Press Release

Introducing the Altamira Canadian Blue Chip Note

TORONTO (Oct 17, 2005) Altamira Investment Services today announced the launch of the Altamira Canadian Blue Chip Note. The Note is the first in a series the company plans to offer over the coming months.

The Altamira Canadian Blue Chip Note offers investors unlimited potential return with the security of having their initial investment fully protected at maturity. Investors will benefit from the gains in a benchmark portfolio of 20 leading Canadian companies including financial institutions, telecom service and energy providers. The Note has no management fees and is available for sale starting Monday, October 17, 2005.

"The Altamira Canadian Blue Chip Note is an excellent way for investors to capitalize on potential gains in the Canadian market with the security of knowing their initial investment is protected," said Ian Dillon, Chief Investment Strategist for Altamira.

National Bank of Canada is issuing the Canadian Blue Chip Note and provides principal protection at maturity. The issue price is $100 per note with a minimum investment of $500. Each note will have a minimum redemption price at maturity of $100, regardless of the benchmark portfolio's return. National Bank may redeem all of the notes four years from the issue date for a price per note of $146.41, providing a compound annual return of approximately 10%. No income taxes are payable during the holding period and the Note is eligible for all registered plans.

The Note can be purchased until November 25, 2005 directly from an Altamira Advisor by calling 1-888-ALTAMIRA or by visiting one of our investor centres across Canada. The complete terms of the offering can be found in the Information Statement dated Monday, October 17, 2005. Additional details and the Information Statement are available at www.altamira.com.

Altamira is a leading investment services company, offering a wide range of mutual funds, savings products, managed portfolios and financial planning services. Award-winning client service, product innovation and expert advice define Altamira's distinctive approach to investment management. The company is headquartered in Toronto with offices across the country, and is a subsidiary of the National Bank of Canada. www.altamira.com