The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) on Tuesday published a new brochure for member firms to provide to clients, but fund dealers are not obliged to use it.

The purpose of the brochure is “to promote client awareness of the regulatory oversight exercised by the MFDA,” the self-regulatory organization (SRO) says in a bulletin, and to spell out the value of working with an MFDA member.

Among other things, the brochure details the protections provided by the MFDA’s rules, including the registration, proficiency, conduct and financial requirements it sets for dealers. It also outlines the SRO’s complaint handling standards, contingency fund coverage, and the existence of the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) for resolving disputes.

The SRO is not requiring dealers to provide the brochure to clients. Instead, the brochure it is a resource for dealers to use “at their discretion,” the MFDA says.