Nackawic pensioners want Supreme Court to hear case

Former workers at the now-closed St. Anne-Nackawic pulp mill who saw their pensions reduced by a provincial law want to take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Several dozen pensioners protested at the New Brunswick legislature Tuesday. Theyare seekingleave to appeal to Canada's highest court a February 2007 New Brunswick Court of Appeal ruling that uphelda provincial pensions law.

The mill went bankrupt and closed in September 2004 without enough money in the pension fund toprovide what had been promised to retired employees and their families.

At that time,the mill determined workers under 55 would get no pension at all and those over 55 would get about 87 per cent of their original pensions.

The province enacted changes to the Pension Benefits Act inDecember 2005 that cleared the way foryounger employees who also lost their jobsto receive some coverage.

Afterthe change, workers older than 55began receiving onlybetween 65 and 72 per cent of their pensions.

Craig Melanson, the pensioner who speaks for the over-55 group asking the Supreme Court to strike downthe appeal court ruling, saidthey arestill fighting.

"Part of the message we want to get today is that: 'No, we haven't gone away,' " Melanson said Tuesday. "The issues are still there. They haven't been resolved."

The Supreme Court is not obligated to hear the case, but will decide whether to do so.