholding the constitution, the rule of law, and respect for the independence of the courts.

“Please consider this request seriously, your Majesty, as we are now living in a political environment where we have essentially no method or avenue to advocate for our own self-determination.”

Patron concludes the letter by telling Queen Elizabeth, who has no actual political power in Canada, that “Failure to respond will be considered yet another sign of unaccountable government.”

Back in court in January
Patron will be back in Saskatchewan provincial court in January to face the assault charges stemming from the Regina incident.