How the Tony Clement case is changing the #MeToo conversation

As more details come out about Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement, a women's rights advocate says the incident is prompting a new conversation on sexual images and extortion.

Last week, Tony Clement was asked to leave the Conservative party after admitting to having inappropriate sexual exchanges online. He reported the incident twice to police after being threatened with extortion.

After, accusations came online from women saying they were uncomfortable with how he interacted with them on social media.

Julie Lalonde, a women's rights advocate originally from Sudbury who now lives in Ottawa, says the case brings up two important issues.

"Living in Ottawa, Tony Clement's reputation was an open secret. He was known for being really creepy to young women," she said.

"That's not ok, but at the same time, extorting people for their nude photos is also not ok."

Lalonde says Clement's situation has prompted an unusual reaction from the public.

'Higher standard?'

"We either are saying that Tony Clement was the worst and whatever happens to him is his own fault or the other side which is that he's solely a victim," she said.

"I think for me, this is really kind of unpacking this idea that we have around the perfect victim. Sending nudes to another adult is not a crime in Canada. Is it an abuse of power? I think we need to unpack that. But the idea that the second you send out photos you make yourself eligible for blackmail, I hear that as a justification for harassing 16-year-old girls."

Samantha Davidson, a Sudbury-based public relations consultant, says Clement is in a high-profile position. She thinks he has crossed a line with his actions.

"What you do is scrutinized a lot more than the average person," she said.

"I think you do have to be a lot more careful and aware that whatever you possibly do or send could come out."