Depression is a condition of the body as well as the brain—one that is progressive, chronic and neurotoxic. That was a key message to those who attended the Mental Health Summit hosted by Working Well in Toronto last Thursday. Dr. Roger McIntyre, associate professor of psychiatry and pharmacology and head of the mood disorders psychopharmacology […]
Today’s volatile markets continue to take investors on a wild ride, but a recovery may not be that far off, according to one economist. While there has been some debate on the extent of the damage stemming from the U.S. credit crisis, the situation is severe, said Avery Shenfeld, CIBC World Markets’ managing director, strategy […]
How do you mend a broken market? The events of the past few months have been startling, to say the least. We’ve seen the U.S. government take control of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and long-standing financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers and AIG topple. We’ve seen markets soar and fall with alarming […]
Plan sponsors are using new weapons in the attraction and retention battle. Talent shows haven’t changed much over the years. I remember watching Star Search years ago; today, we have Canadian Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. But the basic formula has stayed the same: contestants still turn up in droves to showcase […]
Responsible investment is an important issue for many pension plan sponsors today, but when it comes to public policy support for these initiatives, Canada has a long way to go. This message was reinforced at the 100 Mile Dinner on Sept. 25 in Toronto in support of the Fund for Action on Investment Responsibility (FAIR), […]
It’s a delicate balancing act: employers want to provide excellent benefits to their employees, but at the same time, they need to manage costs. “I think that companies are striving to provide that best plan out there,” says Lori Bradley, manager, HR and payroll, at Extreme Fitness. “[One that] suits both parties’ needs—both the organization […]
Guiding Light August 01, 2008 | Alyssa Hodder In a challenging social and economic environment, plan sponsors are looking to pension and benefits consultants for enlightenment. It’s a demanding market for pension and benefits consultants. On the pension side, there’s only so much business to go around—particularly since the rate of conversion from defined benefit […]
Are executives overcompensated or is it mostly media hype? That’s just one of the questions speakers strove to answer at Executive Compensation 2008, a forum recently held in Toronto to discuss new developments, ideas and solutions in executive compensation, sponsored by Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Sandra Cohen, a partner practicing executive compensation law at […]
The Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions (OECP) will submit its report to the province by the end of October, a few weeks later than expected, said commission member Kathryn Bush at a recent Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP seminar in Toronto. While she expects the report will be completed on time (by the end of […]
As an investor, the world is your oyster. But it’s important to consider how the political issues of the countries in which you invest may affect your returns. The connections between political science and world markets are often overlooked, said Dr. Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurostar Group, at a CPBI Forum 2008 presentation on […]