AGENCY AGREEMENT
October
30, 2006
Apollo
Gold Corporation
0000
X.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX, 00000- 3220
Attention:
R. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, CEO
Dear
Sirs:
In
furtherance of a letter agreement (the "Letter
Agreement")
between Apollo Gold Corporation (the "Corporation")
and
Regent Mercantile Bancorp Inc. ("Regent")
dated
as of October 11, 2006, and a letter agreement (the "Co-Agent
Letter Agreement")
between Regent and Limited Market Dealer Inc. ("LMD")
dated
as of October 12, 2006, the Agents hereby agree to act as sole and exclusive
agent for sale by way of a private placement, on a best efforts basis, and
pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus
Supplement (all as defined below) in the Non-US Jurisdictions (as defined below)
of up to 2,222,221 units (the"Flow-Through Units")
of the
Corporation at a price of $0.45 per Flow-Through Unit, each Flow-Through Unit
comprised of one focussed flow-through share (a "Flow-Through Share")
and
one-half (1/2) of one common share ("Common
Share")
purchase warrant in the capital of the Corporation (a "Warrant"),
each
whole Warrant exercisable at $1.00 per Common Share for up to 12-months
following the Closing (defined below) and $1.15 thereafter for up to 24-months,
for gross proceeds of up to $999,999.45 (the "Offering").
As
further set out in Section
2
of this
Agreement, as
consideration for the services of the Agents in connection with the Offering,
the Corporation agrees to pay the Agent Fees (as defined below) equal to 7.5%
of
the aggregate Gross Proceeds of the Offering payable at Closing by certified
cheque or bank draft. Also, the Offering
will
also consist of the Compensation Warrants (as defined below) that are issuable
on the Closing and are exercisable for a period of 24-months
following the Closing (as
defined below).
The
Compensation Warrants will allow the Agents to purchase that number of
Flow-Through Units of the Corporation consisting of one Agent Common Share
and
one-half (1/2) of an Agent Warrant ("Compensation
Units")
which
is equal to 7.5% of the aggregate Flow-Through Units that are placed under
the
Offering. The exercise price of the Compensation Warrants will be $0.45.
The
Flow-Through Units, and Flow-Through Shares and Warrants underlying the
Flow-Through Units, as well as the Compensation Warrants are known
herein as the "Offered Securities".
It
is
understood that the sale of the Offered Securities will take place (i) in
British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario (the "Offering
Provincial Jurisdictions");
and
(ii) in other jurisdictions as may be agreed to by the Corporation, provided
that the Corporation is not required to file a prospectus or other disclosure
document or become subject to continuing obligations in such other
jurisdictions, in each case in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
INTERPRETATION
Unless
expressly provided otherwise, where used in this Agreement or any schedule
hereto, the following terms shall have the following meanings,
respectively:
"Affiliates"
shall
have the meaning in Subsection 1(2) of the Securities
Act
(Ontario).
"Agents"
means
Regent Mercantile Bancorp Inc. and Limited Market Dealer Inc.
"Agent
Common Shares" means
the
Common Shares of the Corporation issuable upon the exercise of the Compensation
Warrants.
"Agent
Fees"
shall
have the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection
2(a)
of this
Agreement.
"Agents'
Personnel"
has the
meaning ascribed thereto in Section
10
of this
Agreement.
"Agent
Warrants"
means
the Warrants issuable upon the exercise of the Compensation Warrants that are
exercisable for a period of up to 24-months from the date of the issuance of
the
Compensation Warrants from which they derived.
"Agreement"
means
this agreement resulting from the acceptance hereof by the
Corporation.
"AMEX"
means
the American Stock Exchange.
"Applicable
Securities Laws"
means,
collectively, the applicable securities laws of the Offering Jurisdictions,
the
regulations, rules, rulings and orders made thereunder, the applicable published
policy statements issued by the Securities Commissions thereunder and the
securities legislation and published policies of such other jurisdiction, the
securities laws of which are applicable to the sale of the Offered Securities
on
the terms and conditions set out in this Agreement.
"Base
Prospectus"
means
the prospectus filed with the Registration Statement.
"Business
Day"
shall
mean any day except Saturday, Sunday or a statutory holiday in Toronto, Ontario
and Denver, Colorado.
"Canadian
Offering Memorandum"
means
the Canadian offering memorandum dated the date hereof, which includes the
Base
Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement.
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2 -
"Closing
Date"
or
"Closing"
means
October 30, 2006.
