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Murphy speaks about sexist comments

Last Updated Aug 3, 2017 at 10:01 am MDT

A local municipal candidate is speaking out about sexist comments she recently received from a voter.

Verna Murphy is seeking a ward one council seat in the election this fall.

Over the past weekend her door knocking ended quickly, when a man made comments about the way she looks.

“A gentlemen had said, he was glad I lost some weight this time around during the election because I certainly wasn’t a pretty girl or pretty woman,” said Murphy. “He went on to say, more or less, that because I wasn’t attractive the last time is probably why I hadn’t won.”

Murphy said the comments had caught her off-guard but she continued with the conversation.

“When I got home and started thinking about what he said, it made me angry and sad at the same time. That is when I decided to post about it on Facebook,” said Murphy. “I was angry because there is no way he would ever say that to a man that was running.”

Murphy ran in the 2015 by-election and said this isn’t the first time she has been on the receiving end of disparaging comments.

“When I ran in the by-election, after the fact, I talked with people like Colleen Tatum about some of the things that had been said to us. We even heard some of the male candidates make comments about us,” said Murphy. “There was comments about my looks, my age and my gender.”

The Canadian population is 50 per cent women, and only hold 26 per cent of municipal council seats across the country.

Murphy hopes more women will become involved.

“It is a hard thing to put yourself out there. I am hoping in the next couple years, that more women step up to the municipal level of government locally,” said Murphy. “Equal opportunity at the table is always a good thing and it brings a different perspective on some of the issues as well.”

Mayoral Candidate Don Scott said the comments that Murphy received are reprehensible.

“Elections are about platform and policy; this is obviously an attack on women. We need to be focused on the leadership of the present and future,” said Scott. “It is not about the way a candidate looks, their personal life or any other factor that has no impact on their ability to develop sound platforms and ideas to guide the region in the future.”

Earlier this year, Scott, his family and staff at his law office received threats of racist nature.

“I want to make sure we have a democracy that encourages people to run and that candidates can feel safe and not constantly the subject of attacks,” said Scott.

The municipal election is Oct. 16.