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Norbourg proved one hot potato

If there was a Guinness record for the longest game of hot potato, the Norbourg scandal would probably be included among the finalists—and this without counting all the other unenviable records linked to it, like most confused court proceedings, greatest ever financial scandal in La Belle Province, greatest number of lost faxes, worst collaborative effort […]

By Yves Bonneau |January 25, 2011

5 min read

Fund cost poll suggests Canadians need advice

A large number of Canadian investors appear oblivious to the costs associated with their mutual funds, according to a survey commissioned by ING DIRECT. The poll found that 45% of Canadians were unsure about the annual management expense they are pay on mutual funds. It should be noted, of course, that ING is a purveyor […]

By Steven Lamb |January 24, 2011

2 min read

Norbourg saga draws to a close

An agreement in principle has been reached in the Norbourg class action lawsuit. Under the $55 million settlement there is no admission of liability. The amount will be covered by Beaulieu Deschambault S.E.N.C.R.L. (including Deschambault St-Jean S.E.N.C.R.L.) and Rémi Deschambault, the AMF, The Northern Trust Company, Canada, Concentra Trust and KPMG LLP. The $55 million […]

By Staff |January 19, 2011

1 min read

ETFs under fire

Even as the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) industry expands, headlines are calling the funds into question: The Globe and Mail advised “How to protect yourself from ETF pain” just days after the May “flash crash,” and more recently, the Financial Post linked the two, with the headline “ETFs called a ‘Frankenstein’ that creates risk of ‘flash crashes.’” Even when the tone is somewhat conciliatory, such as the Wall Street Journal’s, “Are ETFs a menace — or just misunderstood,” it’s far from upbeat.

By Mary Anne Wiley |January 19, 2011

4 min read