"Common
Shares"
means
the common shares in the capital of the Corporation.
"Compensation
Units"
shall
have the meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Compensation
Warrants"
has the
meaning given in Section
2(c)
of this
Agreement.
"Corporation"
means
Apollo Gold Corporation.
"Co-Agent
Letter Agreement"
shall
have the meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Disclosure
Documents"
means,
collectively, all of the documentation which has been filed by or on behalf
of
the Corporation or any predecessor thereto since December 31, 2001 with the
relevant securities regulatory authorities pursuant to the requirements of
Applicable Securities Laws, including all press releases and financial
statements filed on SEDAR and all filings with the SEC.
"Exchange"
means
the Toronto Stock Exchange.
"Financial
Statements" shall
have the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 4(aa) of
this
Agreement.
"Gross
Proceeds"
means
the gross proceeds raised from the sale of the Offered Securities.
"Hazardous
Substances"
shall
have the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 4(gg)
of this
Agreement.
"Indemnified
Party"
shall
have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
10
of this
Agreement.
"Letter
Agreement"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Material
Agreement"
shall
have the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 4(m) of
this
Agreement.
"material
change"
means a
material change for the purposes of the Applicable Securities Laws or any of
them or where undefined under the Applicable Securities Laws of a jurisdiction
means a change in the business, operations or capital of the Corporation that
would reasonably be expected to have a significant effect on the market price
or
value of any of the Corporation's securities and includes a decision to
implement such a change made by the Corporation's board of directors or by
senior management of the Corporation who believe that confirmation of the
decision by the board of directors is probable.
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3 -
"material
fact"
means a
material fact for the purposes of the Applicable Securities Laws or any of
them
or where undefined under the Applicable Securities Laws of a jurisdiction means
a fact that significantly affects, or would reasonably be expected to have
a
significant effect on, the market price or value of the Corporation's
securities.
"misrepresentation"
means a
misrepresentation for the purposes of the Applicable Securities Laws or any
of
them or where undefined under the Applicable Securities Laws of a jurisdiction
means (i) an untrue statement of a material fact, or (ii) an omission to state
a
material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a
statement that is not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it
was
made.
"Non-US
Offering Jurisdictions"
means
the Offering Jurisdictions other than the United States.
"Offered
Securities"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Offering"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Offering
Provincial Jurisdictions"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Offering
Jurisdictions"
means
the Offering Provincial Jurisdictions where Offered Securities are being sold
and any other jurisdiction in which Offered Securities are sold.
"person"
includes any individual, corporation, limited partnership, general partnership,
joint stock company or association, joint venture association, company, trust,
bank, trust company, land trust, investment trust, society or other entity,
organization, syndicate, whether incorporated or not, trustee, executor or
other
legal personal representative, and governments and agencies and political
subdivisions thereof.
"Permitted
Encumbrances"
means
the permitted encumbrances set out in Schedule
"F".
"Private
Placement Exemptions"
means
the "accredited investor" exemption under section 2.3 of National Instrument
45-106 - Prospectus
and Registration Exemptions.
"Prospectus
Supplement"
means
the prospectus supplement that the Corporation agrees to file with the SEC
supplementing the Base Prospectus to register the Flow-Through Units and the
Compensation Warrants and the securities underlying the Flow-Through Units
and
the Compensation Warrants for distribution to the Subscribers and the Agents,
respectively.
"Purchasers"
means,
collectively or individually, those persons or companies who are purchasing
the
Offered Securities as contemplated herein.
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"Registration
Statement"
means
the shelf registration statement filed September 22, 2004 Registration No.
333-119198 pursuant to SEC Rule 415 and declared effective on October 5, 2004
that the Corporation filed with the SEC allowing for the sale of up to
$100,000,000 of securities of the Corporation.
"Regulation
D"
means
Regulation D promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the U.S. Securities
Act.
"Regulation
S"
means
Regulation S promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the U.S. Securities
Act.
"SEC"
means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities
Commissions"
means
the applicable securities regulatory authorities in the Offering
Jurisdictions.
"Significant
Interest Companies" means
those companies in which the Corporation holds 10% or more of the outstanding
voting securities.
"Subscription
Agreements"
means
the subscription agreements to be entered into between the respective Purchasers
and the Corporation in respect of the Offering.
"Subsidiaries"
means,
collectively, the subsidiaries of the Corporation the particulars of which
are
set out in subsection
4(c)
hereof
and "Subsidiary"
means
any one of them.
