Noteholders of John Hancock Canadian Corp. (JHCC) have approved certain amendments to the trust indenture governing the company’s 6.672% Senior Unsecured Notes due May 31, 2011 and to the trust indenture governing its 6.496% Senior Unsecured Notes due Nov. 30, 2011, Manulife Financial Corp. announced Monday.

The indenture amendments will permit the wind-up of JHCC into John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (JHFS). Both companies are subsidiaries of Manulife.

Following the wind-up, JHFS will become liable in place of JHCC for the payment of all of the notes and interest payments on the notes.

The indenture amendments will also increase the interest rate, in the case of the 6.672% Notes, to 6.822% and, in the case of the 6.496% Notes, to 6.646%. The amendments to the indentures are expected to become effective on Nov. 26, 2008.