A Saskatchewan Party MLA has issued an apology after she called federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh “a terrorist” during a speech on the floor of the legislature more than two weeks ago.
Racquel Hilbert, the Sask. Party MLA for Humboldt-Watrous, made the comment on March 25.
“During my budget response speech, I made an inappropriate comment regarding the federal NDP leader,” she said, addressing the assembly Wednesday.
Hilbert made the comment while responding to opposition criticism of the budget. During her remarks, she spoke about the government’s work in opening trade offices and finding new markets for Saskatchewan products.
“None of this has been easy, and in fact the road has been bumpy at times. It’s been more difficult due to challenges presented by the federal government, propped up by the federal NDP, federal NDP supported by this opposition,” she said.
“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 carried on for several more sentences before being stopped by Speaker Todd Goudy – who
advised her to “be careful” with her remarks.
The pause came after Hilbert accused the provincial NDP of “virtue-signalling.”
“I just want to caution the member on some of the accusations there — virtue-signalling and others. Just please be careful with your comments,” Goudy noted.
Hilbert was elected to the legislature in the 2024 provincial election.
According to her profile on the Sask. Party Caucus website, she previously worked as a special education teacher for over 20 years and is a co-founder of a water solutions company in Humboldt.
Singh responds
The leader of the federal New Democrats had some candid remarks for Hilbert.
“I am an adult, I’m a leader of a national party, I’m an elected official, I’m a lawyer. I don’t care that they said that about me,” Singh said, speaking to reporters Wednesday. “But I am worried about why someone would say that. This is an MLA, someone who is an elected official. A respected member of her community. A former teacher. What would make someone say something like that? This is someone that, I would assume, is a very educated person.”
“That’s what I’m really worried about. I’m worried about the kids who grew up in a classroom where she taught,” he added.
Singh is visiting Saskatchewan today as a part of the federal election campaign.
He is set to speak at an event in Saskatoon at 7:30 p.m.
No place for racism
The Saskatchewan NDP’s response came from Tajinder Grewal, who serves as the MLA for Saskatoon University-Sutherland.
Grewal did not mince words – classifying Hilbert’s comments as “deeply hurtful and hateful to the Sikh community – a community which contributes so much to our province.”
“Saskatchewan’s motto is ‘From Many Peoples, Strength,‘” Grewal said. “Racism has no place in our province and certainly no place in the provincial government.”