"Time
of Closing"
means
time of the Closing.
"Transfer
Agent"
means
CIBC Mellon Trust Company.
"Flow-Through
Unit"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"United
States"
means
the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of
the
United States, and the District of Columbia.
"U.S.
Securities Act"
means
the United
States Securities Act
of 1933,
as amended.
"Warrant"
has the
meaning given on page 1 hereof.
"Warrant
Share"
means
the Common Shares issuable on the exercise of the Warrants.
The
division of this Agreement into sections, subsections, paragraphs and other
subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference
only
and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
Unless something in the subject matter or context is inconsistent therewith,
references herein to sections, subsections, paragraphs and other subdivisions
are to sections, subsections, paragraphs and other subdivisions of this
Agreement. Unless otherwise expressly provided, all amounts expressed herein
in
terms of money refer to lawful currency of Canada and all payments to be made
hereunder shall be made in such currency.
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5 -
If
any
provision of this Agreement shall be adjudged by a competent authority to be
invalid or for any reason unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability
shall not affect the validity, enforceability or operation of any other
provision herein.
The
following are the schedules attached to this Agreement, which schedules are
deemed to be a part hereof and are hereby incorporated by reference
herein:
Schedule
"A"
- Term
Sheet
Schedule
"B"
- List
of Options, Warrants and Other Convertible Securities
Schedule
"C"
- List
of Subsidiaries
Schedule
"D"
-
Exceptions to Representations and Warranties of the Corporation
Schedule
"E"
-
Interest of Insiders in Material Transactions
Schedule
"F"
-
Permitted Encumbrances
1.
|
Nature
of Transaction
|
(a)
|
Each
Canadian Purchaser shall purchase Offered Securities under a Private
Placement Exemption. The Agents will notify the Corporation with
respect
to the identity of any Purchaser as soon as practicable and with
a view to
leaving sufficient time to allow the Corporation to secure compliance
with
all relevant regulatory requirements of the applicable Offering
Jurisdictions relating to the sale of the Offered Securities and,
in any
event not later than 12:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the day before the
Closing Date. The Corporation undertakes to file or cause to be filed
all
forms or undertakings required to be filed by the Corporation and
to pay
all filing fees in connection with the purchase and sale of the Offered
Securities so that the distribution of such securities may lawfully
occur
without the necessity of filing a prospectus or an offering memorandum
(apart from the Canadian Offering Memorandum distributed in conjunction
with the base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement) in Canada
or
comparable document elsewhere. The Agents undertakes to use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause Purchasers to complete any forms required
by
Applicable Securities Laws if so
required.
|
(b)
|
It
is understood and agreed that the Agents may arrange for Purchasers
of the
Offered Securities in jurisdictions other than Canada, on a private
placement basis, provided that the sale of such Offered Securities
in such
other jurisdiction does not contravene the Applicable Securities
Laws of
such other jurisdiction or of Canada and provided that such sale
does not
trigger (i) any obligation to prepare and file a prospectus or similar
disclosure document, or any other report with respect to such purchase
in
such other jurisdiction, or (ii) any registration or other obligation
on
the part of the Corporation in such other jurisdictions including
but not
limited to any continuing obligation in such other
jurisdictions.
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(c)
|
The
certificate representing the Flow-Through Shares and the Warrants
issued
to a resident of Canada will bear a legend denoting the restrictions
on
transfer under Applicable Securities Laws in Canada (including National
Instrument 45-102).
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(d)
|
If
at the date of their issue, the applicable restriction period has
not
expired, the certificates representing the Warrant Shares issued
to a
resident of Canada will bear a legend as prescribed by National Instrument
45-102.
|
(e)
|
In
addition to the foregoing legends, the certificates representing
the
Flow-Through Shares and Warrant Shares, if issued prior to such time
as
the restrictive legends above are no longer required under Applicable
Securities Laws in Canada, shall bear, in addition to any legend(s)
required by National Instrument 45-102, the following legend:
|
"THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE LISTED ON THE TORONTO STOCK
EXCHANGE; HOWEVER, THE SAID SECURITIES CAN NOT BE TRADED THROUGH THE FACILITIES
OF SUCH EXCHANGE SINCE THEY ARE NOT FREELY TRANSFERABLE, AND CONSEQUENTLY ANY
CERTIFICATE REPRESENTING SUCH SECURITIES IS NOT "GOOD DELIVERY" IN SETTLEMENT
OF
TRANSACTIONS ON THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE."
