9 October 2025

NDP MPP Chandra Pasma and a number of former students from Robert Land Academy called on the Minister of Education to take immediate action to strengthen protections for students in Ontario’s private schools.

St. Lawrence Barristers PC represents several RLA survivors who experienced horrific abuses and sexual assault while attending the school, including B.C. whose story has been profiled in several media outlets.

Our clients welcome any legislative change that could help prevent other children from experiencing the physical, sexual and emotional abuse they endured for years at RLA. 

Our clients are particularly interested in seeing stronger oversight by the ministry that would ensure complaints of abuse at private schools are taken seriously, so that future survivors are not isolated, ignored, or silenced. 

RLA survivors have carried the trauma and shame of these horrific abuses for decades, which has impacted them into their adult lives. While legislative change is welcome to help prevent future harm, fair compensation for survivors is also a vital step to providing accountability, and closure to those who have suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Kasi Boddy-McAuley

Lawyer

• Press Conference Video - “Former Human Rights Chief Launching Defamation Lawsuits – February 6. 2025”

• Media Advisory - Birju Dattani Launches Defamation Lawsuits

• Press Release - Former Student Launches Claim Against Robert Land Academy Arising From Abuse

• The Globe and Mail - “Analyzing Justice Maria Carroccia’s Hockey Canada verdict” (July 2025)

• The Globe and Mail - “Judge in Hockey Canada trial did not use videos to determine whether woman had consented” (July 2025)

• CBC - “‘Consent Videos’ A Focus of Ex-World Juniors Hockey Players’ Trial” (June 2025)

• CTV National - “‘Less of a human:’ Former student suing Ontario boarding school for sexual abuse” (February 2025)

• CBC - “Former human rights chief launches defamation lawsuit against Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman” (February 2025)

• Toronto Star - “So you want to be a cop — but you failed the police background check. Do you have the right to know why?”

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• Canadian Lawyer - “Court of Appeal overturns tort, finds other remedies adequate for family violence”

• CBC - “Actresses accusing Albert Schultz of sexual misconduct had to 'suffer in silence,' lawyer says”

• Erin C. Cowling Blog - “Women Leading in Law: Alexi Wood”