Wife of senior who disappeared in 2023 says getting his pension just before 50th wedding anniversary 'fitting'

Tessa Adamski · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 29, 2025 4:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

Brenda Moberg, who has been steadfast successful her combat to unafraid a information of her missing husband's Canada Pension Plan, says it's fitting she'll yet beryllium capable to person the benefits during the period which marks her 50th wedding anniversary.

Moberg's exertion to get the survivor's payment done CPP was denied connected Feb. 6 by the national section that administers the program because she was incapable to beryllium her husband, Earl, was dead.

Earl, who had dementia, was past seen wandering successful Winnipeg's River East country connected Dec. 12, 2023, erstwhile helium was 81 years old. Despite multiple searches, including dragging rivers, his assemblage has ne'er been found. His household believes helium is dead.

Brenda Moberg informed Employment and Social Development Canada, the national section that administers the Canada Pension Plan, of his disappearance past summer, but was told successful bid to cod the survivor's benefit, she would request a decease certificate, which she didn't have.

Having him presumed dormant nether Manitoba's Presumption of Death and Declaration of Absence Act would necessitate thousands of dollars for an property lawyer to cod evidence, including aesculapian records oregon constabulary reports, she said.

Moberg submitted a petition past period to reconsider her rejected application, and the section contacted her connected Feb. 27 to pass her that aft a review, it had deemed Earl deceased arsenic of the time helium disappeared, and the exertion would beryllium granted.

She was besides fixed retroactive payments.

"It's been a agelong time, and I conscionable deliberation it's fitting to get his survivor's benefit successful the period of our 50th anniversary," she said, noting their day was Saturday.

CBC reached retired to the national section connected Thursday but did not receive a effect earlier publication.

Moberg said she was told processing her exertion for reconsideration would instrumentality up to six months, but believes sending successful much documentation to beryllium Earl was missing, including media coverage, hastened their response. 

The presumption of decease approved past period lone applies for CPP and Old Age Security benefits, but Moberg hopes having that will besides assistance her person him presumed dead done a tribunal aboriginal this year, if helium has not been recovered by then. 

"The past clip I talked to [Winnipeg police], they said they're conscionable waiting for the public, I guess, to find him oregon to get immoderate traces of him astatine all," she said.  "They've searched wherever they could."

'Salt successful the wound'

Moberg isn't definite whether searches for Earl volition proceed this year, but she is readying a backstage memorial service, bringing family, friends and those who person participated successful searches unneurotic to honour her husband this summer. 

She choked up arsenic she expressed gratitude for the radical who person kept signs up to rise consciousness of Earl's disappearance, including unit astatine a Superstore determination and businesses astatine McIvor Mall successful the North Kildonan area. 

She hopes her approved exertion volition promote others with a missing spouse to advocator for their benefits, and that her lawsuit sets a precedent for however the national section liable for the benefits handles future cases.

The CEO of a nationalist seniors' advocacy group said she besides hopes Moberg's lawsuit volition streamline the authorities process.

"The denial of her assertion due to the fact that she couldn't nutrient the decease certificate was further brackish successful the coiled astatine a clip wherever she besides needed not conscionable closure, but the fiscal support," said Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of CanAge.

"So this reconsideration is compassionate and appropriate, and I'm truthful gladsome for her that she whitethorn present beryllium capable to amended marque ends meet."

While she applauds Moberg's persistence successful advocating for herself, Tamblyn Watts said it's not antithetic for seniors to "fall betwixt the cracks" due to the fact that they don't person the knowledge, ability, advocacy oregon enactment to navigate systems similar the Canada Pension Plan, which tin impact them financially.

She said particularly for women with a missing spouse, whether oregon not a survivor's payment is paid whitethorn determine whether they tin support unchangeable lodging and nutrient security, adding that the national authorities needs to bash amended to guarantee susceptible seniors are protected.