2.
|
Agent's
Compensation
|
(a)
|
In
consideration for the performance of its obligations hereunder, the
Corporation shall, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, pay
to the
Agents an agent fee (the "Agent
Fees")
equal to 7.5% of the Gross
Proceeds.
|
(b)
|
The
Agents may retain one or more registered securities brokers or investment
dealers to act as selling agent in connection with the sale of the
Offered
Securities but the compensation payable to such selling agents shall
be
the sole responsibility of the Agents, and only as permitted by and
in
compliance with all Applicable Securities Laws, upon the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement and will require each such
selling
agent to so agree.
|
(c)
|
As
additional consideration for the performance of their obligations
hereunder, the Corporation shall issue to the Agent compensation
warrants
(the "Compensation
Warrants")
(in such name or names as the Agents may direct in writing) on the
Closing. Each Compensation Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase
one
Compensation Unit at $0.45 per Compensation Unit for a 24-month period
following the date of the Closing.
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(d)
|
The
certificates representing the Compensation Warrants and any certificates
issued in replacement thereof will bear a legend denoting the restrictions
on transfer under Applicable Securities Laws in Canada (including
National
Instrument 45-102).
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(e)
|
If
at the date of their issue, the applicable restriction period has
not
expired, the certificates representing the Agent Common Shares and
Agent
Warrants will bear a legend as prescribed by National Instrument
45-102.
|
(f)
|
In
addition to the foregoing legends, the certificates representing
the Agent
Common Shares and the Warrant Shares issuable on exercise of the
Agent
Warrants, if issued prior to such time as the restrictive legends
above
are no longer required under Applicable Securities Laws in Canada,
shall
bear, in addition to any legend(s) required by National Instrument
45-102,
the following legend:
|
"THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE LISTED ON THE TORONTO STOCK
EXCHANGE; HOWEVER, THE SAID SECURITIES CAN NOT BE TRADED THROUGH THE FACILITIES
OF SUCH EXCHANGE SINCE THEY ARE NOT FREELY TRANSFERABLE, AND CONSEQUENTLY ANY
CERTIFICATE REPRESENTING SUCH SECURITIES IS NOT "GOOD DELIVERY" IN SETTLEMENT
OF
TRANSACTIONS ON THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE."
3.
|
Covenants
and Certification of the
Agents
|
The
Agents covenants with the Corporation that it:
(a)
|
will
conduct activities and shall cause the selling agents to conduct
their
activities in connection with arranging for purchasers of the Offered
Securities in compliance with the Applicable Securities Laws and
will
indemnify the Corporation from all losses incurred by it as a result
of a
violation by the Agents or any selling agent retained by it of such
Applicable Securities Laws;
|
(b)
|
will
not deliver to any prospective Purchaser any document or material
which
constitutes an offering memorandum under Applicable Securities Laws
except
(i) the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, which shall
be
delivered to each Purchaser who is not a resident of Canada on or
prior to
Closing together with the Subscription Agreement for the Flow-Through
Units; and (ii) the Canadian Offering Memorandum which shall be delivered
to each Purchaser resident in Canada on or prior to
Closing;
|
(c)
|
will
not solicit offers to purchase or sell the Offered Securities so
as to
require registration thereof or filing of a prospectus with respect
thereto or continuing obligations on the part of the Corporation
under the
laws of any jurisdiction including, without limitation, the United
States
or any state thereof, and not solicit offers to purchase or sell
the
Offered Securities in any jurisdiction outside of Canada and the
United
States where the solicitation or sale of the Offered Securities would
result in any statutory ongoing disclosure requirements in such
jurisdiction or any registration requirements in such jurisdiction
on the
part of the Corporation except for the filing of a notice or report
of the
solicitation or sale;
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(d)
|
will
obtain from each Purchaser an executed Subscription Agreement in
a form
reasonably acceptable to the Corporation and to the Agents relating
to the
transactions herein contemplated, together with all documentation
as may
be necessary in connection with subscriptions for Offered
Securities;
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(e)
|
other
than filing the Prospectus Supplement with the SEC, will refrain
from any
form of general advertising or any form of general solicitation in
connection with the Offering including in (A) printed media of general
and
regular circulation or any similar medium, (B) radio, (C) television,
or
(D) electronic media or conduct any seminar or meeting concerning
the
offer and sale of the Offered Securities whose attendees have been
invited
by any form of general solicitation or general advertising, and not
make
use of any green sheet or other internal marketing document without
the
consent of the Corporation, such consent to be promptly considered
and not
to be unreasonably withheld;
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(f)
|
will
comply with, and ensure that it and its selling agents and it and
its
respective directors, officers, employees and affiliates comply with
all
Applicable Securities Laws and the terms and conditions set forth
in this
Agreement; and
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(g)
|
certifies
to the Corporation (and acknowledges that the Corporation is relying
thereon) that the Agents, and (if applicable) others for whom they
are
contracting hereunder, are resident or otherwise subject to the securities
legislation of the Province of Ontario and can avail themselves of
the
relevant Private Placement Exemptions available under the applicable
securities legislation in such
province.
