Declared dead by Service Canada, N.B. woman still trying to get life back

It took Cathy Adams almost seven weeks to realize she was dead. 

When the Charlotte County woman checked her bank account on Jan. 29, her Old Age Security and CPP benefits hadn't been deposited. So she called Service Canada and was put on hold while the government worker checked her file.

"When she came back she said, 'I'm sorry, it's bad news ... On Dec. 13, we received a death notice for you. My condolences.'"

Adams said they both laughed at the ridiculousness of the exchange.

"I said, 'I'm what? I'm dead?'"

Adams was in such disbelief when she got off the phone that she called right back and talked to someone else. 

"And they said no, that I was dead. And my benefits have not been cancelled, but rather terminated, which is harder to bring back."

Within the first few days, Adams made nearly two dozen phone calls — some lasting more than an hour — and three trips to the Service Canada office in St. Stephen. 

"I usually laugh and say I'd like to come back to life again, please. Or, I'm dead and we need to fix this … There's been a lot of silence on the end of the lines — disbelief silence."

Depending on who she talked to, she got two different responses. One said it was the result of a clerical error and the other said someone claiming to be her niece had reported her dead. Adams said she didn't recognize the name the caller provided.

Employment and Social Development Canada declined to provide an interview but in an emailed statement said "human error" is to blame. 

"Service Canada has taken corrective action to resolve this issue and ensured that benefits have been restored. No fraud or scam is involved in this case," wrote Samuelle Carbonneau.

The department was asked for more details. On Tuesday afternoon another official replied saying that it was "an incorrectly entered transaction on Ms. Adams' file stemming from a separate request she had made."

Adams, however, said she made "absolutely no request."