SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA
as Rights Agent
Dated as of March 10, 2013
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | ||
| Page | ||
| ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS | 1 | |
| 1.1 | Definitions | 1 |
| 1.2 | Currency | 11 |
| 1.3 | Acting Jointly or in Concert | 11 |
| 1.4 | Control | 11 |
| 1.5 | Holder of Rights | 11 |
| 1.6 | References to this Agreement | 11 |
| ARTICLE 2 THE RIGHTS | 12 | |
| 2.1 | Legend on Common Share Certificates | 12 |
| 2.2 | Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights | 12 |
| 2.3 | Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights | 14 |
| 2.4 | Date on Which Exercise is Effective | 18 |
| 2.5 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates | 18 |
| 2.6 | Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange | 19 |
| 2.7 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates | 19 |
| 2.8 | Persons Deemed Owners | 20 |
| 2.9 | Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates | 20 |
| 2.10 | Agreement of Rights Holders | 20 |
| ARTICLE 3 ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN | ||
| TRANSACTIONS | 21 | |
| 3.1 | Flip-in Event | 21 |
| ARTICLE 4 THE RIGHTS AGENT | 22 | |
| 4.1 | General | 22 |
| 4.2 | Merger, Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent | 23 |
| 4.3 | Duties of Rights Agent | 23 |
| 4.4 | Change of Rights Agent | 25 |
| 4.5 | Compliance with Money Laundering Legislation | 25 |
| 4.6 | Privacy Provision | 25 |
| ARTICLE 5 MISCELLANEOUS | 26 | |
| 5.1 | Redemption and Termination | 26 |
| 5.2 | Expiration | 27 |
| 5.3 | Issuance of New Rights Certificates | 28 |
| 5.4 | Supplements and Amendments | 28 |
| 5.5 | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | 29 |
| 5.6 | Rights of Action | 29 |
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| TABLE OF CONTENTS | ||
|
(continued) |
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| Page | ||
| 5.7 | Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder | 30 |
| 5.8 | Notice of Proposed Actions | 30 |
| 5.9 | Notices | 30 |
| 5.10 | Costs of Enforcement | 31 |
| 5.11 | Successors | 31 |
| 5.12 | Benefits of this Agreement | 31 |
| 5.13 | Descriptive Headings | 31 |
| 5.14 | Governing Law | 31 |
| 5.15 | Language | 31 |
| 5.16 | Counterparts | 32 |
| 5.17 | Severability | 32 |
| 5.18 | Termination Date | 32 |
| 5.19 | Regulatory Approvals | 32 |
| 5.20 | Declaration as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders | 33 |
| 5.21 | Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors | 33 |
| 5.22 | Force Majeure | 33 |
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SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT
THIS SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT made as of the 10th day of March, 2013.
BETWEEN:
AURIZON MINES LTD., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”)
OF THE FIRST PART
- and -
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA, a trust company existing under the laws of Canada (hereinafter referred to as the “Rights Agent”)
OF THE SECOND PART
WHEREAS the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”), in the exercise of their fiduciary duties to the Corporation, has determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation to adopt and maintain a shareholder rights plan (the “Rights Plan”) to encourage the equal treatment of shareholders of the Corporation in connection with any Offer to Acquire Common Shares;
AND WHEREAS, in order to implement the Rights Plan, the Board of Directors has authorized the issuance of one right (a “Right”) in respect of each Common Share (as hereinafter defined):
| (a) | outstanding at the Record Time (as hereinafter defined); and |
| (b) | issued after the Record Time and prior to the earlier of the Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and the Expiration Time (as hereinafter defined); |
AND WHEREAS each Right entitles the holder thereof after the Separation Time to purchase securities of the Corporation pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
AND WHEREAS the Corporation desires to confirm the appointment of the Rights Agent to act on behalf of the Corporation, and the Rights Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to herein;
NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the premises and the respective agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
| (a) | “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation; provided, however, that the term “Acquiring Person” shall not include: |
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| (i) | the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation; |
| (ii) | any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation as a result of any one or a combination of: |
| (A) | an acquisition or redemption by the Corporation of Common Shares of the Corporation which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Corporation then outstanding; |
| (B) | share acquisitions made pursuant to a Permitted Bid (“Permitted Bid Acquisitions”); |
| (C) | share acquisitions (1) in respect of which the Board of Directors has waived the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to Subsections 5.1(b), 5.1(c) or 5.1(d) ; or (2) which were made on or prior to the Effective Date; or (3) which were made pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan of the Corporation; or (4) pursuant to the receipt or exercise of rights issued by the Corporation to all the holders of the Common Shares (other than holders resident in a jurisdiction where such distribution is restricted or impracticable as a result of applicable law) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or Convertible Securities, provided that such rights are acquired directly from the Corporation and not from any other Person and provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person’s percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to such acquisition; or (5) pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation of Common Shares or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a prospectus, provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person’s percentage of Common Shares or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to such acquisition; or (6) pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation of Common Shares or Convertible Securities by way of a private placement or a securities exchange take-over bid circular or upon the exercise by an individual employee of stock options granted under a stock option plan of the Corporation or rights to purchase securities granted under a share purchase plan of the Corporation, provided that (i) all necessary stock exchange approvals for such private placement, stock option plan or share purchase plan have been obtained and such private placement, stock option plan or share purchase plan complies with the terms and conditions of such approvals and (ii) such Person does not become the Beneficial Owner of more than 25% of the Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the distribution, and in making this determination, the Common Shares to be issued to such Person in the distribution shall be deemed to be held by such Person but shall not be included in the aggregate number of outstanding Common Shares immediately prior to the distribution; or (7) pursuant to an amalgamation, merger or other statutory procedure requiring shareholder approval (“Exempt Acquisitions”); |
| (D) | the acquisition of Common Shares upon the exercise of Convertible Securities received by such Person pursuant to a Permitted Bid Acquisition, Exempt Acquisition or a Pro Rata Acquisition (as defined below) (“Convertible Security Acquisitions”); or |
| (E) | acquisitions as a result of a stock dividend, a stock split or other event pursuant to which such Person receives or acquires Common Shares or Convertible Securities on the same pro rata basis as all other holders of Common Shares of the same class (“Pro Rata Acquisitions”); |
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provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Corporation then outstanding by reason of any one or a combination of (i) share acquisitions or redemptions by the Corporation or (ii) Permitted Bid Acquisitions or (iii) Exempt Acquisitions or (iv) Convertible Security Acquisitions or (v) Pro Rata Acquisitions and, after such share acquisitions or redemptions by the Corporation, Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt Acquisitions, Convertible Security Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions, such Person subsequently becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than an additional 1.00% of the number of Common Shares of the Corporation outstanding other than pursuant to any one or a combination of share acquisitions or redemptions of shares by the Corporation, Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt Acquisitions, Convertible Security Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions, then as of the date of any such acquisition such Person shall become an “Acquiring Person”;
| (iii) | for a period of 10 days after the Disqualification Date, any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares as a result of such Person becoming disqualified from relying on Subsection 1.1(f)(B) solely because such Person makes or announces an intention to make a Take-over Bid, either alone, through such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person. For the purposes of this definition, “Disqualification Date” means the first date of public announcement that any Person is making or intends to make a Take-over Bid, either alone, through such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person; or |
| (iv) | an underwriter or member of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares in connection with a distribution of securities by way of prospectus or private placement. |
| (b) | “Affiliate”, used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, shall mean a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person. |
