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Guardian Group of Funds Ltd. (GGOF) today launched GGOF Global Dividend Growth Fund, providing investors the opportunity to invest globally, with a combination of capital growth, income and risk control. The Fund's emphasis on global equities with above average yields makes it particularly well suited for conservative investors looking for global equity exposure.

“Conservative investors are sometimes reluctant to invest globally because of a greater perceived level of risk,” said Gavin Graham, Chief Investment Officer, GGOF. “One option that gives investors access to the growth potential of global equities, while minimizing risk, is investing in equities that focus on strong cash flow generation and high dividend yields.”

GGOF Global Dividend Growth Fund holds a well diversified portfolio of approximately 60 – 100 equity holdings, with no geographic restrictions. Although developed markets are favoured, the Fund may invest up to 25 per cent of the Fund's assets in emerging markets. Holdings are selected with the goal of creating a diversified portfolio that will maximize expected yield and capital growth.

“Returns from global dividend investments have historically been non-correlated with returns from other asset classes. For this reason, a product like GGOF Global Dividend Growth Fund can be particularly valuable in achieving portfolio diversification,” added Graham.

The Fund is managed by a team at Lazard Asset Management (Canada), Inc. of New York, comprised of Patrick Ryan, Kyle Waldhauer and Andrew Lacey. Lazard manages $97 billion in assets and has a global reach with offices in 29 cities across 16 countries around the world. Collectively, the portfolio team has more than 40 years of industry experience and will be supported by Lazard's Global Research Platform.

Why Global Dividend Investing?

• Over the long-term, dividend paying equities have outperformed non-dividend paying equities. Over the past 15 years, global equities with high dividend yields have dramatically outperformed those with low dividend yields. Additionally, dividends have historically accounted for a significant portion of global equity returns.
• Mature, dominant companies generate significant levels of free cash flow that they can direct to shareholders in the form of dividends and still retain enough cash to reinvest in the business in an effort to grow their earnings.
• Dividend paying stocks provide protection in declining markets because their earnings tend to be more stable and the dividends they produce provide additional support during periods of market weakness.
• Global investing adds an element of geographic and sector diversification since Canada accounts for only three per cent of global capital markets and is heavily weighted in resources and financials.

GGOF provides investors with a full product line of 34 mutual funds, diversified by asset class, geographic region and capitalization. GGOF, with $5.98 billion of mutual fund assets under management at December 31st, 2006, offers its funds exclusively through financial intermediaries.

GGOF is a member of BMO Financial Group and part of the organization's Private Client Group. BMO's Private Client Group provides integrated wealth management services in Canada and the United States and had total assets under management and administration and term investments of $288.1 billion as at October 31, 2006.

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