News Release

Vancouver -- The B.C. Securities Commission has settled with an Abbotsford physiotherapist who violated the Securities Act when he failed to note misrepresentations made in connection with sales of more than $1-million in securities to B.C. investors.

Barry Crocker, president of Barphys Physiotherapy, has been banned from the securities market and prohibited from acting as a director or officer of any issuer for at least five years. He is allowed to retain his current position as president of Barphys and he may also trade securities in the company and in his personal trading account. He must also pay $15,000 to the commission.

Crocker, who became a director of Specialized Surgical Services Inc. in September 1997, breached his duties as a director when he failed to note misrepresentations in documents used to sell shares in Specialized Surgical to investors. The misrepresentations included not disclosing commissions paid, material changes and conflicts of interest.

In May 2001, Crocker was among those named in a commission hearing notice issued against Mark Webster Vaughan Foster, of Victoria, in connection with allegations of promoting unsuitable investments to unsophisticated investors; distributing securities without filing a prospectus; not disclosing conflicts of interest; and making misrepresentations to investors.

In reaching the settlement, the commission noted that Crocker co-operated fully with staff during the investigation and was unaware of various conflicts of interest between Foster and Specialized Surgical. Crocker also lost about $15,000 of his own money in the investment.

The B.C. Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating trading in securities and exchange contracts within the province. Copies of the settlement agreement can be viewed in the documents database of the commission’s website www.bcsc.bc.ca or by contacting Andrew Poon, Media Relations, 604-899-6880.