| (c) | “Alamos Bid” means Take-over Bid by Alamos Gold Inc., the terms and conditions of which are set out in the offer and accompanying circular dated January 14, 2013 and the notice of variation dated March 6, 2013 and any further notices of variation, notices of change or notices of extension filed by Alamos Gold Inc. on or before the Effective Date. |
| (d) | “Arrangement Agreement” means the arrangement agreement among Hecla Mining Company, 0963708 B.C. Ltd and Aurizon Mines Ltd. dated March 3, 2013 as the same may be amended from time to time. |
| (e) | “Associate” of a specified individual shall mean any individual to whom such specified individual is married or with whom such specified individual is living in a conjugal relationship, outside marriage, or any relative of such specified individual or said spouse who has the same home as such specified individual. |
| (f) | A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner”, and to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, and to “Beneficially Own”: |
| (i) | any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is the owner at law or in equity; |
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| (iii) | any securities which are Beneficially Owned within the meaning of Subsections 1.1(f)(i) or 1.1(f)(ii) by any other Person with which such Person is acting jointly or in concert; |
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner”, or to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “Beneficially Own”, any security solely as a result of the existence of any one or more of the following circumstances:
| (A) | where (1) the holder of such security has agreed to deposit or tender such security pursuant to a Permitted Lock-up Agreement to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in Subsection 1.1(f)(iii) , or (2) such security has been deposited pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in Subsection 1.1(f)(iii) , in each case until the earliest time at which any such deposited security is accepted unconditionally for payment or exchange or is taken up and paid for; |
| (B) | where such Person, any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in Subsection 1.1(f)(iii) , holds such security provided that (1) the ordinary business of any such Person (the “Investment Manager”) includes the management of investment funds for others and such security is held by the Investment Manager in the ordinary course of such business in the performance of such Investment Manager’s duties for the account of any other Person, including the acquisition or holding of securities for non-discretionary accounts held on behalf of a client by a broker or dealer registered under applicable securities laws to the extent required, or (2) such Person (the “Trust Company”) is licensed to carry on the business of a trust company under applicable laws and, as such, acts as trustee or administrator or in a similar capacity in relation to the estate of any such deceased or incompetent Persons or in relation to other accounts and holds such security in the ordinary course of such duties for the estates of deceased or incompetent Persons or for such other accounts, or (3) such Person (the “Plan Trustee”) is the administrator or trustee of one or more pension funds or plans (each a “Plan”) registered under applicable laws and holds such security for the purposes of its activity as such, or (4) such Person is a Plan or is a Person established by statute (the “Statutory Body”) for purposes that include, and the ordinary business or activity of such Person includes the management of investment funds for employee benefit plans, pension plans, insurance plans (other than plans administered by insurance companies) or various public bodies or (5) such Person is a Crown agent or agency or (6) such Person (the “Manager”) is the manager or trustee of a mutual fund (“Mutual Fund”) that is registered or qualified to issue its securities to investors under the securities laws of any province of Canada or the laws of the United States of America or is a Mutual Fund; provided in any of the above cases, that the Investment Manager, the Trust Company, the Plan Trustee, the Plan, the Statutory Body, the Crown agent or agency, the Manager or the Mutual Fund, as the case may be, is not then making a Take-over Bid or has not announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid, other than an Offer to Acquire Common Shares or other securities pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation or by means of ordinary market transactions (including pre-arranged trades entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person) executed through the facilities of a stock exchange, securities quotation system or organized over-the-counter market, alone, through its Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person; or |
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| (C) | because such Person is a client of or has an account with the same Investment Manager as another Person on whose account the Investment Manager holds such security, or where such Person is a client of or has an account with the same Trust Company as another Person on whose account the Trust Company holds such security, or where such Person is a Plan and has a Plan Trustee who is also a Plan Trustee for another Plan on whose account the Plan Trustee holds such security; or |
| (D) | where such Person is (i) a client of an Investment Manager and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Investment Manager, or (ii) an account of a Trust Company and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Trust Company, or (iii) a Plan and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Plan Trustee; or |
| (E) | where such Person is the registered holder of securities as a result of carrying on the business of or acting as a nominee of a securities depositary. |
For purposes of this Agreement, the percentage of Common Shares Beneficially Owned by any Person, shall be and be deemed to be the product determined by the formula:
100 x A/B
Where:
A = the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to the Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person; and
B = the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to all outstanding Common Shares.
For the purposes of the foregoing formula, where any Person is deemed to Beneficially Own unissued Common Shares which may be acquired pursuant to Convertible Securities, such Common Shares shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of calculating the percentage of Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person in both the numerator and the denominator, but no other unissued Common Shares which may be acquired pursuant to any other outstanding Convertible Securities shall, for the purposes of that calculation, be deemed to be outstanding.
| (g) | “Aurizon Meeting” means the special meeting of shareholders and optionholders of the Corporation to be held pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Arrangement Agreement. |
| (h) | “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day that is treated as a holiday at the Corporation’s principal executive offices in Vancouver, Canada. |
| (i) | “Business Corporations Act” shall mean the Business Corporations Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 57, as amended, and the regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor laws or regulations thereto. |
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| (j) | “Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate” shall mean on any date the inverse of the U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate. |
| (k) | “Canadian Dollar Equivalent” of any amount which is expressed in United States dollars shall mean on any day the Canadian dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to the Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate on such date. |
| (l) | “close of business” on any given date shall mean the time on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the office of the transfer agent for the Common Shares in the City of Vancouver (or, after the Separation Time, the offices of the Rights Agent in the City of Vancouver) becomes closed to the public. |
| (m) | “Common Shares of the Corporation” and “Common Shares” shall mean the common shares in the capital stock of the Corporation as constituted as at the Effective Date and any other shares of the Corporation into which such common shares may be subdivided, consolidated, reclassified or changed from time to time. |
| (n) | “Competing Permitted Bid” means a Take-over Bid that: |
| (i) | is made after a Permitted Bid or another Competing Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the expiry of the Permitted Bid or another Competing Permitted Bid; |
| (ii) | satisfies all components of the definition of a Permitted Bid. |
| (o) | “Convertible Securities” means, at any time, any securities issued by the Corporation from time to time (other than the Rights) carrying any purchase, exercise, conversion or exchange right pursuant to which the holder thereof may acquire Common Shares or other securities which are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares. |
| (p) | “Convertible Security Acquisitions” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Acquiring Person” herein. |
| (q) | “Co-Rights Agents” shall have the meaning set forth in Subsection 4.1(a) |
.
| (r) | “Effective Date” shall mean March 10, 2013. |
| (s) | “Exempt Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Acquiring Person” herein. |
| (t) | “Exercise Price” shall mean, as of any date after the Effective Date, the price at which a holder may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right in accordance with the terms hereof and, subject to adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price shall be: |
| (i) | until the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, from time to time, per Common Share; and |
| (ii) | from and after the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, as at the Separation Time, per Common Share. |
| (u) | “Expansion Factor” shall have the meaning set forth in Subsection 2.3(a) |
.
