August 23, 2011, Toronto, ON — HOLD THE DATE! Canada's third annual Financial Planning Vision 2020 Symposium will be held on October 19 at the Old Mill Inn (Toronto) from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Hosted by Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC), the Vision 2020 Symposium is an important part of Canada's Financial Planning Week (October 17-23).
Vision 2020, the heart of Financial Planning Week, looks ahead to the year 2020 where Canada is a country that embraces financial planning for the betterment of
all Canadians.
This year's Symposium topics
Titles and Roles — Evolution or Confusion?
Financial Planner? Advisor? Salesperson?
How meaningful are titles used in the financial services industry today — do they appropriately tell the consumer the actual role of the practitioner and the services he will provide? Are there any teeth in titles today amidst the lack of consistent regulation and oversight of "advice"? In what way do titles serve or deflect from serving the public good?
Commissions, Round II: Can Advice and Commissions Mix in Canada?
Last year, the Symposium hosted a global panel that discussed commissions for financial advice, with a look at how various countries are handling the issue. This year, we bring this conversation back home with a closer look at whether commissions should continue to be embedded in the advice offering in Canada or eliminated. We will hear two very different Canadian views.
Regulation: Are Consumers Being Served and Protected, or Left to Their Peril?
There is growing recognition that financial planning and advice are increasingly critical to the wellbeing of Canadians. As advice becomes more fundamental to the financial services industry, is the regulatory system still appropriate to amply serve and protect the consumer from poor or inappropriate financial planning and/or advice?
Alphabet Soup: Advancing the profession or diluting it? How this issue has been handled by other professions
As the advice spectrum grows, so too does the proliferation of designations and specializations in the financial services industry. To what extent do designations serve to define professionals' skills vs. exist as marketing tools to compete for credibility? Does the alphabet soup of 'credentials' advance the profession or confuse the public? What should be deemed a professional designation vs. specialized training? This panel will look at other professions to see how they handle the proliferation of sub-categories, specialization and competing designations.
More details will be announced soon.
See clips from last year's Symposium here.
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About Financial Planning Week
Now in its third year, Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) and the Institut québécois de planification financière (IQPF) have jointly declared October 17-23, 2011 as Canada's Financial Planning Week. During the Week, each organization will be spearheading industry events and public outreach activities in their respective markets. Financial Planning Week is part of an ongoing effort by both organizations to make financial planning more a part of Canadians' lives. Stay up-to-date at www.financialplanningweek.ca / Twitter @FPWeek, and join us on the LinkedIn and Facebook page for Financial Planning Week.
About Financial Planning Standards Council
Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) is a not-for-profit organization which develops, promotes and enforces professional standards in financial planning through Certified Financial Planner® certification, and raises Canadians' awareness of the importance of financial planning. FPSC's vision is to see Canadians improve their lives by engaging in financial planning. Currently, there are more than 18,000 CFP professionals in Canada and more than 133,000 CFP certificants in 23 countries worldwide. See www.fpsc.ca for more information.
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TO ARRANGE MEDIA INTERVIEWS OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT
Eileen Chadnick
Chadnick Communications (for FPSC)
416.631.7437 or eileen@chadnick.com
Heather Mills
FPSC
416.593.8587 x 235 or hmills@fpsc.ca