STOCKGROUP REFUSES RCMPJANUARY 5, 2006 - 09:00 ET
Stockgroup Information Systems Inc.: StockHouse Linked to the RCMP Investigation into Finance Ministry's Alleged Security Breach
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Jan. 5, 2006) - Stockgroup Information Systems Inc. (OTCBB:SWEB)(TSX VENTURE:SWB) announced today that its Internet financial portal, StockHouse.ca, is linked to the RCMP investigation into Canada's Finance Minister Ralph Goodale's alleged information leak. CBC News reported on December 28th that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it would investigate an NDP Member of Parliament's complaint of a possible breach in security or a possible leak of the Finance Department policy announcement on income trusts and dividend taxes.
The story that linked the Minister of Finance's alleged information leak to StockHouseTM was first reported on December 6th. A message was posted November 23rd on the StockHouse BullBoardsTM online message board that communicated that "...he (Goodale) will soon announce a reduction on dividend taxation to 'even the playing field'..." A second person posted a similar message later in the day, though still prior to the announcement. The financial portal StockHouse.ca is Canada's largest online community of active investors; the BullBoards receive over 650,000 unique visitors each month.
Mr. Goodale denies that his announcement was leaked, and explains that the use of the term "even the playing field" at his news conference the next day was merely a coincidence, although the spike in income trust trading that day was deemed to be enough evidence to warrant this investigation.
StockHouse has yet to be contacted by the RCMP with respect to the possible leak and the related posts on the BullBoards. Bruce Nunn, Stockgroup's Vice President of Marketing, said, "Protecting the interests of the StockHouse BullBoards community is vitally important to our company. Both professional traders and non-professional investors frequent our BullBoards to candidly share their insights and opinions. They expect privacy and anonymity. Stockgroup will not release the identities of the persons that posted the BullBoards messages."
About Stockgroup Information Systems Inc.
As an online media company, Stockgroup Information Systems provides a complete financial data source for investors, investment advisory firms, press and media organizations as well as access to specific demographics for advertisers. Stockgroup owns and operates the StockHouse media properties.
To find out more about Stockgroup (OTCBB: SWEB, TSX-V: SWB), visit our website at www.stockgroup.com.
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