Toronto (July 22, 2020) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) spoke by phone with Saskatchewan Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan today, urging him to ensure the leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party (CNP) faces charges for hate speech.

Last week, FSWC filed a hate speech complaint with the RCMP against CNP leader Travis Patron after a flyer was posted on the CNP's social media pages calling Jewish people "liars and deceivers" and a "tribe of parasites.” Patron’s flyer and subsequent video also claimed that Jews "infiltrate the media, they hijack the central bank, and they infect the body politic," and that "what we need to do...is remove these people, once-and-for-all, from our country."

The Saskatchewan Justice Minister reiterated to FSWC his affinity for the Jewish community and his commitment to taking action on incidents of hatred and intolerance. He was not able to confirm, however, whether or when charges against Patron might be laid.

“We are grateful to the Honourable Justice Minister for taking the time to meet with us, and for sharing his support for our community in the ongoing battle against hatred and antisemitism,” said Rabbi Meyer H. May, Executive Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “We are hoping to see charges laid against Travis Patron in due course and that he will face justice for promoting such ugly and egregious hatred towards the Jewish community.”

Incitement of hatred towards an identifiable group and the promotion of genocide are illegal in Canada, as outlined by sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code.