IRIS Mutual Funds Reorganize Under R Funds Umbrella

Effective December 31, 2001, the IRIS Funds, managed by Laurentian Bank of Canada, were reorganized under the R Funds umbrella, managed by BLC Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management Inc., a joint venture of Laurentian Bank and La Compagnie Financière Edmond de Rothschild Banque of Paris. The reorganization involved the merger of certain funds with the IRIS Group of Funds, the merger of some R Funds within the R Group of Funds, the merger of certain IRIS Funds with other R Funds, and finally the transfer of the remaining IRIS Funds to the R Group of Funds. Following the reorganization, BLC Edmond de Rothschild will act as both trustee and manager of the extended R Group of Funds, which now offers some 22 mutual funds with approximately $600 million of assets under management.

Laurentian Bank and BLC Edmond de Rothschild were advised by Lorraine Pilon, senior vice-president, legal affairs and compliance, and assistant secretary; Sophie Bossé, senior legal counsel; and by Ogilvy Renault, with a team comprised of Jean Daigle, Marc Duquette and Elliot Shapiro (corporate and securities).