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^{Advocis president and CEO Greg Pollock addresses financial advisors at the Advocis Simcoe-Muskoka Fall Congress}

At the closing ceremony of the Advocis Simcoe-Muskoka annual Fall Congress on Thursday, September 24, Advocis president and CEO Greg Pollock emphasized the need for higher standards for financial advisors and increased protection for Ontarians.

Advocis is a voluntary professional association for financial advisors and seeks to raise the professional bar through higher standards for all financial advisors (including financial planners), which could include meeting continuing education requirements, maintaining appropriate levels of errors and omissions insurance, and adhering to a code of ethical conduct.

In a recent government proposal Advocis called for one regulatory body to oversee the profession. 

At the Fall Congress, Pollock addressed an audience of local association members and reminded them about the importance of the work they do. “Financial advisors coach and encourage their clients to think about future stability. It’s like a trainer at the gym. Everyone knows that exercise is important but it’s only a small subset of people who will actually work out regularly without someone holding them accountable,” Pollock said.

Did you know that on average, advised households have three to four times the financial assets of non-advised households? A comprehensive 2014 study on Canada’s financial advice industry by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the average amount of assets held by a non-advised household is $24,000 compared to $101,000 of an advised household.

Financial advisors work with Canadians in every life stage, from opening a bank account to buying a home to living in retirement. Advocis is working diligently to ensure that Canadians continue to have access to the advice they need.

About Advocis

Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada, is a voluntary professional association for financial advisors and planners. With more than 11,000 members across the country, Advocis is the definitive voice of the profession, advocating for higher standards for advisors and increased consumer protection.

www.advocis.ca

                    _{Advocis president and CEO Greg Pollock with Simcoe-Muskoka’s chapter president Raymond Matt holding the Totem Pole at the Advocis Simcoe-Muskoka Fall Congress} 

Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS

“Advocis’ Simcoe-Muskoka chapter was awarded the 2014 Totem Pole trophy, an achievement that recognizes the chapter’s dedication to raising the bar for financial advisors when it comes to education, ethics and overall professionalism.

The chapter says its success is due to the strong commitment of board members; training sessions for the various chapter chairs; an increase in the number of chapter members with such professional designations as the CLU, CFP, and CHS; and strong local involvement with MPP’s and MP’s to increase awareness about key regulatory issues that could impact Canadians’ access to professional financial advice,” wrote by The Insurance and Investment Journal on September 24, 2015.

See the article here
Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS

“No way, no how, would the Liberal Party of Canada support a government led by Stephen Harper, leader Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, opening up the possibility of working with the NDP to replace a Tory minority or trigger another federal election,” wrote Giuseppe Valiante for The Globe and Mail on Tuesday September 22, 2015.

Valiante continued, “Most polls since the beginning of the 11-week election campaign have suggested no party is in solid majority territory and that the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives are in a tight, three-way race.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair maintains that his goal is to ensure Harper doesn’t win government and has also said he would be willing to work with the Liberals to ensure that happens.

Trudeau has consistently rejected the notion of a formal coalition with the NDP to govern the country.

On Tuesday, Trudeau sidestepped questions as to whether he would support a NDP minority, saying only he had confidence the Liberals would win the election.”

Read the full article here.

Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS

“The leaders, locked in a statistical dead heat in the polls, adopted a more combative tone at The Globe and Mail debate Thursday night in Calgary – the second of the 2015 campaign. On a night that saw a series of fractious back-and-forths over which among them has the best plan to recharge a sluggish economy, there were no obvious knockout blows, but each leader defended their positions on the oil sector, corporate taxes and the Canada Pension Plan, among others,” wrote Steven Chase and Bill Curry for The Globe and Mail on Thursday September 17, 2015.

Chase and Curry continued, “Stephen Harper, who seemed comfortable to stand back and leave his rivals to hammer at one another, defended his record in a year that has seen the economy shrink in the first half.

Mr. Harper, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, each of whom have about 30 per cent of the electorate’s support after 47 days on the campaign trail, used the debate to try to connect with voters and surge ahead of the pack.

At issue was how to create jobs and spur growth at a time when the country’s centrepiece petroleum sector is plagued by low oil prices.

Taxation emerged as a major point of contention between the three leaders. Mr. Harper noted that he is the only one who is promising not to raise taxes and warned that the Liberal and NDP plans would harm the economy. He was particularly focused on attacking his rivals’ plans to expand the Canada Pension Plan, which he argued is an unnecessary payroll tax.”

Read the full article here.

Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS

Simcoe-Muskoka chapter 2014-2015 Totem Pole winners

From Left to Right: Luellen Norris, Manager, Chapter Relations, Dan Willett, Advocacy, Guy Close, Sponsorship, Richard Tremblay, 2nd VP, Raymond Matt, President, Karen Roy, 1st VP, Heather Haddon, Secretary, Jeff Schreiter, Membership, Richard McCaw, Program 

Advocis’ Simcoe-Muskoka chapter was awarded the 2014-2015 Totem Pole trophy, an achievement that recognizes the chapter’s dedication to raising the bar for financial advisors when it comes to education, ethics and overall professionalism. The chapter’s dedication is amplified by the fact they moved from 25th place to first place within a year.

This is due in part to strong commitment from each board member; training sessions for the various chapter chairs; an increase in the number of chapter members with such professional designations as the CLU, CFP, and CHS; and strong local involvement with MPP’s and MP’s to increase awareness about key regulatory issues that could impact Canadians’ access to professional financial advice.

The Simcoe-Muskoka chapter is proud to be a leader in its community with the goal of enhancing the client experience by bringing knowledge, integrity and ethics to each client interaction. Canadians deserve to have access to financial professionals who are held to a higher standard and who are dedicated to the communities they serve.

For more information please contact Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS, Advocis Simcoe-Muskoka chapter president at (705) 526-2807 or e-mail at raymond@csiplan.ca

About Advocis
Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada, is the largest and oldest voluntary professional association for financial advisors and planners in the country, with more than 11,000 in 40 chapters across the nation. Advocis members are held to a higher standard including continuing education requirements and a code of professional conduct.

Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS