There is "clearly a crisis" of sexual harassment on Parliament Hill, said Employment Minister Patty Hajdu while defending new legislation aimed at putting a stop to abuse and exploitation of vulnerable workers.

The social media movement known as #MeToo prompted people around the world to share their stories of sexual assault and harassment, but elected women on Parliament Hill appear unsure about where things are headed.

A new survey of female MPs found that more than half of respondents had personally been the target of one or more forms of sexual misconduct while in office.