|
4.
|
Representations
and Warranties of the
Corporation
|
The
Corporation hereby represents and warrants to and with the Agents (on its own
behalf and on behalf of each of the Purchasers) that as at the date
hereof:
(a)
|
the
Corporation and each Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction
of
organization and has all requisite power and authority necessary
to, and
is qualified to, carry on its business as now conducted, and to own
or
lease its properties and assets in all jurisdictions in which it
currently
carries on business and/or owns or leases its properties and assets;
and
the Corporation has all required corporate power and authority to
create,
issue and sell the Offered Securities and the Compensation Warrants,
to
enter into this Agreement and the Subscription Agreements and to
carry out
the provisions of each of such
agreements;
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(b)
|
the
authorized capital of the Corporation consists of an unlimited number
of
Common Shares of which, as of October 11, 2006 (being the date of
the
Letter Agreement) 123,321,883 Common Shares are issued and outstanding
as
fully paid and non-assessable shares in the capital of the
Corporation;
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(c)
|
the
Corporation has no subsidiaries other than the Subsidiaries listed
in
Schedule "C"
and the Corporation beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, the
percentage indicated of all the issued and outstanding shares in
the
capital of each Subsidiary free and clear of all mortgages, liens,
charges, pledges, security interests, encumbrances, claims or demands
of
any kind whatsoever, all of such shares have been duly authorized
and
validly issued and are outstanding as fully-paid and non-assessable
shares
and no person has any right, agreement or option, present or future,
contingent or absolute, or any right capable of becoming a right,
agreement or option, for the purchase from the Corporation of any
interest
in any of such shares or for the issue or allotment of any unissued
shares
in the capital of any Subsidiary or any other security convertible
into or
exchangeable for any such shares;
|
(d)
|
the
Corporation does not have any Significant Interest Companies other
than
the Subsidiaries;
|
(e)
|
no
order prohibiting the sale of the Offered Securities or the issuance
of
the Compensation Warrants has been issued and no proceedings for
such
purpose are pending or, to the knowledge of the Corporation,
threatened;
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(f)
|
no
person, firm or corporation, as of the date hereof, has any agreement
or
option, or any right or privilege (whether pre-emptive or contractual)
capable of becoming an agreement or option, for the purchase, subscription
or issuance of any securities of the Corporation, other than as set
out in
Schedule
"B";
|
(g)
|
other
than as disclosed in Schedule
"D",
each of the Corporation and the Subsidiaries has conducted and is
conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with
all
applicable laws and regulations of each jurisdiction in which it
carries
on business (including, without limitation, all applicable Canadian
federal, provincial, municipal and local environmental, anti-pollution
and
licensing laws, regulations and other lawful requirements of any
governmental or regulatory body, including, but not limited to relevant
exploration and exploitation permits and concessions) and has not
received
a notice of non-compliance, nor knows of, nor has reasonable grounds
to
know of, any facts that could give rise to a notice of non-compliance
with
any such laws, regulations or permits which would have a material
adverse
effect on the Corporation or the
Subsidiaries;
|
(h)
|
except
as qualified in the Disclosure Documents, the Corporation or a Subsidiary
is the beneficial owner of the properties, business and assets or
the
interests in the properties, business or assets referred to as owned
by it
in the Disclosure Documents, all agreements under which the Corporation
or
a Subsidiary holds an interest in a property, business or asset are
in
good standing according to their terms except where the failure to
be in
such good standing does not and will not have a material adverse
effect on
the Corporation (on a consolidated basis) or its properties, business
or
assets, and the Disclosure Documents were as at the respective dates
thereof true and correct in all material respects concerning the
Corporation and the Subsidiaries, and contained no
misrepresentations;
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(i)
|
all
information which has been prepared by the Corporation relating to
the
Corporation and the Subsidiaries and their business, property and
liabilities and either publicly disclosed or provided to the Agents,
including all financial, marketing and operational information provided
to
the Agents is, as of the date of such information, true and correct
in all
material respects, and no fact or facts have been omitted therefrom
which
would make such information materially
misleading;
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(j)
|
the
Corporation has, and to the best of the Corporation's knowledge the
directors and officers of the Corporation have, answered every question
or
inquiry of the Agents and their counsel in connection with the Agents'
due
diligence investigations fully and
truthfully;
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(k)
|
the
Corporation is not aware of any legislation, or proposed legislation
