WINDSOR, ON, May 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, in the Windsor Superior Court of Justice, Seth Bertrand was sentenced to 9 months in jail and 3 years' probation pursuant to s. 83.18 of the Criminal Code for participating in the activities of a terrorist organization between February and May 2021.

Bertrand, who was found guilty on August 7, 2025, admitted to filling out an application to join the National Socialist Order (NSO), formerly the Atomwaffen Division (AWD), offering his skills and commitment to help advance their white supremacist ideology.  

Bertrand was involved in committing offences of mischief involving people or property he identified as affiliated with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He wrote graffiti containing offensive language on the WETrans Centre and threw a brake rotor through the Centre's front window.  He punctured the tires of a vehicle parked outside the residence of a same sex married couple and left a note that said "The AtomWaffen knows who you are!"  The note contained Nazi symbols and the words "hail Hitler".  

Bertrand relied on these acts to gain acceptance in a chat group for the National Partisans Movement, and to bolster his application to join the AWD/NSO.  These groups pride themselves in doing things in the real world and not simply relying on "keyboard warriorism". Their ultimate goal is to achieve a white ethno-state.

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Director of Public Prosecutions George Dolhai said, "Terrorism rooted in white supremacist ideology is not an abstract threat; it is a deliberate strategy aimed at normalizing hatred-infused violence. The discrete acts directed locally at individuals were intended to publicly call into question through violence the legitimacy of full participation in Canadian society of members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The end purpose is to contribute to a larger destabilization. This case affirms that offences motivated by hatred and extremist ideology have no place in Canadian society."

Quick Facts

• Terrorism charges can only be laid with the consent of the Attorney General, which may be given on the Attorney General's behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions or a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.
• The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is a national organization responsible for prosecuting offences under federal jurisdiction in a manner that is free of any improper influence and that respects the public interest.

SOURCE Public Prosecution Service Canada