April 19, 2004 Organization

Montréal – At a ceremony held on Sunday, April 18^th, the Autorité des marchés financiers (“AMF”) announced the name of the Québec winner of the Test Your Financial I.Q. contest. Kim Ma, a 17-year old Montréal resident, won a prize of $750.

In an essay entitled Maître de soi... et de son argent, the winner proposed an ingenious plan which would allow her to save her money and make it grow. The strategy combined both portfolio diversification, a good understanding of the selected financial products and a realistic analysis of the opportunities offered by the financial markets, all the while taking into account her risk tolerance and financial goals. “By saving and investing wisely, I maintain self-control and, especially, control of my money”, Kim Ma said in the conclusion of her essay.

As a result of her win, she will become eligible for the national component of the contest and could win the $2,500 national grand prize for the contest. The results of the national contest will be announced in May.

Some 602 Canadians (including 190 Quebecers) from the ages of 14 to 18 participated in this second annual Test Your Financial I.Q. contest. Québec had the highest participation of any province in the country. This is attributable to the fact that several grade 11 economics teachers encouraged their students to participate in the contest due to the financial knowledge they would gain from it.

The Test Your Financial I.Q. contest aims to make young people aware of the benefits of investing and encourage them to learn about the financial products available on the market. The contest is organized by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), of which the AMF is a member. At the end of the contest, which includes a provincial and a national component, thirteen prizes of $750 will be handed out at the provincial or territorial level and a grand prize of $2,500 will be awarded at the national level.

Established on February 1, 2004, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is the regulatory and oversight body for Québec's financial sector. The AMF consists of the Commission des valeurs mobilières du Québec, the Bureau des services financiers, the Régie de l'assurance-dépôts du Québec, the Fonds d'indemnisation des services financiers and the Inspector General of Financial Institutions.

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