| (v) | “Expiration Time” shall mean the earlier of: |
| (i) | the Termination Time; and |
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| (ii) | the Termination Date. |
| (w) | “Fiduciary” shall mean a trust company registered under the trust company legislation of Canada or any province thereof, a trust company organized under the laws of any state of the United States, a portfolio manager registered under the securities legislation of one or more provinces of Canada or an investment adviser registered under the United States Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or any other securities legislation of the United States or any state of the United States. |
| (x) | “Flip-in Event” shall mean a transaction occurring subsequent to the date of this Agreement as a result of which any Person shall become an Acquiring Person provided, however, that a Flip-in Event shall be deemed to occur at the close of business on the tenth day (or such later day as the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine) after the Stock Acquisition Date. |
| (y) | “Independent Shareholders” shall mean holders of outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation excluding (i) any Acquiring Person; or (ii) any Person (other than a Person referred to in Subsection 1.1(f) (B)) that is making or has announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid for Common Shares of the Corporation (including a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid) but excluding any such Person if the Take-over Bid so announced or made by such Person has been withdrawn, terminated or, expired; or (iii) any Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person or a Person referred to in clause (ii); or (iv) any Person acting jointly or in concert with such Acquiring Person or a Person referred to in clause (ii); or (v) a Person who is a trustee of any employee benefit plan, share purchase plan, deferred profit sharing plan or any similar plan or trust for the benefit of employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary of the Corporation, unless the beneficiaries of the plan or trust direct the manner in which the Common Shares are to be voted or direct whether the Common Shares are to be deposited to a Take-over Bid. |
| (z) | “Market Price” per security of any securities on any date of determination shall mean the average of the daily Closing Price Per Security of such securities (determined as described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date; provided, however, that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have caused the price used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on any Trading Day not to be fully comparable with the price used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on such date of determination or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day, each such price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in order to make it fully comparable with the price per security used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on such date of determination or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day. The “Closing Price Per Security” of any securities on any date shall be: |
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| (iii) | if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading as contemplated in Subsections 1.1(z)(i) or 1.1(z)(ii) , the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the securities provided, however, that if on any such date the Closing Price Per Security cannot be determined in accordance with the foregoing, the Closing Price Per Security of such securities on such date shall mean the fair value per share of such securities on such date as determined in good faith by an internationally recognized investment dealer or investment banker with respect to the fair value per share of such securities. |
The Market Price shall be expressed in Canadian dollars and, if initially determined in respect of any day forming part of the 20 consecutive Trading Day period in question in United States dollars, such amount shall be translated into Canadian dollars at the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof.
| (aa) | “1933 Act” shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any successor laws or regulations thereto. |
| (bb) | “1934 Act” shall mean the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any successor laws or regulations thereto. |
| (cc) | “Offer to Acquire” shall include: |
| (i) | an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell Common Shares; and |
| (ii) | an acceptance of an offer to sell Common Shares, whether or not such offer to sell has been solicited; |
or any combination thereof, and the Person accepting an offer to sell shall be deemed to be making an Offer to Acquire to the Person that made the offer to sell.
| (dd) | “Offeror’s Securities” means Common Shares Beneficially Owned on the date of an Offer to Acquire by any Person who is making a Take-over Bid and “Offeror” means a Person who has announced a current intention to make or is making a Take-over Bid. |
| (ee) | “Permitted Bid” means a Take-over Bid made by a Person by means of a Take-over Bid circular and which also complies with the following additional provisions: |
| (i) | the Take-over Bid is made to all holders of record of Common Shares, other than the Offeror, and for all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, other than the Common Shares held by the Offeror; |
| (ii) | the Take-over Bid shall contain, and the take-up and payment for Common Shares deposited thereunder shall be subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified condition that no Common Shares shall be taken up and paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid prior to the close of business on the date that is no earlier than the later of (1) the Termination Date; and (2) 35 days (or such other minimum period of days as may be prescribed by applicable law in British Columbia) after the date of the Take-over Bid constituting the Permitted Bid; and |
| (iii) | the Take-over Bid shall contain irrevocable and unqualified provisions that, unless the Take-over Bid is withdrawn, Common Shares may be deposited pursuant to the Take-over Bid at any time prior to the close of business on the date of first take-up or payment for Common Shares and that all Common Shares deposited pursuant to the Take-over Bid may be withdrawn at any time prior to the close of business on such date; |
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| (iv) | the Take-over Bid shall contain an irrevocable and unqualified condition that more than 50% of the outstanding Common Shares held by Independent Shareholders, determined as at the close of business on the date of first take-up for Common Shares under the Take-over Bid, must be deposited to the Take-over Bid and not withdrawn at the close of business on the date of first take-up for Common Shares, |
provided that, should a Permitted Bid cease to be a Permitted Bid because it ceases to meet any or all requirements mentioned above prior to the time it expires (after giving effect to any extension) or is withdrawn, then any acquisition of Common Shares made pursuant to such Permitted Bid shall not be a Permitted Bid Acquisition and provided further that if a Take-over Bid constitutes a “Competing Permitted Bid”, the term Permitted Bid shall include a Competing Permitted Bid.
| (ff) | “Permitted Bid Acquisitions” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Acquiring Person” herein. |
| (gg) | “Permitted Lock-up Agreement” means an agreement (the "Lock-up Agreement") between a Person and one or more holders of Common Shares (each such holder herein referred to as a "Locked-up Person") (the terms of which are publicly disclosed and a copy of which is made available to the public (including the Corporation) not later than the date of the Lock-up Bid (as defined below), or if the Lock-up Bid has been made prior to the date of the Lock-up Agreement not later than the first Business Day following the date of the Lock-up Agreement) pursuant to which each Locked-up Person agrees to deposit or tender the Common Shares held by such holder to a Take-over Bid (the "Lock-up Bid") made by the Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in Subsection 1.1(f)(iii) , provided that the Lock-up Agreement permits the Locked-up Person to withdraw its Common Shares from the Lock-up Agreement in order to deposit or tender the Common Shares to another Take-over Bid or to support another transaction prior to the Common Shares being taken up and paid for under the Lock-up Bid at a price or value per Common Share that exceeds the price or value per Common Share offered under the Lock-up Bid; and, for greater clarity, the agreement may contain a right of first refusal or require a period of delay to give the Person who made the Lock-up Bid an opportunity to match a higher price in another Take-over Bid or transaction or other similar limitation on a Locked-up Person's right to withdraw Common Shares from the agreement, so long as the limitation does not preclude the exercise by the Locked-up Person of the right to withdraw Common Shares during the period of the other Take-over Bid or transaction; and |
| (i) | no "break-up" fees, "top-up" fees, penalties, expenses or other amounts that exceed in aggregate the greater of: |
| (A) | 2.5% of the price or value of the consideration payable under the Lock-up Bid to a Locked-up Person; and |
| (B) | 50% of the amount by which the price or value of the consideration received by a Locked-up Person under another Take-over Bid or transaction exceeds the price or value of the consideration that the Locked-up Person would have received under the Lock-up Bid; |
shall be payable by such Locked-up Person if the Locked-up Person fails to deposit or tender Common Shares to the Lock-up Bid, or withdraws Common Shares previously tendered thereto in order to deposit or tender such Common Shares to another Take-over Bid or support another transaction.
