OTTAWA — The presumption of innocence is "strictly" a legal construct that shouldn't stop Canadians from believing women who come forward with allegations of assault, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Thursday.

While some members of his caucus stood behind him with incredulous looks, Singh told reporters there are "different issues" at play when women step forward with accusations.

"If you are asking me when I was a lawyer in a legal lens, there is a discussion or presumption of innocence — but that is strictly about the procedures in court," he said.

"When it comes to creating a just society, we need to look at the reality that we have to believe survivors if we want to tackle violence against women, if we want to shift a culture that for too long women have been silent about the ongoing violence that they experienced in their lives."

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The "sad reality" is that a majority of women have experienced some form of gender-based violence, Singh added.

The NDP leader had called on Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown to resign after a CTV News report Wednesday featured two women alleging inappropriate sexual behaviour. One was a high school student when she said Brown asked her to perform oral sex on him. Another young woman, who worked in his constituency office during her university summer breaks, said Brown kissed her and was sexually aggressive.

Our thoughts are with the brave women who have had the courage to speak out about their experiences. We believe survivors & offer all survivors our unwavering support. The allegations against Patrick Brown are serious and deeply disturbing, and he should resign immediately. — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) January 25, 2018

"He was in a position of power, that is totally inappropriate," Singh said.

However, Singh wasn't sure whether Sports and Person with Disabilities Minister Kent Hehr — who faces allegations he behaved inappropriately with women during his time in the Alberta legislature — should be fired. The NDP leader said he didn't yet know the "full details" of the allegations.

But, Singh said, the first step is to believe survivors.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, where he was concluding his last day of meetings at the World Economic Forum, about allegations regarding Hehr.

A woman identified as Kristin Raworth on Twitter tweeted that while working there she was told to avoid being in an elevator with Hehr. "He would make comments. He would make you feel unsafe," she said. "In an elevator with me and only me, [he] said 'you're yummy.'"

View photos Disabilities Minister Kent Hehr is shown in the House of Commons on Dec. 7, 2017. More

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