Dispute over pension benefits dates back to 1980s.
Ottawa (1 Feb. 2009) - The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled against a Saskatchewan widow who had been fighting since the 1980s to receive her late husband's pension.
In the case of Laura Ravndahl, whose husband died in a work-related accident in November 1975, she received benefits for several years but was cut off when she remarried in 1984.
That was not uncommon at the time but when the law was later changed her pension was not reinstated.
Ten years ago, the Saskatchewan government offered an $80,000 payment to widows in her situation, but Ravndahl chose not to take the money, instead suing the province and the Workers' Compensation Board.
In June 2007, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled against her, saying she took too long to file her lawsuit. She then appealed to the country's highest court on grounds that her Charter rights had been breached. Last week the top court ruled against her.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
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