We've been seeing a lot more sexual assault allegations come to light within the political sphere, especially after the "Me Too" movement.

Brandon University Political Science Professor Kelly Saunders says this isn't very encouraging for women wanting to enter politics.

BU Political Science Professor, Kelly Saunders (File Photo)

"Right now we're sitting at 26 percent on average of all elected MPs, MLAs and even people elected to city and municipal governments, that only 26 percent of those are actually women," says Saunders. "Much of that is because women don't want to put themselves into that kind of environment where there's overtly sexual behaviour, it's a chilly climate, women feel that they're unwelcome in the realm of politics."

Saunders notes though it does seem discouraging to females, the United States has seen more women showing interest in running for office after the election of Donald Trump. She says they're hoping to take back their power, motivated to step up and change the political system themselves. She hopes Canada will follow suit and do the same.

Some other positives Saunders thinks could come out of the allegations coming forward, is there could be more screening taking place.

"The recognition that politics is a workplace, and like any other workplace, it's important that we recognize there's appropriate and inappropriate behaviour," Saunders says. "Some things we might've considered "normal" thirty, twenty, even ten years ago, simply is not appropriate anymore. People really have to think before they speak and before they act. Perhaps there'll be more vetting of candidates and leaders."

One of the most recent sexual assault allegations to come to light is against former Conservative MP Rick Dykstra who allegedly assaulted a parliamentary staffer in 2014 while he was an MP in Ottawa.