Canadian Financial Planner Wins International Academic Paper Award

June 19, 2001, Toronto - Irene Klatt, ALHC, CFP, of Toronto, received top prize in the International CFP Council's annual competition for her paper entitled, "Understanding the Canadian Health Care System." Klatt is director, health insurance policy, for the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA).

FPSC president Don Johnston and New Zealand's Financial Planners Insurance Advisors Association chief executive Phillip G. Matthews presented Klatt with her award of $1,000 US at the Toronto offices of Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC). Klatt wrote the paper for financial professionals outside of Canada to better familiarize them with our health care system. "It is very important that the public and the professionals who advise them understand what public and private health insurance coverage is available to Canadian residents," says Klatt. Her paper was first published in the September 2000 issue of the American Journal of Financial Service Professionals.

In her CLHIA role, Klatt meets with the federal and provincial regulators, monitors health developments and advises the life and health insurance companies operating in Canada of significant trends, regulations and issues that have a potential impact on the health insurance industry. "I was in a very good position to write this paper because of my role at the CLHIA," says Klatt.

Klatt earned the Certified Financial Planner™ designation two years ago to broaden her understanding of the needs of Canadians and how health insurance fits into the larger picture of personal financial planning.

"We extend congratulations to Irene on her achievement and thank her for sharing her knowledge with the financial planning profession worldwide," said Patricia P. Houlihan, CFP, chair of the International CFP Council. "This annual competition affords an opportunity for educators from around the world to share ideas and strengthen financial planning curricula in their own countries, for the benefit of professionals and the consuming public."

"We are very proud that the work of one of our own Canadian licensees has been honoured in this international competition," says Johnston.

To view Klatt's paper, click on What's New on the bottom navigation bar of this page.

An international assembly of financial planning bodies committed to CFP certification, the International CFP Council was founded in 1990 to promote the professionalism of individuals and organizations offering personal financial planning services and to ensure that such services are offered in an ethical and competent manner throughout the world. FPSC is the second largest member of the International Council comprised of organizations from 15 countries around the world. Currently, more than 62,000 individuals are authorized to use the CFP marks around the world with 13,000 in Canada. For more on the International CFP Council, visit www.CFP-Council.org.