Brascan Corporation

Brascan [1] also known as Brookfield Asset Management Inc., [2] , and prior to that, EdperBrascan Corporation. Brascan:

"owns, manages and builds businesses that generate sustainable cash flows. Through its major investment holdings the Company is engaged in real estate development (with major office properties in North America), power generation (with power generating plants in North and South America), and the harvesting of timber and manufacture of timber products in North America. The Company also provides banking and other financial services." [3]

Brascan or Brookfield has had a face-lift because one of its directors, Conrad Black and three other former Hollinger executives

"Authorities said Black, along with other officials, used insider trading to boost Hollinger stock in 1998, arranging for the Canadian company Brascan to buy Hollinger shares at the same time short-sellers were unloading their stock. At the time, Black was a director at Brascan, now called Brookfield Asset Management. "While Brascan used its own funds to purchase the shares, Black guaranteed their downside and interest rate, and also guaranteed their profit," prosecutors wrote, saying Black and other executives received cash from the deal." [4] [[5]]

Lord Black is along with Roy MacLaren is a member of the Trilateral Commission, [6] and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and a director of the Centre for Policy Studies, just like Standard Life's Norman Blackwell.

Brascan is a major contributor to the Liberal Party in Canada [[7]] and so are Standard Life, who have had a long association with the country. A Scotsman article, before de-mutualisation stated that:

"Europe’s largest mutual is also facing criticism after making payments of C$20,000 to the Liberal party in Canada. One policyholder said the company declared in its annual report that it made no political donations. However, Standard Life said it is not obliged to declare donations made outside the European Union. Malcolm Wood, director of legal services at Standard Life, said: "If the donation had been made in the UK it would have been disclosed."