Merger of Montréal and Toronto Exchanges – Desjardins Group Welcomes the Decision of the Autorité des marchés financiers

Lévis (Québec), April 11, 2008 – Desjardins Group welcomes the decision of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) to approve the merger request between the Montréal Exchange and the TSX Group. It says it is satisfied with the commitments obtained by the AMF as regards share ownership of TMX Group, its governance and the activities that will be run out of Montréal, including the Canadian Derivatives Exchange and the Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation. It would also like to express its satisfaction with respect to the role the AMF will play as a derivatives regulator.

For Desjardins, the creation of the TMX Group still represents the best way to ensure the influence of the expertise developed in Montréal in this cutting-edge, high-growth sector. This merger is also a good way to remove the uncertainty of the future of the Montréal Exchange with the pending March 2009 deadline, thereby ensuring its long-term survival for the benefit of Montréal and Québec as whole.

Lastly, Desjardins would like to invite the AMF to exercise the vigilance needed to ensure that the commitments made by the TSX Group are fully respected.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest integrated cooperative financial group in Canada, with overall assets of $144 billion, as at December 31, 2007. It comprises a network of caisses, credit unions and business centres in Québec and Ontario, and some twenty subsidiary companies in life and general insurance, securities brokerage, venture capital and asset management, many of which are active across the country. Drawing on the expertise of its 40,000 employees and the commitment of more than 6,500 elected officers, Desjardins offers its 5.8 million individual and corporate members and clients a full range of financial products and services. Its physical distribution network is complemented by leading-edge virtual access methods.

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Information: (for journalists only):
André Chapleau
Director Information and Media Relations
514-281-7229
1-866-866-7000, ext. 7229