REGINA — A rookie Saskatchewan legislature member was stripped Friday of some of her responsibilities after calling federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh a terrorist.
Saskatchewan Party MLA Racquel Hilbert, while still a caucus member, was excused as deputy caucus chair, said government spokesman Matthew Glover.
She also won't hold a seat on the Treasury Board, the Wanuskewin board of directors or the caucus irrigation committee, Glover said.
Hilbert, who forged her early career as a special education teacher and co-founded a water well drilling company, was elected last year in Humboldt-Watrous.
Earlier this week, she apologized for making the comment about Singh during a March 25 budget debate in the legislature.
She told the house that building trade relations was proving more difficult due to challenges from the federal Liberal government, propped up by Singh's NDP.
“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," she said.
Hilbert apologized Wednesday in the assembly. The next day, Premier Scott Moe called Hilbert's remark "very inappropriate" and thanked her for apologizing and retracting it.
Some Sikhs in Saskatchewan and across Canada called for Hilbert to face consequences.
The head of the World Sikh Organization of Canada demanded she be removed from committee assignments and for all Saskatchewan Party members to undergo anti-racism and cultural sensitivity training.
The group's president, Danish Singh, said the comment was an insult to Jagmeet Singh and Sikh Canadians.
Speaking to reporters in B.C. earlier this week, the NDP leader said he didn't care personally about Hilbert's remark but questioned why she would say such a thing.
Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP has said Hilbert's comment appeared to be “premeditated hate" and that removing some of her government responsibilities isn't good enough.
"Scott Moe needs to show some leadership and kick this Sask. Party MLA out of the government caucus," NDP legislature member Tajinder Grewal said in a statement. "Taking away her 'additional responsibilities' is nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
"Scott Moe standing by this Sask. Party MLA sends the worst possible message to the Sikh community and all Saskatchewan people."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2025.
The Canadian Press
