Order

WHEREAS on April 5, 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 Leslie Colin Bell (the “Respondent”);

AND WHEREAS the Respondent entered into a settlement agreement with Staff of the MFDA, dated April 4, 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. on or about August 1, 2016, the Respondent falsified, and used to process a transaction, 1 account form by altering information on the account form without having the client initial the alterations, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1;
2. between September 2006 and October 2016, the Respondent obtained and possessed, 4 pre-signed account forms in respect of 3 clients, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1; and
3. on or about October 21, 2014, the Respondent made a false statement to the Member about his use of pre-signed forms when completing the Member’s annual registration questionnaire, 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 for a period of 2 months from conducting securities related business in any capacity while in the employ of or associated with a Member of the MFDA commencing from the date of the Hearing Panel’s final Order herein, 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 this Settlement Agreement, pursuant to section 24.1.1(b) of By-law No. 1;
3. The Respondent shall pay costs in the amount of $2,500 in certified funds upon acceptance of this Settlement Agreement, pursuant to section 24.2 of By-law No. 1;
4. The Respondent shall in the future comply with MFDA Rule 2.1.1; and
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;