(published by a legislative body), which it anticipates will materially
and adversely affect the business, affairs, operations, assets or
liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Corporation and the
Subsidiaries, considered as a whole;
|
(l)
|
the
Corporation and each Subsidiary has obtained all certificates,
authorizations, permits or licences necessary to conduct the business
now
owned or operated by it and the Corporation has not received any
notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any material
certificate, authority, permit or license necessary which, if the
subject
of an unfavourable decision, ruling or finding would materially and
adversely affect the conduct of the business, operations, financial
condition or income of the Corporation (on a consolidated
basis);
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(m)
|
the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Subscription Agreements
and the performance of the transactions contemplated thereunder and
the
filing with the SEC of the Prospectus Supplement does not and will
not:
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(i)
|
require
the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or
with any governmental authority, stock exchange, securities regulatory
authority or other third party, except: (i) such as have been obtained;
or
(ii) such as may be required under the applicable by-laws, policies,
regulations and prescribed forms of the Exchange and the
AMEX;
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(ii)
|
result
in a breach of or default under, nor create a state of facts which,
after
notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a breach of or default
under, nor conflict with:
|
(A)
|
any
of the terms, conditions or provisions of the constating documents
or
resolutions of the shareholders, directors or any committee of directors
of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or any material indenture, agreement
or instrument to which the Corporation or any Subsidiary is a party
or by
which it or they are contractually bound;
or
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(B)
|
any
statute, rule, regulation or law applicable to the Corporation, or
the
Subsidiaries including, without limitation, the Applicable Securities
Laws
of the Offering Jurisdictions, or any judgment, order or decree of
any
governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the
Corporation or the Subsidiaries; or
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(C)
|
any
material mortgage, note, indenture, contract, agreement (written
or oral),
instrument, lease or other document to which the Corporation or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Corporation or any Subsidiary
or a
material portion of the assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary
are
bound (a "Material
Agreement"),
or any judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation applicable
to
any of them; and
|
(iii)
|
except
as encumbered hereby, only, give rise to any lien, charge or claim
in or
with respect to the properties or assets now owned or hereafter acquired
by the Corporation or any Subsidiary or the acceleration of or the
maturity of any debt under any indenture, mortgage, lease, agreement
or
instrument binding or affecting any of them or any of their
properties;
|
(n)
|
the
auditors of the Corporation are independent public accountants as
required
by the Applicable Securities Laws and there has never been any reportable
disagreement (within the meaning of National Instrument 51-102 -
Continuous
Disclosure)
with the present or any former auditor of the
Corporation;
|
(o)
|
the
Corporation and each Subsidiary has filed all federal, provincial,
territorial, state, local and foreign tax returns that are required
to be
filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in
which
the failure so to file would not have a material adverse effect on
the
assets and properties, business, results of operations or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Corporation) on a consolidated basis
and
has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment,
fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the
foregoing
is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty
that
is currently being contested in good
faith;
|
(p)
|
the
Corporation and each Subsidiary has established on its books and
records
reserves that are adequate for the payment of all taxes not yet due
and
payable and there are no liens for taxes on the assets of the Corporation
or any Subsidiary and there are no audits known by the Corporation's
management to be pending of the tax returns of the Corporation or
any
Subsidiary (whether federal, state, provincial, territorial, local
or
foreign) and there are no claims which have been or may be asserted
relating to any such tax returns, which audits and claims, if determined
adversely, would result in the assertion by any governmental agency
of any
deficiency that would have a material adverse effect on the assets
or
properties, business, results of operations or condition (financial
or
otherwise) of the Corporation (on a consolidated
basis);
|
-
12 -
(q)
|
no
domestic or foreign taxation authority has asserted or, to the best
of the
Corporation's knowledge, threatened to assert any assessment, claim
or
liability for taxes due or to become due in connection with any review
or
examination of the tax returns of the Corporation or each Subsidiary
(including, without limitation, any predecessor companies) filed
for any
