(Business Edge columnist Gyle Konotopetz regularly profiles the top stock picks of some of Canada's most accomplished investment pros.)

FEATURED PRO: Jean-Francois Tardif is a portfolio manager with Sprott Asset Management (www.sprott.ca). He is the lead manager for the Sprott Opportunities Hedge Fund.

Fund Form: The Sprott Opportunities Hedge Fund had a one-year return of 16.5 per cent compared to the group average of 4.8 per cent (through Sept. 30). The fund has an annualized return of 35.2 per cent since its inception in April of 2004.

Management Expense Ratio: Two per cent (plus performance fees).

Jean-Francois Tardif

Tardif's Strategy: "Long term, I'm bullish on oil stocks and I'm not very worried about the oil price. I'm more worried about the natural gas price. How those (natural-gas weighted) stocks do depends on whether gas companies review their production and their spending and/or whether we have a warm or cold winter. If we have another warm winter, we may have this problem with (natural) gas for another year. If we have a normal or cold winter, things will come back into place very quickly. I'm hoping to be able to invest a lot of money at the bottom (in the oil and gas sector).

"In the mean time, we're investing in other things. We're looking at stocks that have corrected because there's maybe a perception that they're commodities and (natural) gas related investments, but they are not. I particularly like the infrastructure theme, companies that provide equipment to different aspects of the Canadian economy such as construction and the oilsands."

First Star

* Wajax Income Fund (TSX:WJX.UN)

* Recent Price: $34.64.

* 52-Week Range: $21.53-$47.

* Snapshot: Wajax is a distributor and provider of support service for mobile equipment, industrial components and power systems. It operates through a network of 104 branches across Canada.

* CEO: Neil Manning.

* Head Office: Mississauga.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 9.2; Revenue (last 12 mos), $1.2 billion; 5-Yr Revenue Growth, -1.8 per cent; Earnings (last 12 mos.), $63.8 million; Market Cap, $574.5 million; Shares Outstanding, 16.6 million; Monthly Cash Distribution, 30 cents per unit.

* Tardif's View: "This company will benefit from infrastructure spending and the booming economy in Western Canada. They sell heavy equipment across Canada. As a dealer, they don't make much money selling heavy equipment but they do make a lot of money servicing that equipment fleet. I think this stock will go back north of the last high of $46 before the end of 2007. Why? Because the earnings keep growing. This year, they're going to make somewhere around $4.50 in earnings per share and next year they're going to make $5-plus earnings per share. Being a trust, they don't pay taxes so my forecast for this stock is that it will make about $5.25 per share next year. Plus, they're also paying a 30-cent monthly distribution, which is about 11 per cent."

* Tardif's Risk Rating: Medium.

* Web Watch: www.wajax.com

Second Star

* Strongco Income Fund (TSX:SQP.UN)

* Recent Price: $19.50.

* 52-Week Range: $13-$23.25.

* Snapshot: Strongco sells, rents and services mobile industrial equipment throughout Canada, primarily serving the mining, energy, forestry, utilities, construction and road-building sectors.

* CEO: Robin MacLean.

* Head Office: Mississauga.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 9.1; Revenue (last 12 mos.), $445.1 million; 5-Yr Revenue Growth, -1.3 per cent; Earnings (last 12 mos), $21.6 million; 5-Yr Earnings Growth, 78.7 per cent; Market Cap, $195.84 million; Shares Outstanding, 10 million; Monthly Cash Distribution, 18 cents per unit.

* Tardif's View: "This stock, like Wajax, has had a very important correction and I think it will come back to a new high. I don't think these companies (Wajax and Strongco) deserved to correct. They've corrected as much as the drilling companies, which is ridiculous in my mind. I think Strongco could trade as high as $25 or $26 next year. I expect this company to make $2.75 (in earnings per share) and it also pays a $2.18 distribution per year."

* Tardif's Risk Rating: Medium.

* Web Watch: www.strongco.com

Third Star

* Transat AT (TSX:TRZ.B)

* Recent Price: $24.95.

* 52-Week Range: $15.90-$27.01.

* Snapshot: Transat is a holiday travel company with tour operators in Canada, France and the U.K. and also provides airline and travel agent services.

* CEO: Jean-Marc Eustache.

* Head Office: Montreal.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 13.1; Revenue (last 12 mos), $2.5 billion; 5-Yr Revenue Growth, 4.2 per cent; Earnings (last 12 mos.), $70.4 million; 5-Yr Earnings Growth, 8.7 per cent; Market Cap, $844.11 million; Shares Outstanding, 33.8 million.

* Tardif's View: "This is a company that has a very strong market share in Eastern Canada, particularly in Quebec, for packaged holidays. The oil price has come down, which is a positive for the company, but they did very well even when oil prices were higher.

"I think they're going to do really well in the next six months with more Canadians travelling. In my view, they should convert to an income trust because they generate so much cashflow, but I don't think they plan to convert to a trust. They want to retain their cash to do acquisitions. They have more than $10 per share in cash on the balance sheet and they generate a lot of free cashflow every year. It's an extremely profitable business. Because the Canadian economy is doing so well, I expect this company to grow their sales, earnings and cashflow. On top of that, they're probably going to make some accretive acquisitions."

* Tardif's Risk Rating: Medium.

* Web Watch: www.transat.com

Tardif's Edge Record (last 12 mos): +10.4 per cent. Best Pick: Tournigan Gold (TSXV:TVC) +125.6 per cent. Worst Pick: Total Energy Services Trust (TSX:TOT.UN) -22.5 per cent.

Disclosure: Tardif owns shares in the Sprott Opportunities Hedge Fund in which the featured stocks are held.

(This feature is provided for information purposes. Investors are advised to do their own research or consult a qualified investment professional before making investment decisions.)