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A Saskatchewan MLA’s official duties have been scaled back after she called the leader of the federal NDP a terrorist.
Humboldt-Watrous MLA Racquel Hilbert, a member of the governing Saskatchewan Party, made the comment on March 25 during a debate on the provincial budget, while talking about Saskatchewan’s efforts to open up new trade markets in different countries around the world.
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“It’s been more difficult due to challenges presented by the federal government, propped up by the federal NDP, supported by this opposition. We did not hear the opposition denounce their federal leader as being a terrorist in India, and denounce the collateral trade damage to western Canada,” Hilbert said.
Hilbert subsequently apologized for her remark, which was denounced by Premier Scott Moe as “very, very inappropriate.”
“I recently made an inaccurate and inappropriate statement about the federal NDP leader. I apologize for and withdraw that statement,” Hilbert said in a statement.
Although there was action taken by Scott Moe and the Sask. Party on Friday, the NDP called for the premier to go a step further and boot Hilbert out of the party.
On Friday afternoon, NDP MLA for Saskatoon University-Sutherland Tajinder Grewal called the move by Moe a “slap on the wrist.”
Grewal said it’s not just the Sikh community who is angered by the comments from Hilbert.
“When the news broke out on Wednesday afternoon, my phone is continuously ringing. I got hundreds of calls and people are upset — not only the Sikh community — the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan, many members from black communities, all kind of communities are very upset,” Grewal explained. “They say this is simply not acceptable.”
Grewal said the Sikh community has written to the community also asking for Hilbert to be removed from the caucus.
“The whole Sikh community is very mad, very upset about this and they demand actions. Scott Moe needs to show the leadership that this is not acceptable,” Grewal said. “Everybody should we feel respected in this province and in the assembly.”
The World Sikh Organization of Canada called Hilbert’s remark shocking, and urged that she be removed from committee assignments.
On Friday, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that Hilbert has been removed from her “additional MLA responsibilities,” including her roles on the Treasury Board, the board of directors for Wanuskewin and the Caucus Irrigation Committee. She was also removed from her role as deputy caucus chair.
Singh, who was in the province this week for a campaign event in Saskatoon, has said he didn’t take the comment personally, but he worries about the message it sends to children.
Hilbert, who was first elected in 2024, founded a Humboldt-based drilling company and previously spent more than 20 years working as a special education teacher. She has also served as a board member for the Saskatchewan Groundwater Association and the Canadian Water Resources Association.
–with files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick, 650 CKOM’s Shane Clausing and the Canadian Press
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