New Democrats are proposing a little "tough love" to bring about a kinder, gentler Parliament, including suspensions and fines for MPs involved in unparliamentary behaviour.

At a news conference Tuesday, NDP MPs Joe Comartin and Dawn Black said the party plans to ask a House of Commons committee to consider altering the rules that govern Parliament, based on a 1992 report on decorum.

"So that sexist, racist, homophobic comments in the House [and] other demeanor that contributes to a sense of intimidation or fear in the House — all of that — would be prohibited," said Comartin.

"Actions against them will be progressive discipline such as extended suspensions and fines representative of their income," said Comartin.

Other proposed measures include:

• Create a standing order prohibiting all racist, sexist and homophobic remarks in the House.
• Suspend MPs who persistently and willfully disrupt the House.
• Give the Speaker the power to refuse to call on members who are unable to maintain order.
• Compel members who have been deemed to have uttered sexist, homophobic or racist comments to apologize in the House of Commons.
• Set out a system of escalating penalties for repeat offences.

Black said she's hopeful the fear of fines, such as a day's salary, will "put a sock in" the use of offensive language.

Parliament hostile to women: MP

The move comes days after allegations Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay referred to Liberal MP and former girlfriend Belinda Stronach as his dog. MacKay denies the comment, which is not recorded on Parliament's official record, but a number of Liberal MPs say they heard it.

Black said she believes Parliament can be a hostile environment for some female members.

"There's a basic disdain of women in politics, still, by many members," said Black. "When women get up to speak there's a look of anger in the faces of many men in the House of Commons."

She says there is a "sense of anger" when women ask tough questions.

"It comes from a different place than disagreements with their male colleagues," said Black. "It's not all men. It's some men."

Comartin said he agrees with Black, and that he's witnessed demeaning comments and contempt.

"[Winnipeg NDP MP] Judy Wasylycia-Leis has made this point repeatedly," he said.

1992 report prompted by insults

The recommendations come from a 1992 report of the Special Advisory Committee to the Speaker.

Black said she was one of several female MPs who approached then-Speaker John Fraser after a number of high-profile insults in the House of Commons in 1991.

In two well-known incidents, former Tory backbencher William Kempling called Sheila Copps a "slut" and former MP Jack Shields called NDP MP Howard McCurdy, the only black member in the House of Commons, "Sambo."

"During the 1990s, our strong feeling was that unless there was a fear of financial penalty that behaviour wouldn't change and we see that it hasn't," she said.

The all-party report received unanimous support, but was derailed by the 1993 election, she said. "I don’t see why that couldn’t go forward now."