MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Oct. 28, 2011) -

Editors' Note: There is a photo associated with this press release

National Bank is proud to announce that it will be donating a total of $150,000 to the Fondation Jean-Marc Paquette over the next three years. This donation is a concrete gesture being made as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and will help fund breast cancer screening and prevention initiatives. National Bank's financial contribution will help defray the cost of modernizing the foundation's mobile screening clinic, CLARA (CLinique Accréditée de RAdiologie), which operates out of a converted bus.

This project will include an upgrade of the unit's computerized equipment from analogue to digital mode, which will improve both the quality and the transmission of images. National Bank has been a partner of the Fondation Jean-Marc Paquette since 2001, and has helped fund the mobile screening unit from its inception.

"National Bank has provided strong support for this innovative, cutting-edge initiative from the start," said Leonardo Iacono, President of Fondation Jean-Marc Paquette. "The Bank's donation will allow us to continue developing and improving the unit. Not only is CLARA an essential resource in our efforts to screen and prevent breast cancer in Quebec, it is also an invaluable way for us to raise awareness about this disease. The Fondation Jean-Marc Paquette would like to thank National Bank for supporting this project, which contributes to the health of women in Québec."

"In Canada, it is estimated that one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. This is a troubling statistic, but our hope lies in prevention and early screening. National Bank is proud to support the CLARA mobile unit in providing quality care to women who live outside of major city centres and do not have ready access to mammogram services. This is another opportunity for the Bank to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer," stated Diane Giard, National Bank's Executive Vice-President of Marketing.

This donation to the Fondation Jean-Marc Paquette is one of many initiatives undertaken by the Bank as part of the Pink Ribbon Campaign—of which the National Bank Allure MasterCard is a prime example. This credit card is designed for women who want to make a difference by helping in the fight against breast cancer and other causes. A percentage of sales made by card-holders is donated annually to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation¹. Thanks to the holders of the National Bank Allure MasterCard, over $2.4 million has been collected for the Foundation since 2005.

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. National Bank has over $153 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,217 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). For more information, visit the Bank's website at [ www.nbc.ca ]. To access National Bank's financial education portal, visit [ www.clearfacts.ca ].

(1) Donations given annually by National Bank representing a percentage of the purchases made annually on a 12-month period by all cardholders.

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