John needs some advice on his retirement planning because he intends to move to Hamilton, ON when he retires. John speaks to two financial planners, Max who works for CIMB bank and Simon who is running his own practice. Max recommends that John invests in CIMB's GIC using an RRSP account. Simon recommends he invests in 2 different GICs- one with CIMB bank and the other with RHB bank. Simon states he can recommend more GIC options because he is more independent than other financial planners in that he only receives commissions from financial institutions and not a salary. John is concerned about the independence of the financial advice he receives and has come to you for advice on choosing a financial planner.

1. Explain to John whether Simon's statement is correct and a method to tell if a financial planner is independent from financial institutions.
2. Explain to John another aspect he should look for in a financial planner when seeking financial advice and why it is important.