By Canadian Press

Court sides with university in case of missing professor’s pension

Oct 31, 2019 | 8:15 AM

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada says an Ottawa university can reclaim almost $500,000 in pension payments to a professor who went missing before being found dead in the woods near his home.

George Roseme, a political science professor at Carleton University, was 77 and suffering from early-stage Alzheimer’s disease when he disappeared in west Quebec in September 2007.

Roseme had signed a memorandum agreeing that his pension payments would cease with his death, rather than going to his heirs or estate.

When the university learned of Roseme’s disappearance, Carleton informed Lynne Threlfall — his former partner, heir and recipient of the pension money as his property administrator — that it would cease payments.

The university was forced to reverse the decision after Threlfall pointed out that under Quebec law, Roseme was presumed to be alive for seven years after his disappearance or until there was proof of death.

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In July 2013, Roseme’s remains were discovered by a dog in the woods near his property, and a coroner’s investigation concluded he had died in 2007, prompting the university to go to court to recoup $497,332 in pension payments.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2019.

The Canadian Press