Complete the complaint form
Use this guide to help you complete the complaint form.
1. Tell us about yourself
We need your name and contact information so we can confirm to you in writing that we received your complaint and, later, to inform you about the outcome of our investigation. We may also need to contact you to for more information. You have the right to submit your complain anonymously; but this will make it more difficult to conduct a successful investigation.
2. Tell us about the company or person you have a complaint against
The information you provide in this section will help us determine who has authority to deal with your complaint and how we can help you. We will also use it to check our databases to determine whether your complaint is about a new matter or one that is already under investigation. Please provide as much information as you can about the company or individual.
3. Tell us about your complaint
A. Dates: Dates are important in an investigation. They also help determine whether the events occurred within the limitation period.
B. Other legal action: If you or anyone else has started legal action related to your complaint, it may be relevant and helpful to an investigation.
C. Contact with other organizations: This helps us determine what further information or assistance we can provide. We may get in touch with an organization that you have contacted to advise them of our interest in the matter, or we may direct you to another organization that we know has an interest in the matter.
4. Tell us what happened
Tell us simply, in your own words, what happened, in the order in which the events occurred. Use as much space as you need and include as many dates as you can recall. For example:
A. Re: Insider trading in the shares of ABC Public Co.
I am the wife of the president of ABC Public Co. He and I are in the middle of divorce proceedings. I feel compelled to bring his misconduct to your attention. In December of 2002 and January of 2003, my husband acted on behalf of ABC Public Co. in negotiating the purchase of a valuable mineral property. On December 12, 2002, a news release issued by ABC Public Co. announced these negotiations. On January 15, 2003, another news release was issued by ABC Public Co., stating that the mineral property purchase was not completed and negotiations had been discontinued. The company’s shares subsequently dropped in value.
My husband sold shares of ABC Public Co., through our joint trading account, on January 13, 2003, prior to the announcement that the purchase was not completed and negotiations had been discontinued. My husband did not report these sales in his insider reports.
I have enclosed copies of the relevant news releases issued by ABC Public Co., and copies of the monthly statements for our joint trading account for the months of December 2002 and January 2003.
B. Re: Complaint regarding John Doe and ABC Private Venture Ltd.
I purchased 500 shares of ABC Private Venture Ltd. for $10,000, on January 15, 2002, based on representations made by John Doe, the company’s president, that the company was going public and my investment would double within one year.
I trusted John Doe because he seemed knowledgeable, and I saw him regularly as a member of my tennis club for about five years. I used to get updates from John Doe about once a month, when we met at the tennis club. Now, John Doe doesn’t belong to the club anymore and he is not returning my telephone calls. Others at the tennis club have also invested and they haven’t been able to get any information either.
Please investigate John Doe and ABC Private Venture Ltd. I would appreciate receiving any information you could provide to me on this matter.
5. Documents and information sources relevant to your complaint
Documentation is a standard part of all legal transactions. Whether dealing with an advisor, their employer, or a company in which you invested, you should have received and kept various documents. Use this section to list the documents you will provide to support your complaint. You do not need to provide information or documents that we can find on a website, but we do need all relevant website addresses. For example:
A. Sample List (see Complaint regarding trading of ABC Public Co.):
Enclosed: My account statement for December 2002 and January 2003, and ABC Company Ltd. press releases dated December 12, 2002 and January 15, 2003 .
B. Sample List (see Complaint regarding John Doe and ABC Private Venture Ltd.)
Enclosed: $10,000 cancelled cheque paid to ABC Private Venture Ltd., and Business Plan for ABC Private Venture Ltd., dated January 2002.