| (hh) | “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, association, trust, trustee, personal representative, body corporate, corporation, unincorporated organization, syndicate or other entity. |
| (ii) | “Pro Rata Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Acquiring Person” herein. |
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| (jj) | “Record Time” shall mean 4:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on March 18, 2013. |
| (kk) | “Redemption Price” has the meaning set forth in Subsection 5.1(a) |
.
| (ll) | “Rights Certificate” shall mean, after the Separation Time, the certificate representing the Rights substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto; |
| (mm) | “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 418, and the rules and regulations thereunder, each as may be amended from time to time and any comparable or successor laws, rules or regulations thereto. |
| (nn) | “Separation Time” shall mean the close of business on the tenth Business Day after the earlier of: |
| (i) | the Stock Acquisition Date; |
| (iii) | the date upon which a Permitted Bid ceases to be a Permitted Bid; |
or such later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors provided that, if the foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time, the Separation Time shall be the Record Time, and provided that, if the Board of Directors determines pursuant to Section 5.1 to waive the application of Section 3.1 to a Flip-in Event, the Separation Time in respect of such Flip-in Event shall be deemed never to have occurred.
| (oo) | “Stock Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to section 5.2 of Multilateral Instrument 62-104 or section 13(d) under the 0000 Xxx) by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person that a Person has become an Acquiring Person. |
| (pp) | “Subsidiary” of any specified Person shall mean any corporation or other entity controlled by such specified Person. |
| (qq) | “Take-over Bid” means an Offer to Acquire Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares, where the Common Shares subject to the Offer to Acquire, together with the Common Shares into which the securities subject to the Offer to Acquire are convertible, and the Offeror’s Securities, constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares at the date of the Offer to Acquire. |
| (rr) | “Termination Time” shall mean the time at which the right to exercise Rights shall terminate pursuant to Sections 5.1 |
.
| (ss) | “Termination Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.18 |
| (tt) | “Trading Day”, when used with respect to any securities, shall mean a day on which the securities exchange or national securities quotation system on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading on which the largest number of such securities were traded during the most recently completed calendar year is open for the transaction of business or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any securities exchange, a Business Day. |
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| (uu) | “U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate” shall mean on any date: |
| (i) | if on such date the Bank of Canada sets an average noon spot rate of exchange with a conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such rate; |
| (ii) | in any other case, the rate for such date for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars which is calculated in the manner which shall be determined by the Board of Directors from time to time. |
| (vv) | “U.S. Dollar Equivalent” of any amount which is expressed in Canadian dollars shall mean on any day the United States dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to the U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate on such date. |
| 1.2 | Currency |
All sums of money which are referred to in this Agreement are expressed in lawful money of Canada.
| 1.3 | Acting Jointly or in Concert |
For purposes of this Agreement, a Person is acting jointly or in concert with another Person if such Person has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether formal or informal and whether or not in writing) with such other Person to acquire, or Offer to Acquire, any Common Shares of the Corporation (other than (A) customary agreements with and between underwriters and banking group or selling group members with respect to a distribution of securities by way of prospectus or private placement, or (B) pursuant to a pledge of securities in the ordinary course of business).
| 1.4 | Control |
A Person is “controlled” by another Person or two or more other Persons acting jointly or in concert if:
| (a) | in the case of a body corporate, securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of such body corporate carrying more than 50% of the votes for the election of directors are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons acting jointly or in concert and the votes carried by such securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board of directors of such body corporate; or |
| (b) | in the case of a Person which is not a body corporate, more than 50% of the voting interests of such entity are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons, |
and “controls”, “controlling” and “under common control with” shall be interpreted accordingly.
| 1.5 | Holder of Rights |
As used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the term “holder” of any Rights shall mean the registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Shares).
| 1.6 | References to this Agreement |
In this Agreement, unless otherwise provided herein and unless the context otherwise requires, references to “this Agreement”, “herein”, “hereby” and “hereunder” mean this Agreement as amended and supplemented from time to time.
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| 2.1 | Legend on Common Share Certificates |
Certificates for the Common Shares, including without limitation Common Shares issued upon the conversion of Convertible Securities, issued after the Record Time but prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time shall evidence one Right for each Common Share represented thereby and, commencing as soon as reasonably practicable after the Record Time, shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
“Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of March 10, 2013, as such Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement may from time to time be amended, restated, varied or replaced (the “Rights Agreement”), between Aurizon Mines Ltd. (the “Corporation”) and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as Rights Agent, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the registered office of the Corporation. In certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be amended, redeemed, may expire, may become void (if, in certain cases, they are “Beneficially Owned” by an “Acquiring Person”, as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement, or a transferee thereof) or may be evidenced by separate certificates and may no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Corporation will mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this certificate without charge as soon as practicable after the receipt of a written request therefor.”
Certificates representing Common Shares that are issued and outstanding at the Record Time shall evidence one Right for each Common Share evidenced thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time.
2.2 Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights
| (a) | Subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, or its U.S. Dollar Equivalent as at the Business Day immediately preceding the day of exercise of the Right, one Common Share. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Rights held by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall be void. |
| (b) | Until the Separation Time, |
| (i) | no Right may be exercised; and |
| (ii) | each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated Common Share and will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, such associated share. |
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| (ii) | a disclosure statement describing the Rights; |
provided that a Nominee shall be sent the materials provided for in Subsections 2.2 (c)(i) and 2.2 (c)(ii) only in respect of all Common Shares held of record by it which are not Beneficially Owned by such Acquiring Person, and the Corporation may require any Nominee or suspected Nominee to provide such information and documentation as the Corporation may reasonably require for such purpose.
| (i) | requisition from the transfer agent or any co-transfer agent of the Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased (the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizing its transfer agent to comply with all such requisitions); |
| (ii) | when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares and, after receipt, deliver such cash to or to the order of the registered holder of the Rights Certificate; |
| (iv) | tender to the Corporation all payments received on exercise of the Rights. |
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| (g) | The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will: |
| (i) | take all such action as may be necessary and within its power to ensure that all shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and non-assessable; |
| (ii) | take all such action as may be necessary and within its power to comply with any applicable requirements of the Business Corporations Act, the Securities Act, the securities acts or comparable legislation of each of the other provinces of Canada, the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder or any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with the issuance and delivery of the Rights Certificates and the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; |
| (iii) | use reasonable efforts to cause all shares issued upon exercise of Rights to be listed on the principal exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter markets on which the shares were traded immediately prior to the Stock Acquisition Date; |
| (iv) | cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares the number of Common Shares that, as provided in this Agreement, will from time to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights; |
| (v) | pay when due and payable any and all Canadian and United States federal, provincial, and state transfer taxes (for greater certainty not including any income taxes or capital gains of the holder or exercising holder or any liability of the Corporation to withhold tax) and charges which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or certificates for shares, provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised; and |
| (vi) | after the Separation Time, except as permitted by Section 5.1 or Section 5.4 , not take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. |
2.3 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
The Exercise Price, the number and kind of securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 2.3
.
