With one of the most stable and well-capitalised banking systems in the world, Canadian banks are riding high on the back of a strong mortgage market. But will high consumer debt levels and international banking regulation restrict activity? 

Scotia Capital provides its oil and gas clients with in-depth geophysical expertise, something that vice-chairman Adam Waterous believes is just as important as advice on the structuring of mergers and acquisitions.

Scotiabank's need to provide a more rounded service for its customers across the globe led to a co-operation with Western Union, which has developed over the past 18 months. As the Canadian bank's managing director of core deposits and payments acknowledges, this arrangement has been mutually beneficial.

The countries of the Caribbean have so far avoided the worst of the global slowdown, in part due to the region's steadfast regulatory discipline, but also because of the conservative approach adopted by the Canadian banks that dominate the area's financial sector. Writer Jane Monahan