Order

WHEREAS on December 3, 2018, the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (the “MFDA”) issued a Notice of Settlement Hearing pursuant to section 24.4 of By-law No. 1 in respect of Thomas Earle Bott (the “Respondent”);

AND WHEREAS the Respondent entered into a settlement agreement with Staff of the MFDA, dated November 30, 2018 (the “Settlement Agreement”), in which the Respondent agreed to a proposed settlement of matters for which the Respondent could be disciplined pursuant to ss. 20 and 24.1 of By-law No. 1;

AND WHEREAS the Hearing Panel is of the opinion that the Respondent:

1. between November 2006 and April 2017, the Respondent obtained, possessed and, in some instances, used to process transactions, 51 pre-signed account forms in respect of 18 clients, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1; and
2. between October 2007 and February 2017, the Respondent altered, and used to process transactions, 3 account forms in respect of 3 clients by altering information on the account forms without having the clients initial the alterations, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the Settlement Agreement is accepted, as a consequence of which:

1. The Respondent shall be prohibited from engaging in securities related business in any capacity while in the employ of or associated with a MFDA Member for a period of 9 months, commencing on the date the Settlement Agreement is accepted by the Hearing Panel, pursuant to s. 24.1.1(e) of MFDA By-law No. 1.
2. The Respondent shall pay a fine in the amount of $5,000 in certified funds upon acceptance of the Settlement Agreement, pursuant to s. 24.1.1(b) of MFDA By-law No.1.
3. The Respondent shall pay costs in the amount of $2,500 in certified funds upon acceptance of the Settlement Agreement, pursuant to s. 24.2 of MFDA By-law No.1.
4. The Respondent shall in the future comply with MFDA Rule 2.1.1.
5. If at any time a non-party to this proceeding, with the exception of the bodies set out in section 23 of MFDA By-law No. 1, requests production of or access to exhibits in this proceeding that contain personal information as defined by the MFDA Privacy Policy, then the MFDA Corporate Secretary shall not provide copies of or access to the requested exhibits to the non-party without first redacting from them any and all personal information, pursuant to Rules 1.8(2) and (5) of the MFDA Rules of Procedure.