| (a) | In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Effective Date and prior to the Expiration Time: |
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| (ii) | subdivide or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a greater number of Common Shares; |
| (iii) | combine or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares; or |
the Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding, or, if the payment or effective date therefor shall occur after the Separation Time, the securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights shall be adjusted in the manner set forth below. If the Exercise Price and number of Rights outstanding are to be adjusted (x) the Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment shall be equal to the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of Common Shares (or other capital stock) (the “Expansion Factor”) that a holder of one Common Share immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance would hold thereafter as a result thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such adjustment shall become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and the adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be allocated among the Common Shares with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they remain outstanding) and the shares issued in respect of such dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance, so that each such Common Share (or other capital stock) will have exactly one Right associated with it. If the securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights are to be adjusted, the securities purchasable upon exercise of each Right after such adjustment will be the number of securities that a holder of the securities purchasable upon exercise of one Right immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance would hold thereafter as a result thereof. If after the Effective Date and prior to the Expiration Time the Corporation shall issue any shares of capital stock other than Common Shares in a transaction of a type described in Subsections 2.3(a)(i) or 2.3(a)(iv), shares of such capital stock shall be treated herein as nearly equivalent to Common Shares as may be practicable and appropriate under the circumstances and the Corporation and the Rights Agent agree to amend this Agreement in order to effect such treatment. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 2.3 and Section 3.1, the adjustment provided for in this Section 2.3 shall be in addition to and shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 3.1. Adjustments pursuant to Subsection 2.3(a) shall be made successively, whenever an event referred to in Subsection 2.3(a) occurs.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Effective Date and prior to the Separation Time issue any Common Shares otherwise than in a transaction referred to in the preceding paragraph, each such Common Share so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such Common Share.
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| (d) | Each adjustment made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be made as of: |
| (i) | the payment or effective date for the applicable dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to Subsection 2.3(a); and |
| (ii) | the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to Subsections 2.3(b) or 2.3(c), subject to readjustment to reverse the same, if such dividend or distribution shall not be made. |
| (e) | In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Effective Date and prior to the Expiration Time issue any shares of capital stock (other than Common Shares), or rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any such capital stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for any such capital stock, in a transaction referred to in Subsections 2.3(a)(i) or 2.3(a)(iv) , or if the Corporation shall take any other action (other than the issue of Common Shares) which might have a negative effect on the holders of Rights, if the Board of Directors determines that the adjustments contemplated by Subsections 2.3(a) , 2.3(b) and 2.3(c) are not applicable or will not appropriately protect the interests of the holders of Rights, the Corporation may determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price, number of Rights and/or securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights would be appropriate and, if the adjustments contemplated by Subsections 2.3(a) , 2.3(b) and 2.3(c) are applicable, notwithstanding such Subsections, the adjustments so determined by the Corporation, rather than adjustments contemplated by Subsections 2.3(a), 2.3(b) and 2.3(c), shall be made. The Corporation and the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.4 to provide for such adjustments. |
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| (f) | Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be calculated to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment of the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in such Exercise Price. Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.3, the Corporation shall: |
| (i) | promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment; and |
| (ii) | promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate and mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights who requests a copy. |
Failure to file such certificate or cause such summary to be mailed as aforesaid, or any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of any such adjustment or change.
| (g) | Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the securities so purchasable which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder. |
| (h) | All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any adjustment made to an Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of Common Shares purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein. |
| (i) | In any case in which this Section 2.3 shall require that an adjustment in an Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the relevant Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder an appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional Common Shares (fractional or otherwise) or other securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment. |
| (j) | Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.3 to the contrary, the Corporation shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 2.3, as and to the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board shall determine to be advisable in order that any: |
| (i) | subdivision or consolidation of the Common Shares; |
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| (ii) | issuance (wholly or in part for cash) of any Common Shares at less than the applicable Market Price; |
| (iii) | issuance (wholly or in part for cash) of any Common Shares or securities that by their terms are exchangeable for or convertible into or give a right to acquire Common Shares; |
| (iv) | stock dividends; or |
| (v) | issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 2.3, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Common Shares, |
shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
| (k) | Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price or a change in the securities purchasable upon the exercise of Rights is made pursuant to this Section 2.3, the Corporation shall: |
| (i) | promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment; |
| (ii) | promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate and mail or cause to be mailed a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights who requests a copy; and |
| (iii) | (iii) cause notice of the particulars of such adjustment to be given to the holders of the Rights by way of press release or by such other means as the Corporation may determine. |
Failure to file such certificate or to cause such notice to be given as aforesaid, or any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of any such adjustment or change.
| 2.4 | Date on Which Exercise is Effective |
Each person in whose name any certificate for Common Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Shares represented thereby, and such certificate shall be dated the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered (together with a duly completed Election to Exercise) and payment of the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any additional amount in respect to any applicable transfer taxes and other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common Share transfer books of the Corporation are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common Share transfer books of the Corporation are open.
| 2.5 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates |
| (a) | The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by any one of its Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Corporation shall bind the Corporation, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights Certificates. Promptly after the Corporation learns of the Separation Time, the Corporation will notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates executed by the Corporation to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and the Rights Agent shall countersign (manually or by facsimile signature in a manner satisfactory to the Corporation) and mail such Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Subsection 2.2(c). No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until countersigned by the Rights Agent as aforesaid. |
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| (b) | Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature thereof. |
| 2.6 | Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange |
| (a) | Following the Separation Time, the Corporation will cause to be kept a register (the “Rights Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Corporation will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights Agent is hereby appointed “Rights Registrar” for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the Corporation and registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein provided. In the event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times. |
| (b) | Following the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Subsection 2.6(d), the Corporation shall execute, and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number of Rights as did the Rights Certificates so surrendered. |
| (c) | All Rights issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be the valid obligations of the Corporation, and such Rights shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange. |
| (e) | The Corporation shall not be required to register the transfer or exchange of any Rights after the Rights have been redeemed pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement. |
| 2.7 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates |
| (a) | If any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered. |
| (b) | If there shall be delivered to the Corporation and the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time (i) evidence of ownership of any Rights Certificate, (ii) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (iii) such security and indemnity as may be required by each of them in their sole discretion to save each of them and any of their agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Corporation or the Rights Agent that such Rights Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Corporation shall execute and upon its request the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen. |
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| (c) | As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected therewith. |
| (d) | Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.7in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an original additional contractual obligation of the Corporation, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights, duly issued hereunder. |
| 2.8 | Persons Deemed Owners |
The Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person, in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever.
| 2.9 | Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates |
All Rights Certificates surrendered upon exercise or for redemption, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Rights Agent, be delivered to the Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent. The Corporation may at any time deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation any Rights Certificates previously countersigned and delivered hereunder which the Corporation may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent. No Rights Certificate shall be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights Certificates cancelled as provided in this Section 2.9, except as expressly permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall, subject to applicable law, destroy all cancelled Rights Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the Corporation.
