The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that survivors of gay and lesbian partners will now be entitled to one year of retroactive Canada Pension Plan benefits.
Plaintiffs in the case were seeking survivor benefits to be extended to 1985, when the Charter of Rights and Freedoms took effect.
The court said making payments retroactive to 1985 “would encroach unduly on the inherently legislative domain of the distribution of government resources and of policy making in respect of this process.”
Also, Ottawa did not act in bad faith when it denied benefits to surviving members of same-sex relationships, the court said.
To read the ruling, click here.
For background information on this case, click here.
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