Morneau Shepell Partner Bethune Whiston appointed to the Ontario Financial Services Tribunal

Ms Whiston will initially serve on the tribunal for a period of three years on the recommendation of the Premier of Ontario and with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor

TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell is pleased to announce that Bethune Whiston, a Partner in its Ontario Retirement Solutions and International Practice, has been appointed to the Ontario Financial Services Tribunal. Whiston will initially serve on the tribunal for a three-year period until December 2016.

The Financial Services Tribunal (FST) is an independent, adjudicative body composed of nine to 15 members, including the Chair and two Vice-Chairs. The FST hears appeals from decisions and reviews proposed decisions of the Superintendent of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) and of the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario (DICO). It has exclusive jurisdiction to determine all questions of fact or law that arise in any finance related proceeding before it.

"This appointment is a significant accomplishment for Bethune and an endorsement of her pension knowledge and expertise," said Alan Torrie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Morneau Shepell. "The Financial Services Tribunal and the public interest will be well-served with Bethune as a member."

"I believe in saying 'yes' to opportunities that provide challenge and growth," said Whiston. "It's a great privilege to receive this appointment and I look forward to working with the other members of the FST and learning from them as we serve our province and its people."

With more than 25 years of experience, Whiston manages Morneau Shepell's Pension and Benefits Consulting Legal Team in Toronto and co-manages the Toronto Regulatory Practice, a large multi-specialty team of people working on more than 180 pension plan wind-ups and restructurings in Canada.  Whiston is responsible for advising the firm's professionals and clients on a broad range of pension and benefit plan issues. She also consults, speaks and writes internationally on pension and benefit plan topics.

Outside of her work at Morneau Shepell, Whiston is a faculty member of the Osgoode Certificate in Pension Law and a past faculty member of the Centre for Employee Benefits (Humber College). Whiston is also the Executive Editor of the Morneau Shepell Summary of Pension Legislation in Canada, and coordinates publication of the Morneau Shepell Handbook of Canadian Pension and Benefit Plans. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario (1983) and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toronto (1986).

About Morneau Shepell Inc.

Morneau Shepell is the largest company in Canada offering human resources consulting and outsourcing services. The Company is the leading provider of Employee and Family Assistance Programs, as well as the largest administrator of retirement and benefits plans. Through health and productivity, administrative, and retirement solutions, Morneau Shepell helps clients reduce costs, increase employee productivity, and improve their competitive position. Established in 1966, Morneau Shepell serves more than 8,000 clients, ranging from small businesses to some of the largest corporations and associations in North America. With approximately 3,300 employees in offices across North America, Morneau Shepell provides services to organizations across Canada, in the United States, and around the globe. Morneau Shepell is a publicly-traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.

SOURCE: Morneau Shepell Inc.

Nathan Gibson
Corporate Communications
Morneau Shepell
416-390-2641
[email protected]