Not just online, NDP MHA says women treated differently in House of Assembly too

Former NDP Leader Lorraine Michael says the negative comments against women aren't just online she's also faced it in the House of Assembly.

"There are many times in the House of Assembly overthepast 10 years where I really feel I was treated in a certain way because I was a woman.If Iwas a man I would have never been treated as Iwas by colleagues in the house" Michael told CBC News.

"It's not very pleasant when it happens."

Michael said she gets shouted at more than male colleagues.

"It's different ... the shouting just goes on and on," she said.

"I think there's a lot of work we do need to do to make sure that the assembly is a safe place for everybody."

• Body-shamed, threatened, bullied: N.L. finance minister shares cyber-abuse stories

On Tuesday, PC Leader Paul Davis raised an objection over comments he said were made by Liberal MHA Graham Letto.

"They were very offensive towards my colleague from Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune," Davis said raising a point of order and asking Letto to withdraw the remark. Davis didn't say what the comment was, and acting speaker Lisa Dempster andgovernment house leader Andrew Parsons said they did not hear the comment.

A spokesperson for the opposition later said that Letto had heckledTracey Perry saying, "Just look at her, she can't even get her words out."

MHAs have been in trouble over comments made in the House of Assembly before.In 2012,PC MHA Keith Russell told Yvonne Jones she was "nothing more than a washed-up actress, honey." He was later forced to withdraw the comment.

On Monday, Finance Minister Cathy Bennett spoke publicly about the onlinecyberbullyingshe's faced, saying she's experiencedsexual comments, body shaming and suggestions that she killherself.

Michael said the comments received by Bennett are unacceptable butshe doesn't receive similar online comments

"I've had occasional ones where the line was crossed, but for the most part it's been 'Oh why don't you get out,' oryou know 'Time for you to go,'"said Michael.

"Occasionallysomecomments wereoffensive, but Idon't get them on a regular basis."

Attacks against Bennett continue

Bennett saidthe cyberbullyinghas continued after speaking out about the attacks she hasreceived online.

"The issue is very liveand we continue to see through the last 24 hours, comments that are exactly like the ones I described yesterday in the press conference," she told CBC Radio'sOn the GoTuesday.

Bennett said the negative online attacks started before she even began to speak Monday, but it was something she was expecting.

On the other hand, she said she's also received a lot of support.

"I received emails, social media messages, phone calls of support for what I did yesterday, which was a personal choice," she said.

"Certainly it's been very empowering for me to get those messages."