| 2.10 | Agreement of Rights Holders |
Every holder of Rights by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of Rights:
| (a) | to be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, in respect of all Rights held; |
| (b) | that, prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated Common Share; |
| (c) | that, after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein; |
| (d) | that prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) for registration of transfer, the Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on such Rights Certificate or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; |
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| (e) | that such holder of Rights has waived his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided herein); |
| (f) | that, subject to the provisions of Section 5.4, without the approval of any holder of Rights or Common Shares and upon the sole authority of the Board of Directors this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time as provided herein; and |
| (g) | that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation. |
Article
3
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
| (a) | Subject to Subsections 3.1(b), 5.1(b), 5.1(c) and 5.1(d), in the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Event shall occur, the Corporation shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide, within 10 Business Days thereafter or such longer period as may be required to satisfy the requirements of the applicable securities acts or comparable legislation or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Common Shares and Rights may be listed so that, except as provided below, each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to purchase from the Corporation, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, that number of Common Shares of the Corporation having an aggregate Market Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-in Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price, (such right to be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in the event that after such date of consummation or occurrence an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred with respect to such Common Shares). |
,
shall become void and any holder of such Rights (including transferees) shall thereafter have no right, to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement and shall not have any other rights whatsoever in respect of such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The holder of any Rights represented by a Rights Certificate which is submitted to the Rights Agent upon exercise or for registration of transfer or exchange which does not contain the necessary certifications set forth in the Rights Certificate establishing that such Rights are not void under this Subsection 3.1 (b) shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person for the purposes of this Subsection 3.1 (b) and such Rights shall become null and void.
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| (c) | From and after the Separation Time, the Corporation shall do all such acts and things as shall be necessary and within its power to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Section 3.1, including without limitation, all such acts and things as may be required to satisfy the requirements of the Business Corporations Act, the Securities Act and the securities laws or comparable legislation of each of the provinces of Canada and of the United States and each of the states thereof and any other applicable law, rule or regulation in respect of the issue of Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with this Agreement. |
| (d) | Any Rights Certificate that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by a Person described in either clauses (i) or (ii) of Subsection 3.1(b) or transferred to any nominee of any such Person, and any Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain the following legend: |
“The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate were Beneficially Owned by a Person who was an Acquiring Person or who was an Affiliate or an Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or was acting jointly or in concert with any of them. This Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby shall become void in the circumstances specified in Subsection 3.1(b) of the Rights Agreement.”
provided that the Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility to ascertain the existence of facts that would require the imposition of such legend but shall be required to impose such legend only if instructed to do so by the Corporation or if a holder fails to certify upon transfer or exchange in the space provided on the Rights Certificate that such holder is not an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert with any of them.
| 4.1 | General |
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| (b) | The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any certificate for Common Shares, Rights Certificate, certificate for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons. |
| (c) | The Corporation shall inform the Rights Agent, in a reasonably timely manner, of events which may materially affect the administration of this Agreement by the Rights Agent. At any time, upon request, the Corporation shall provide to the Rights Agent an incumbency certificate with respect to the current directors and officers of the Corporation. Provided that failure to inform the Rights Agent of such events or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of any action taken hereunder in relation to such events. |
| 4.2 | Merger, Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent |
| (a) | Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or amalgamated or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, amalgamation or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent is a party or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder or stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 In case, at the time such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates will have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
| (b) | In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
| 4.3 | Duties of Rights Agent |
The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
| (a) | The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Corporation), and the opinion of such counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion; the Rights Agent may also, with the approval of the Corporation (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) and at the expense of the Corporation, consult with such other experts as the Rights Agent shall consider necessary or appropriate to properly carry out the duties and obligations imposed under this Agreement and the Rights Agent shall be entitled to act and rely in good faith on the advice of any such expert. |
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| (b) | Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate. |
| (c) | The Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct. |
| (d) | The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for Common Shares or the Rights Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only. |
| (e) | The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Common Share certificate or Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Subsection 3.1(b) ) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 2.3 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.3 describing any such adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights or as to whether any Common Shares will, when issued, be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and non-assessable. |
| (f) | The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (g) | The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, and to apply to such persons for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in reliance upon instructions of any such person; it is understood that instructions to the Rights Agent shall, except where circumstances make it impracticable or the Rights Agent otherwise agrees, be given in writing and, where not in writing, such instructions shall be confirmed in writing as soon as reasonably possible after the giving of such instructions. |
| (h) | The Rights Agent and any shareholder or stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Shares, Rights or other securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Corporation or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other legal entity. |
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| (i) | The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent will not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof. |
| 4.4 | Change of Rights Agent |
The Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 60 days’ notice (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Corporation) in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each transfer agent of Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing given to the Rights Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares (by personal delivery, or registered or certified mail). If the Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent, then the resigning Rights Agent, at the expense of the Corporation, or any holder of any Rights may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province thereof authorized to carry on the business of a trust company in the Province of Alberta. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall, upon the receipt of all outstanding fees and expenses, deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Corporation will file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders of the Rights. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
| 4.5 | Compliance with Money Laundering Legislation |
The Rights Agent shall retain the right not to act and shall not be liable for refusing to act if, due to a lack of information or for any other reason whatsoever, the Rights Agent reasonably determines that such an act might cause it to be in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering or anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline. Further, should the Rights Agent reasonably determine at any time that its acting under this Agreement has resulted in it being in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering or anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline, then it shall have the right to resign on 10 days’ written notice to the Corporation, provided: (i) that the Rights Agent’s written notice shall describe the circumstances of such non-compliance; and (ii) that if such circumstances are rectified to the Rights Agent’s satisfaction within such 10-day period, then such resignation shall not be effective.
| 4.6 | Privacy Provision |
The parties acknowledge that federal and/or provincial legislation that addresses the protection of individual’s personal information (collectively, “Privacy Laws”) applies to obligations and activities under this Agreement. Despite any other provision of this Agreement, neither party will take or direct any action that would contravene, or cause the other to contravene, applicable Privacy Laws. The Corporation will, prior to transferring or causing to be transferred personal information to the Rights Agent, obtain and retain required consents of the relevant individuals to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information, or will have determined that such consents either have previously been given upon which the parties can rely or are not required under the Privacy Laws. The Rights Agent will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that its services hereunder comply with Privacy Laws.
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5.1 Redemption and Termination
| (d) | The Board of Directors may, in respect of any Flip-in Event waive the application of Section 3.1 to that Flip-in Event, provided that both of the following conditions are satisfied: |
| (i) | the Board of Directors has determined that the Acquiring Person became an Acquiring Person by inadvertence and without any intent or knowledge that it would become an Acquiring Person; and |
| (ii) | such Acquiring Person has reduced its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares such that at the time of waiver pursuant to this Subsection 5.1(d) it is no longer an Acquiring Person. |
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| (h) | Where a Take-over Bid that is not a Permitted Bid is withdrawn or otherwise terminated after the Separation Time has occurred and prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, the Board may elect to redeem all the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. Upon such redemption, all of the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply as if the Separation Time had not occurred and the Corporation shall be deemed to have issued replacement Rights to the holders of its then outstanding Common Shares, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (i) | If the Board of Directors elects or is deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights, and, in circumstances where Subsection 5.1(a) is applicable, such redemption is approved by the holders of Common Shares or the holders of Rights in accordance with Subsection 5.1(f) or (g), as the case may be, the right to exercise the Rights will thereupon, without further action and without notice, terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. |
| (j) | Within 10 Business Days of the Board of Directors electing or having been deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights or, if Subsection 5.1(a) is applicable within 10 Business Days after the holders of Common Shares or the holders of Rights have approved a redemption of Rights in accordance with Subsection 5.1(f) or 5.1(g) , as the case may be, the Corporation shall give notice of redemption to the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to each such holder at its last address as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on the register of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided will be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. The Corporation may not redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 5.1 or in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Separation Time. |
| (k) | The Corporation shall give prompt written notice to the Rights Agent of any waiver of the application of Section 3.1 made by the Board of Directors under this Section 5.1 |
.
| 5.2 | Expiration |
No Person shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement or in respect of any Right after the Expiration Time, except the Rights Agent as specified in Subsection 4.1(a) of this Agreement.
