ESTEVAN - The former leader of the now-defunct Canadian Nationalist Party will be spending additional time in jail for a hate speech conviction.
Travis Patron was sentenced to one year in prison Thursday afternoon in Court of King's Bench in Estevan. He was credited with 131 days served in remand, with 1 1/2 days for each day, meaning he has already served 197 days of the sentence. He will therefore spend another 168 days in prison.
Patron will then have one year of probation. Patron will also have to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, and must appear before the court when required to do so. Further, he cannot publish or post on any internet website or social media platform where such posts or publications can be read by the general public, or any information about any individuals who are of Jewish religion or origin.
Crown prosecutor Ryan Snyder was seeking two years of probation.
There will not be a fine or a victim surcharge.
Snyder outlined his case for the one-year sentence to Judge D.N. Robertson Thursday morning in Estevan, which was also the site of the trial. Snyder noted that while the maximum sentence is two years, he does not know of anyone who has received a sentence of more than a year for wilful promotion of hate.
He also provided a victim impact statement from B'Nai Brith Canada executive director Michael Mostyn, which detailed how Patron's previous statements about Jewish people have affected the Canadian Jewish community.
Patron was representing himself during the sentencing, as he had during the trial. When Robertson asked Patron if Patron had anything to say, Patron remained silent. When Robertson posed several questions to Patron, he did not answer.
Robertson adjourned the matter until early Wednesday afternoon. While handing down the sentence, Robertson cited several precedent-setting cases before announcing his decision. He noted several aggravating factors, including Patron's prior criminal record.
"My hope is that on release, you will return to the right path as a productive citizen, and put these foolish and dangerous thoughts behind you. But that's up to you. If you continue to make trouble for others, you will also make trouble for yourself," Robertson said in addressing Patron.
Patron was convicted for wilful promotion of hate against an identifiable group, in this case Jewish people, on Oct. 5. The trial began on Sept. 26 with jury selection. Opening statements followed, and then the prosecution presented witnesses. Patron did not bring forward any witnesses.
Closing statements occurred on Oct. 3. The judge gave instructions to the jury in the morning of Oct. 5, and the jury needed less than an hour of deliberations to convict Patron.
The charge stemmed from a video, Beware the Parasitic Tribe, that was posted to YouTube in June 2019. He was charged by Carlyle RCMP in February 2021.
Earlier this year, he was convicted on two counts of assault causing bodily harm against two women, and was sentenced to concurrent 18-month sentences. He was credited for time served on the sentence, but remained in custody while awaiting the hate speech trial.
The assaults against the two women occurred in the fall of 2019.
And last year, he was found guilty of mischief, stemming from an incident at the Redvers branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, and two counts of breach of an undertaking.
The Mercury and SASKTODAY.ca will have more details later.
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