Archived - Minister of State (Finance) Announces Appointment of Canada’s First Financial Literacy Leader

April 15, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance

Minister of State (Finance) Kevin Sorenson today announced the appointment of Jane Rooney, a seasoned policy maker in domestic and international financial literacy issues, as Canada’s first-ever Financial Literacy Leader, building on the Harper Government’s ongoing initiatives to protect consumers. Minister Sorenson made the historic announcement at a local Ottawa school where he helped mark Talk With Our Kids About Money Day, a day created by the Canadian Foundation of Economic Education and sponsored by BMO Financial Group.

Canada is recognized worldwide as a leader in financial literacy. From the creation of the Task Force on Financial Literacy, to the dedication of November as Financial Literacy Month thanks to a Private Member’s bill by James Rajotte, Member of Parliament (Edmonton–Leduc), the Harper Government continues to lead with today’s appointment of a Financial Literacy Leader. The Task Force on Financial Literacy provided a number of recommendations, including the appointment of a Financial Literacy Leader, in an effort to help ensure Canadians are fully equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to make responsible financial decisions.

The Financial Literacy Leader Act provides for the appointment of a Financial Literacy Leader within the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. The Financial Literacy Leader’s mandate will be to collaborate and coordinate activities with stakeholders to contribute to and support initiatives that strengthen the financial literacy of Canadians.

The Harper Government has endeavoured to improve financial literacy by engaging stakeholders to better understand the unique challenges faced by seniors, and under the leadership of the Financial Literacy Leader it will consult on the development of a national financial literacy strategy that specifically responds to the needs of seniors.

Meagan Murdoch
Communications
Office of the Minister of State (Finance)
613-996-7861

Jack Aubry
Media Relations
Department of Finance
613-996-8080


Jane Rooney

Ms. Rooney joined the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) in 2002, and since 2008 has been Director, Financial Literacy and Consumer Education. In this role she directed and implemented two national, separately funded education programs—one with a focus on financial literacy that helps Canadians increase their financial knowledge and confidence in managing their personal finances; the second on consumer education which aims to increase consumers’ knowledge and awareness of financial products and services, as well as their rights and responsibilities in this area.

The innovative approach taken by Ms. Rooney and her financial literacy team earned them a 2010 Public Service Award of Excellence for the successful development of the popular The City: A Financial Life Skills Resource, a simulated online world that offers an interactive, engaging and fun way for students to learn about money.

Ms. Rooney is a member of a number of committees working on financial literacy within Canada and abroad. She is the Chair of the Government of Canada’s Interdepartmental Committee on Financial Literacy. She is also Canada’s representative on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) International Financial Education Network and on the OECD’s Advisory Board for the International Network on Financial Education.

Her previous work experience includes almost eight years as a policy analyst at the Canadian Payments Association, the organization that developed and operates the Canadian payments system. In that capacity, Ms. Rooney was a member of a number of Canadian committees that examined payment policy issues.

Ms. Rooney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Carleton University.

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