The appellants, former employees of Stelco in Quebec, sought early retirement benefits under Stelco's pension plan after plant closures.
The plan was governed by Ontario law.
Ontario's Superintendent of Pensions ordered a partial wind up and approved a report granting early retirement benefits only to Ontario employees, while Quebec employees received deferred pensions under Quebec law.
The appellants did not contest this decision in Ontario but sued in Quebec based on their employment contracts.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal, holding that the action was an impermissible collateral attack on the Superintendent's final decision, barred by res judicata and issue estoppel, and that the Quebec courts should decline jurisdiction based on forum non conveniens.
