Kenneth Popowich Investment Advisor HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc.

1. There are always investment opportunities regardless of the economic situation. … It’s a question of matching the right investment opportunity to your time horizon, risk tolerance and requirements for income.

2. Several economists have suggested that most of the world economies are out of recession. However, there will likely continue to be volatility. Global economic recovery should be reflected in the equity markets.

3. Several commodities appear attractive….  Other areas such as technology may benefit from pent-up demand. Some emerging markets provide a compelling argument as well as the small cap sector, which is often the first to benefit from economic recovery.

4. Are they regulated by any federal or provincial body which monitors their activity? Also, ask about their industry accreditation experience. Most importantly, make sure your philosophies match.

5. My portfolio is well diversified, with exposure to blue-chip dividend paying stocks, as well as resources and small cap. Diversification is important, and having diversification among sectors, market cap, and geography is also critical.

Steven Belchetz President & Chief Investment Officer T.E.Wealth

1. There is really no bad time to invest for the long term and attempting to time the market tends to backfire more often than not.

2. I doubt that the market will continue to rally at the pace it did in 2009. More than likely, there will be a more gradual increase, accompanied by continued volatility and short-term corrections.

3. I encourage a diversified equity portfolio, which has exposure to various sectors, in order to prevent being caught with too much in a weak sector. This necessitates having more than just Canadian equities in portfolios….

4. At the end of the day, you want some assurance that they (advisor) will act in your best interests rather than in their own best interests (from a compensation perspective).

5. (My long-term strategy) outlines my allocation between fixed income and equities, as well as my allocation between Canada and the rest of the world. The only trades I make are to rebalance the portfolio when it deviates too much from these targets.

Brad Bissett Senior Financial Planner T D Waterhouse Financial Planning

1. If you have a mid-long term investment horizon and are comfortable with market fluctuations, investing in equities as the global economy recovers could be rewarding.

2. In 2010 I expect there will be a lot of volatility, but overall I think as economic conditions improve, investors will gain the confidence to move back into equities.

3. The Canadian financial services, energy and utilities sectors should strengthen…. Investors will need to closely monitor the portion of their accounts invested in the U.S., due to a sluggish economic recovery, high debt levels and the …rising Canadian dollar.

4. “How will you determine the level of investment risk that is suitable to my situation and how will you pick the investment products to use?”

5. Canadian Equities – financials, energy, utilities, basically companies that strive to pay dividends.

Roger Power Branch Manager Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. (NL)

1. For investors with a long-term horizon, anytime is a good time to invest in stock markets as they have outperformed other asset classes.

2. It will be difficult to outpace 2009, but under positive economic conditions, the market will go up in 2010, probably by double digits.

3. I expect financials and commodities (oil/gas, metals/ minerals) will be strong in 2010. Manufacturing will continue to be weak due to the strong Canadian dollar.

4. It is crucial to have open communications with your advisor. You need to know his investment philosophy and it needs to be similar to your own philosophy.

5. Most of my investments are managed by a third party “money manager”. This enables me to remove the “emotional element” which is inherent when one manages their own investments. Also, I do this to be properly diversified.