Feb. 9, 2026
The Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada (ALAP) is deeply concerned about the serious incident reported at the Oshawa courthouse in Ontario on Jan. 23, 2026.
Sudine Riley, a Black criminal defence lawyer, reported that she was subjected to the use of force by officers of Durham Regional Police Services while she was working in an interview room at the courthouse. Ms. Riley reported that officers questioned her authority to be in the interview room and subsequently removed her by force. She stated that she was physically harmed in the process, placed in handcuffs, taken to holding cells in the courthouse basement and charged with trespassing.
As the voice for the 13 legal aid plans dedicated to providing access to justice in Canada, we are disturbed by these reports and concerned about the impact on those who deliver legal aid services in courts every day. Courthouses are public institutions that belong to everyone who participates in the justice system, and they must be places where dignity, respect, and safety are non‑negotiable. Access to justice is fundamentally undermined if lawyers, clients, court staff, and law enforcement are subjected to fear, intimidation, or harm. Those who deliver and rely on legal services must be able to do so without threat, interference, or violence.
ALAP will continue to work with all justice sector participants to support legal aid staff and private bar lawyers who provide frontline legal aid services to vulnerable clients in a safe and respectful environment.
On behalf of ALAP, we want to thank all the people who deliver legal aid in Canada. We are grateful for your commitment, dedication and the important role you play in supporting our clients and communities.
Sincerely,
John Panusa, KC, Chair
Chief Executive Officer
Legal Aid Alberta
Aileen Page
President and Chief Executive Officer
Legal Aid Ontario
Charlene Moore, KC
Chief Executive Officer
Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission
Danielle Mongeon
Secrétaire Générale
Commission des services juridiques (Québec)
Jayne Mallin
Chief Executive Officer
Legal Aid Saskatchewan
Wendy Jackson
Chief Executive Officer
Legal Aid BC
Teena Hartman
Chief Executive Officer
Legal Services Board of Nunavut
Tracy Bock
Executive Director
Legal Aid Commission Northwest Territories
Thane MacEachern
Director
PEI Legal Aid
Chantal Landry
Executive Director
New Brunswick Legal Aid Service Commission
Lynn MacDiarmid
Executive Director
Yukon Legal Services Society
Harman Khurana
CEO & Provincial Director – Treasurer
Legal Aid NL (Newfoundland & Labrador)
Peter Kingsley, KC
Executive Director
Legal Aid Manitoba
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