Ontario Securities Commission Chairman David Brown will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from McMaster University, the OSC said today.

The honorary degree is in recognition of his distinguished public service in the field of securities regulation on the provincial, national and international stages.

The honorary degree will be conferred upon Brown at the spring convocation of the Faculty of Business on June 6, 2005, in Hamilton, Ontario.

During the ceremony, Brown will address the students of McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business who will receive undergraduate or graduate degrees, including those from the MBA and Ph.D. programs.

“David Brown is an outstanding leader in Canada’s capital markets – his insight, integrity and clarity of purpose contributed to significant improvements in our system of securities regulation,” said Peter George, president and vice chancellor of McMaster, in a release. “He has provided a strong, guiding hand to staff at the OSC, and is respected internationally by his regulatory colleagues.”

The honorary degree recognizes Brown’s leadership at a key time for capital markets in Canada and internationally.

“It is indeed a great privilege to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from a university that it so committed to innovation and excellence. And I am honored to be invited to address the graduating class of McMaster’s Faculty of Business – members of the next generation of business leaders in Canada,” said Brown.

Brown was first appointed chairman of the OSC in April 1998. On April 14, 2003, he was re-appointed for a second five-year term. Brown will step down as Chair on June 30.