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| 5.3 | Issuance of New Rights Certificates |
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Corporation may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the number of or kind or class of shares purchasable upon exercise of Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
| 5.4 | Supplements and Amendments |
| (ii) | in order to make such changes as are necessary in order to cure any clerical or typographical error. |
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.4 to the contrary, no amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to the provisions of Section 4.4 or any other provision specifically relating to the rights or duties of the Rights Agent except with the written concurrence of the Rights Agent thereto.
(b) Any amendment, variation or deletion made by the Board pursuant to Subsection 5.4 (a) which requires shareholder approval shall, if made:
| (i) | prior to the Separation Time, be submitted to the shareholders of the Corporation at the next meeting of shareholders and the shareholders may, by resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast by Independent Shareholders who vote in respect of such amendment, variation or deletion, confirm or reject such amendment or supplement; or |
Any amendment, variation or deletion subject to shareholder approval shall be effective from the later of the date of (i) the consent of the holders of Common Shares or Rights, as applicable, adopting such amendment, variation or deletion (ii) the date of approval thereof by the Toronto Stock Exchange and (iii) to the extent required, the date of approval thereof by the NYSE MKT LLC (the “NYSE MKT”) (except in the case of another amendment, variation or deletion referred to in Paragraph 5.4 (a)(i) , which shall be effective from the later of the date of (x) the resolution of the Board adopting such amendment, variation or deletion, (y) the date or approval thereof by the Toronto Stock Exchange and (z) to the extent required, the date of approval thereof by the NYSE MKT and shall continue in effect until it ceases to be effective (as in this Subsection 5.4(b) described) and, where such amendment, variation or deletion is confirmed, it shall continue in effect in the form so confirmed). If an amendment, variation or deletion pursuant to Paragraphs 5.4 (a)(i) or 5.4 (b) (ii) is rejected by the shareholders or the holders of Rights or is not submitted to the shareholders or holders of Rights as required, then such amendment, variation or deletion shall cease to be effective from and after the termination of the meeting at which it was rejected or to which it should have been but was not submitted or from and after the date of the meeting of holders of Rights that should have been but was not held, and no subsequent resolution of the Board to amend, vary or delete any provision of this Agreement to substantially the same effect shall be effective until confirmed by the shareholders or holders of Rights, as the case may be.
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| (d) | The approval, confirmation or consent of the holders of Rights with respect to any matter arising hereunder shall be deemed to have been given if the action requiring such approval, confirmation or consent is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to be voted at a meeting of the holders of Rights and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect thereof. For the purposes hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights which are void pursuant to the provisions hereof or which, prior to the Separation Time, are held otherwise than by Independent Shareholders) shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures for the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation's constating documents and the Business Corporations Act with respect to meetings of shareholders of the Corporation. |
| 5.5 | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares |
| (a) | The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. After the Separation Time there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of a whole Right in lieu of such fractional Rights as of the date such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable. The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of fractional Rights unless the Corporation shall have provided the Rights Agent with the necessary funds to pay in full all amounts payable in accordance with Subsection 2.2(e)(iii). |
.
| (b) | The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractional Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares, the Corporation shall pay to the registered holder of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of one Common Share at the date of such exercise. The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of fractional Common Shares unless the Corporation shall have provided the Rights Agent with the necessary funds to pay in full all amounts payable in accordance with Subsection 2.2(e)(iii). |
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| 5.6 | Rights of Action |
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested in the respective holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights, without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit and the benefit of other holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder’s right to exercise such holder’s Rights, or Rights to which he is entitled, in the manner provided in this Agreement and in such holder’s Rights Certificate. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.
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| 5.7 | Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder |
No holder, as such, of any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Shares or any other securities which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders or holders of any other securities of the Corporation except as expressly provided herein, or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise, until such Rights, or Rights to which such holder is entitled, shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
| 5.8 | Notice of Proposed Actions |
In case the Corporation shall propose after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time:
| (a) | to effect or permit (in cases where the Corporation’s permission is required) any Flip-in Event; or |
| (b) | to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or the sale of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, |
then, in each such case, the Corporation shall give to each holder of a Right, in accordance with Section 5.9, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the date on which such Flip-in Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place, and such notice shall be so given at least 10 Business Days prior to the date of taking of such proposed action by the Corporation.
| 5.9 | Notices |
Notices or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Corporation shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by mail, postage prepaid or by fax (with, in the case of fax, an original copy of the notice or demand sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Corporation following the giving of the notice or demand by fax), addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
0000, Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Notices or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Corporation or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by mail, postage prepaid, or by fax (with, in the case of fax, an original copy of the notice or demand sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Rights Agent following the giving of the notice or demand by fax), addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
Computershare Trust Company of Canada
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Attention: General Manager
Fax: (000) 000-0000
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Notices or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Corporation or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by fax (with, in the case of fax, an original copy of the notice or demand sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, to such holder following the giving of the notice or demand by fax), addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on the register of the Corporation for the Common Shares.
Any notice given or made in accordance with this Section 5.9 shall be deemed to have been given and to have been received on the day of delivery, if so delivered, on the third Business Day (excluding each day during which there exists any general interruption of postal service due to strike, lockout or other cause) following the mailing thereof, if so mailed, and on the day of faxing (provided such sending is during the normal business hours of the addressee on a Business Day and if not, on the first Business Day thereafter). Each of the Corporation and the Rights Agent may from time to time change its address for notice by notice to the other given in the manner aforesaid.
If mail service is or is threatened to be interrupted at a time when the Corporation or the Rights Agent wishes to give a notice or demand hereunder to or on the holders of the Rights, the Corporation or the Rights Agent may, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.9 give such notice by means, of publication once in each of two successive weeks in the business section of the Financial Post and, so long as the Corporation has a transfer agent in the United States, in a daily publication in the United States designated by the Corporation, or in such other publication or publications as may be designated by the Corporation and notice so published shall be deemed to have been given on the date on which the first publication of such notice in any such publication has taken place.
| 5.10 | Costs of Enforcement |
The Corporation agrees that if the Corporation fails to fulfil any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the Corporation will reimburse the holder of any Rights for the costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions to enforce his rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
| 5.11 | Successors |
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and enure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
| 5.12 | Benefits of this Agreement |
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
| 5.13 | Descriptive Headings |
Descriptive headings appear herein for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
| 5.14 | Governing Law |
This Agreement and each Right issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such Province applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such Province.
| 5.15 | Language |
Les parties aux présentes ont exigé que la présente convention ainsi que tous les documents et avis qui s’y rattachent et/ou qui en découleront soient rédigés en langue anglaise. The parties hereto have required that this Agreement and all documents and notices related thereto and/or resulting therefrom be drawn up in the English language.
