Deal protections are an important aspect of M&A transactions. Buyers will typically negotiate with the target of the transaction to include all kinds of deal protections mechanisms, including no-shop provisions, matching rights, and break fees payable to the buyer. No-shop provisions in particular restrict the ability of the target board to solicit alternative proposals (including … Continue reading
In November 2018, the Standing Committee on Finance released a report to address the issue of money laundering and terrorist financing in Canada. The Committee’s first recommendation emanated from the corporate registry regime in the United Kingdom (“UK”). In an attempt to emulate the UK’s system, the Committee recommended that the Canadian government work with … Continue reading
Many transactions involve financial assistance by means of a loan, guarantee or otherwise between related corporations. Often, an important consideration in these circumstances is: does such financial assistance trigger any disclosure obligations? Generally, a corporation may give financial assistance to any person (including an individual, partnership, association, body corporate, trustee, executor, administrator or legal representative) … Continue reading
The 2019 budget implementation bill (Bill C-97) contains significant amendments to the Canadian Business Corporations Act (CBCA), which should be noted by organizations wishing to acquire Canadian targets. On April 30, 2019, Bill C-97 passed its second reading and was referred to Committee in the House of Commons. The amendments to the CBCA create the … Continue reading
Since the legalization of recreational cannabis on October 17, 2018, the Canadian cannabis industry has experienced a significant boom. In its 2018 Cannabis Report, Deloitte predicted that legal sales of marijuana are expected to generate up to $4.34 billion in 2019. Moreover, and as previously discussed, Health Canada has introduced draft regulations governing the production … Continue reading
Climate change is a reality we cannot ignore. Media report season after season record-breaking heat, drought, bushfires, etc. The impact on businesses is real, and investors are increasingly pushing for more detailed disclosure on climate change-related issues. According to the Wall Street Journal, companies are expected to face 75 climate-related shareholder proposals this AGM season. … Continue reading
If you are a minority shareholder you may feel a lack of control over corporate matters because majority shareholders, well, hold the majority of the voting rights. Certain shareholder agreements can help alleviate this lack of control and provide you with greater voting power. Shareholder Agreements Simply put, a shareholder agreement is a private contract … Continue reading
Concerns about the term or length of auditor tenure have returned to relevance following the recent fall of industry giants, providing good reason for Canadian companies to reconsider their audit and governance practices. In 2016, the European Union implemented mandatory rotations of audit firms for public companies, which was similarly considered, though rejected, in the United … Continue reading
2018 promises to be a year in which corporate culture will likely become an even more important focal point for investors and activists. There’s no denying that social media has drastically altered the dynamic for public companies. Today, shareholders are increasingly calling upon corporations to take public stances on various social (and sometimes political) issues, … Continue reading
The Canadian Securities Administrators (the “CSA”) have issued CSA Staff Notice 61-303 and Request for Comment – Soliciting Dealer Arrangements (the “Notice”) on the use of soliciting dealer arrangements. “Soliciting dealer arrangements” generally refer to agreements entered into between issuers and investment dealers under which the issuer agrees to pay to the dealers a fee … Continue reading
It is common for shareholders of a closely held corporation to set out the rules that govern their relationship vis-à-vis one another in the form of a shareholder agreement. One key concern for shareholders when negotiating a shareholder agreement is controlling the transfer of shares to unknown or undesirable persons, while still maintaining liquidity in … Continue reading
Members of a board of directors play a crucial role in the decision making processes of a company, which shape the company’s practices, strategies, future goals and overall success. Directors who are not are primarily employed by the subject company or those who sit on multiple boards may be at a risk of neglecting some … Continue reading
As noted by Kingsdale Advisors in a recently published report, corporate directors and their legal advisors continue to pay insufficient attention to shareholder activism in M&A. The authors of the 2017 special report caution that not only have shareholder activists been emboldened by post-financial crisis legislative changes that afford shareholders greater say, but that these investors … Continue reading
Certain consumers seeking out companies that have socially responsible products and services or that have a focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) is nothing new. Recently, however, evidence has emerged suggesting that investors, both retail and institutional, are increasingly taking these social factors into account when making decisions about how to allocate their … Continue reading
A recent decision of the Yukon Court of Appeal, InterOil Corporation v Mulacek, has potentially significant consequences for corporate governance practices in the context of plans of arrangement. Fairness opinions in plans of arrangement When a corporation proposes a plan of arrangement to its shareholders, it is generally considered a best practice of corporate governance … Continue reading
It is not in dispute that the role of the board of directors is to provide oversight of management and advise on the strategic direction of the corporation. However, the delineation of roles and responsibilities between management and directors in setting corporate strategy can often become blurred. In collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group and … Continue reading
This blog post originally appeared in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Special Situations blog. In an earlier post, we commented on the formal amendments to National Instrument 58-101 – Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices and Form 58-101F1 – Corporate Governance Disclosure imposing enhanced disclosure requirements with respect to female representation on the boards and in executive officer positions of … Continue reading
In a previous post, we discussed the importance of considering anti-corruption and bribery risks when engaging in international transactions. In connection with the OECD Convention on Combatting Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, Canada, the US and the UK, as well as an increasing number of legislatures around the world have implemented … Continue reading
Private equity investors (PEIs) are often a good source of capital for companies looking to start, maintain, or grow their operations and can also provide significant operational and transactional expertise. Like other investors, PEIs operate with a primary goal in mind; that is, to receive a favourable return on their investment. However, PEIs generally seek … Continue reading
On May 1, 2015, a significant number of changes to the Yukon’s Business Corporations Act and Business Corporations Regulation were proclaimed in force. This was the culmination of an almost seven-year process undertaken to modernize the Yukon’s corporations and securities legislation. While many of these changes simply bring the Yukon’s corporations and securities legislation in … Continue reading
Early stage companies face an uphill climb in growing their business and ensuring their viability going forward. Private equity firms can provide capital as well as significant operational and transactional expertise to aid in a company’s growth. However, private equity investors often intend to exit any investment within a defined time period. As a result, … Continue reading
There is a wide range of issues that a board and management team must face in considering an M&A transaction in the normal course. Increasingly, however, a company that is considering a potential merger or acquisition, or asking its shareholders to consider such a transaction, needs to be aware of the motivations of the stakeholder … Continue reading
As a new year begins, it is always a good time to take stock of the successes of the past year and look forward to doing even better in 2015. Shareholder activism will continue to be a “hot topic” for publicly listed issuers in 2015, but what lessons from the activism arena translate to companies … Continue reading
This post was contributed by Éric L’Italien, Lawyer, Norton Rose Canada Given the shaky economy over the past couple of years and the reduced number of takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, one would have expected a decline in indirect compensation such as golden parachutes. However, according to a recent Alvarez & Marsal study, there has been a 32% increase over the … Continue reading