Whipple Steinkrauss, a FAIR Canada Director, passed away on Friday, January 31, 2009.

Although retired, Whipple remained just as active – as a strong and insightful voice and was very well respected and admired by many in the consumer and investor advocate communities.

An example of her advocacy and expertise can be seen from her recent guest appearance on BNN Business News Network on January 6, 2009 – Are Retail Investors Adequately Protected When they Deal with Professionals in the Investment Industry?   “When we were looking for a board member with a strong retail investor perspective, we spoke to several people involved with the Ontario Securities Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee and they all recommended Whipple” said Ermanno Pascutto, Executive Director of FAIR.  “I learned much from her in the short time I knew her”.

Whipple was a retired Assistant Deputy Minister of Business Practices in the then Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations.  In that capacity, she was responsible for the administration of 21 consumer protection and regulatory statutes.  Whipple was a founding member of the Queen’s Park QCC as a not-for-profit corporation and has served on its board and overseen its investment portfolio for the past 18 years.

Over the past decade, she has served on the boards or advisory committees to the boards of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services, TARION Corporation, the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund, and both the Consumers Council of Canada and it’s Foundation.  FAIR Canada has lost a very valuable member and is thankful for her contributions.