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| 5.16 | Counterparts |
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
| 5.17 | Severability |
If any term or provision hereof or the application thereof to any circumstance is, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be ineffective as to such jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the application of such term or provision to circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable.
This Agreement is effective and in full force and effect in accordance with its terms from and after the Effective Date until the earliest to occur of:
| (a) | the date that is two Business Days after the Aurizon Meeting, |
| (b) | the close of business on the date that is one Business Day after Alamos Gold Inc. notifies the Corporation and the Rights Agent that it intends to take up and pay for Common Shares tendered under the Alamos Bid, provided that on the date of such notice: |
| (i) | Alamos is able to provide sufficient evidence to the Rights Agent, acting reasonably, that as of such date more than 50% of the outstanding Common Shares held by Independent Shareholders have been deposited to the Alamos Bid and not withdrawn; and |
| (ii) | Alamos makes a public announcement through a newswire service stating that (A) all the conditions precedent to the Alamos Bid have been satisfied or waived, and (B) subject only to the satisfaction of the requirements of this Section 5.18(b), it will take up and pay for the Common Shares deposited to the Alamos Bid, |
| (c) | the date that is two Business Days after the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, and |
| (d) | June 30, 2013, |
(the “Termination Date”)
and from and after the Termination Date the Corporation shall, without further formality, be deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights at the Redemption Price and this Agreement and any outstanding Rights shall be of no further force and effect.
| 5.19 | Regulatory Approvals |
Any obligation of the Corporation or action or event contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the receipt of any requisite approval or consent from any governmental or regulatory authority. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any issuance or delivery of debt or equity securities (other than non-convertible debt securities) of the Corporation upon the exercise of Rights and any amendment or supplement to this Agreement shall be subject to the prior consent of the Toronto Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT or any other exchange upon which the Common Shares of the Corporation may be listed.
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| 5.20 | Declaration as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders |
If in the opinion of the Board of Directors (who may rely upon the advice of counsel), any action or event contemplated by this Agreement would require compliance with the securities laws or comparable legislation of a jurisdiction outside Canada and the United States of America, its territories and possessions, the Board of Directors may take such actions as it may deem appropriate to ensure that such compliance is not required, including without limitation establishing procedures for the issuance to a Canadian resident Fiduciary of Rights or securities issuable on exercise of Rights, the holding thereof in trust for the Persons entitled thereto (but reserving to the Fiduciary or to the Fiduciary and the Corporation, as the Corporation may determine, absolute discretion with respect thereto) and the sale thereof and remittance of the proceeds of such sale, if any, to the Persons entitled thereto. In no event shall the Corporation or the Rights Agent be required to issue or deliver Rights or securities issuable on exercise of Rights to Persons who are citizens, residents or nationals of any jurisdiction other than Canada and a province or territory thereof and the United States of America and any state thereof in which such issue or delivery would be unlawful without registration of the relevant Persons or securities for such purposes.
| 5.21 | Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors |
All actions and determinations (including all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Agreement shall not subject any member of the Board of Directors to any liability whatsoever to the holders of the Rights.
| 5.22 | Force Majeure |
No party shall be liable to the other, or held in breach of this Agreement, if prevented, hindered, or delayed in the performance or observance of any provision contained herein by reason of act of God, riots, terrorism, acts of war, epidemics, governmental action or judicial order, earthquakes, or any other similar causes (including, but not limited to, mechanical, electronic or communication interruptions, disruptions or failures). Performance times under this Agreement shall be extended for a period of time equivalent to the time lost because of any delay that is excusable under this Section.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
PER: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
| Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA
PER: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Manager
PER: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Manager
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
| Certificate No. _________ | __________ Rights |
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE CORPORATION, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION 3.1(b) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR TRANSFEREE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ITS AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY PERSON ACTING JOINTLY OR IN CONCERT WITH ANY OF THEM MAY BECOME VOID .
Rights Certificate
This certifies that _________________________________________________ is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of March 10, 2013, as such may from time to time be amended, restated, varied or replaced, (the “Rights Agreement”) between Aurizon Mines Ltd., a corporation amalgamated under the laws of the Province of Alberta (the “Corporation”), and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, a trust company incorporated under the laws of Canada, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), which term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement, to purchase from the Corporation at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the Expiration Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), one fully paid common share of the Corporation (a “Common Share”) at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate together with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed to the Rights Agent at its principal office in the City of Vancouver or in such other cities as may be designated by the Corporation from time to time. Until adjustment thereof in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price shall be: (i) until the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), from time to time, per Common Share; and (ii) from and after the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, as at the Separation Time, per Common Share.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the number of Common Shares which each Right entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase shall be adjusted as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Rights Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the registered office of the Corporation and are available upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at any of the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of $0.000001 per Right, subject to adjustment in certain events, under certain circumstances at its option.
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
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No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Shares or of any other securities which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the Rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation and its corporate seal.
Date:
By:
Authorized Officer
Countersigned:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA
By:
Authorized Signature
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Rights represented by this Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns and transfers to
(Please print name and address of transferee)
the Rights represented by this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints ____________________________________as attorney, to transfer the within Rights on the books of the Corporation, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
Signature Guaranteed:
_______________________________________________
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature must be guaranteed by a Canadian Schedule 1 chartered bank, a member of the Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), a member of the Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP) or a member of the New York Stock Exchange Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP).
(To be completed if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and Common Shares, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting jointly or in concert with any of the foregoing (all capitalized terms, and the phrase “acting jointly or in concert”, are used as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Dated: Signature:
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
| 2 |
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election to Exercise is not completed upon exercise of the Right(s) evidenced hereby or in the event that the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment is not completed upon the assignment of the Right(s) evidenced hereby, the Corporation will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert with any of them (each as defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this Rights Certificate.
(To be attached to each Rights Certificate)
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
TO: AURIZON MINES LTD.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________________ whole Rights represented by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the Common Shares (or other securities or property) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares (or other, securities or title to such property) be issued in the name of:
___________________________________________
(Name)
___________________________________________
(Street)
___________________________________________
(City and State or Province)
___________________________________________
(Country, Postal Code or Zip Code)
___________________________________________
SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
______________________________________
(Name)
______________________________________
(Street)
______________________________________
(City and State or Province)
______________________________________
(Country, Postal Code or Zip Code)
______________________________________
SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
Dated:
Signature Guaranteed:
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature must be guaranteed by a Canadian Schedule 1 chartered bank, a member of the Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), a member of the Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP) or a member of the New York Stock Exchange Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP).
| (To be completed if true) |
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and Common Shares, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting jointly or in concert with any of the foregoing (all capitalized terms, and the phrase “acting jointly or in concert”, are used as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Dated: Signature:
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election to Exercise is not completed upon exercise of the Right(s) evidenced hereby or in the event that the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment is not completed upon the assignment of the Right(s) evidenced hereby, the Corporation will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert with any of them (each as defined in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this Rights Certificate.
