The Life Insurance Council of Manitoba has imposed a global fine of $1,000 and investigation costs of $3,150 on Jeremy Liam Short, a former licensed life and accident and sickness insurance agent.

The decision rendered on September 21, 2026 upholds four counts, including an electronic signature without documented authorization and a false statement on a licence renewal. Mr. Short was present and waived his right to a hearing.

DocuSign signature and false answer on licence renewal

At the time of the events, Mr. Short was practising in Manitoba under the sponsorship of an insurer, through an agency that employed him.

The first count concerns the fact that Mr. Short electronically signed a Certification of Completion through DocuSign in the name of a Manitoba insurance consumer, using his own email address and without documented authorization.

The sponsoring insurer terminated the sponsorship for cause on May 13, 2022. The Council received the notice of termination on May 26, 2022.

Additional information received on June 3, 2022, reported forgery involving a digital signature. The agency conducted an internal investigation and forwarded its report to the Council's investigator.

The second count alleges that Mr. Short failed to report to the Council, within 15 days, that an investigation had been opened on January 7, 2022, by the Mutual Funds Dealer Association (MFDA), which became Canadian Investment Regulatory Organisation (CIRA) in 2023.

The third count concerns his licence renewal application of April 21, 2022. He answered "No" to the question about regulatory investigations, even though the MFDA investigation was open.

The fourth count concerns unfair or deceptive practices in the business of insurance.

The Council rejects the agent’s explanations

During the investigation, Mr. Short told the Council's investigator that he did not clearly remember the consumer's file. He maintained that, under his usual practice, he would have informed the consumer and obtained consent before signing electronically.

Regarding the MFDA investigation, he said he had not understood that it constituted a material change requiring disclosure. He explained that he answered "No" on his licence renewal because he could not recall when the matter had become a formal investigation.

The Council did not accept these explanations. It emphasized that licensed agents must act honestly and in good faith, including in their dealings with the regulator. Accurate and complete disclosure, it noted, is essential to the Council's licensing and oversight responsibilities.

The panel concluded that Mr. Short's conduct demonstrated dishonesty and unreliability. It also considered his awareness of the importance of documentation and disclosure obligations an aggravating factor.

Global fine of $1,000 and separate CIRO sanction

The Council imposed a fine of $1,000 and investigation costs of $3,150, without breaking these amounts down by the breaches found.

This sanction is separate from that of CIRO, which is a distinct proceeding. CIRO issued a notice of hearing on August 1, 2024. In that proceeding, it was alleged that Mr. Short had electronically signed the signatures of approximately 85 clients on 315 account forms. This is an allegation by CIRO, not a fact found by the Council.

The settlement agreement of May 16, 2025, accepted on June 12, 2025, provides for a fine of $20,000, costs of $5,000 and a two-year ban from engaging in securities-related activities.

It sanctions the electronic signing of mutual fund client forms without authorization, the creation of false or misleading notes and false statements made during the member dealer's investigation.