Five years ago, 33-year-old Tawny Meiorin lost her job as a forest fire-fighter because she failed a fitness test designed for a man.

She couldn't run 2.5 kilometres in the 11 minute limit.

She took 49 seconds longer. So her boss fired her .

Meiorin was sure she lost her job because she was a woman. So she hired a lawyer and went to court to get her job back.

Now the Supreme Court says Meiorin was right. The court has ordered the government to rehire her with back pay and benefits.

"I'm pretty excited," says Meiorin, who is now working as a logger. "What it means is that what they did to me was unjustified. I'm hoping the ruling will help other firefighters."

About 70 per cent of men passed the exam on the first try, compared to only about 35 per cent of the women.

Meiorin also said the fitness exam she failed was not a good measure of her abilities in the field.

"These tests should be related to the actual requirements of fighting fires... where you have smoke, and heat, and terrain to deal with," she said.

Meiorin isn't sure if she will return to firefighting. She says she also loves being a logger.

George Heyman, president of the B.C. Government and Services Employees Union, was pleased with the court's ruling.

"Today's unanimous decision is of national importance, not just for women forest firefighters but for all women, especially those working in non-traditional jobs," says Mr. Heyman.

"It's a huge victory for working women. It rewrites the law for discrimination in Canada and that will ensure fair treatment for all workers, both women and men."

1. Five years ago, whom or what her job did 33-year-old Tawny Meiorin lose as a forest fire-fighter because she failed a fitness test designed for a man?