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The heads of two of Canada’s biggest banks defended their organizations’ sales practices to shareholders on Tuesday, with the Bank of Nova Scotia’s chief executive calling allegations of aggressive tactics at some banks “largely unsubstantiated.”

Brian Porter, president and chief executive officer of Scotiabank, said his organization has “very sound sales practices,” in his first public comments since CBC News published an initial story quoting employees of Toronto-Dominion Bank who felt pressured to upsell to meet difficult sales targets.

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“We monitor and adjust (sales practices) where we think it’s necessary…. These claims the CBC is making are largely unsubstantiated,” he said in response to a question from a shareholder at Scotiabank’s annual meeting in Toronto on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bank of Montreal’s chief executive Bill Downe told shareholders at its annual general meeting in Toronto on Tuesday that he was confident that his employees “know we’re not in business to push products” and that the organization has fostered a culture where staff can “voice concerns without fear.”