Order

WHEREAS on September 7, 2021, the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (the “MFDA”) issued a Notice of Hearing pursuant to section 24.4 of MFDA By-law No. 1 in respect of Robert Earl Ledingham (the “Respondent”);

AND WHEREAS the Respondent entered into a settlement agreement with Staff of the MFDA, dated November 10, 2021 (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 MFDA By-law No. 1;

AND WHEREAS the Hearing Panel is of the opinion that:

1. between July 28, 2014 and January 15, 2019, the Respondent photocopied signature pages from account forms that had been signed by clients and re-used the signature pages to complete 8 additional forms in respect of 3 clients, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1;
2. between April 26, 2012 and January 15, 2019, the Respondent altered and used to process transactions 57 account forms in respect of 37 clients by altering information on the account forms without having the client initial the alterations, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1; and
3. between May 9, 2012 and March 11, 2019, the Respondent obtained, possessed, and in some instances used to process transactions, 67 pre-signed account forms in respect of 43 clients, 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 suspended for a period of 1 month from conducting securities related business in any capacity while in the employ of or associated with a Member of the MFDA commencing upon the date the Settlement Agreement is accepted by the Hearing Panel, pursuant to s. 24.1.1(c) of By-law No.1;
2. the Respondent shall pay a fine in the amount of $21,000 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; 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.