year which would have a material adverse effect on the assets or
properties, business, results of operations or condition (financial
or
otherwise) of the Corporation (on a consolidated
basis);
|
(r)
|
the
Corporation and each Subsidiary maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions
are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted
accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii)
access
to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general
or
specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets
is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate
action is taken with respect to any
differences;
|
(s)
|
neither
the Corporation nor, to the best of the Corporation's knowledge,
any other
party is in material default in the observance or performance of
any term
or obligation to be performed by it under any of the Material Agreements
and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both
would
constitute such a default, in any such case which default or event
would
have a material adverse effect on the assets or properties, business,
results of operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Corporation (on a consolidated basis);
|
(t)
|
at
Closing, the Corporation will have filed all documents, taken all
proceedings and obtained all regulatory consents necessary as a
precondition to the sale of the Offered Securities and the issuance
of the
Compensation Warrants hereunder;
|
(u)
|
this
Agreement, the Subscription Agreements, the Warrants and the Compensation
Warrants shall be, by the Time of Closing, duly authorized, executed
and
delivered by the Corporation and shall be legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Corporation, enforceable in accordance with their
terms
(except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy,
insolvency, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
generally, (ii) general equitable principles or (iii) limitations
under
applicable law in respect of rights of indemnity, contribution and
waiver
of contribution);
|
(v)
|
the
attributes of the Warrants will conform in all material respects
with the
description thereof contained in the Subscription
Agreements;
|
-
13 -
(w)
|
at
the Time of Closing: (i) the creation and issuance of the Warrants
will
have been validly authorized and issued; (ii) the creation and issuance
of
the Compensation Warrants will have been validly authorized and issued;
(iii) upon the exercise of the Warrants, in accordance with the provisions
thereof, the Warrant Shares will have been validly authorized and
issued;
and (iv) upon the exercise of the Compensation Warrants in accordance
with
the provisions thereof, the Agent Units will have been validly authorized
and issued, and the Agent Common Shares will have been conditionally
allotted for issuance by the Corporation as fully paid and non-assessable
Common Shares of the Corporation, and the Common Shares issuable
upon the
exercise of the Agent Warrants will have been conditionally allotted
for
issuance by the Corporation as fully paid and non-assessable Common
Shares
of the Corporation;
|
(x)
|
other
than the Agents, there is no person acting or purporting to act at
the
request of the Corporation, who is entitled to any brokerage or agency
fee
in connection with the transactions contemplated herein and in the
event
any person acting or purporting to act for the Corporation establishes
a
claim for any such fee from the Agents, the Corporation covenants
to
indemnify and hold harmless the Agents with respect thereto and with
respect to all costs reasonably incurred in the defence
thereof;
|
(y)
|
the
minute books and corporate records of the Corporation and each Subsidiary
made available to the Agents in connection with their due diligence
investigations of the Corporation for the periods from the dates
of their
incorporation to the date of examination thereof contain all proceedings
(or certified copies thereof) of the shareholders, the board of directors
and all committees of the board of directors of the Corporation or
such
Subsidiary, as the case may be, and there have been no other meetings,
resolutions or proceedings of the shareholders, board of directors
or any
committee of the board of directors of the Corporation or such Subsidiary,
as the case may be, to the date of review of such corporate records
and
minute books not reflected in such minute books and other
records;
|
(z)
|
there
is not, in the constating documents or by-laws of the Corporation
or any
Subsidiary or in any agreement, mortgage, note, debenture, indenture
or
other instrument or document to which the Corporation or any Subsidiary
is
a party, any restriction upon or impediment to the declaration or
payment
of dividends by the directors of the Corporation or the payment of
dividends by the Corporation to the holders of its Common
Shares;
|
(aa)
|
the
audited annual financial statements of the Corporation (the "Financial
Statements")
(i) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles in Canada consistently applied throughout the period referred
to therein, (ii) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position (including the assets and liabilities, whether absolute,
contingent or otherwise) of the Corporation as at such dates and
results
of operations of the Corporation for the periods then ended, and
(iii)
contain and reflect adequate provision or allowance for all reasonably
anticipated liabilities, expenses and losses of the Corporation and
there
has been no change in accounting policies or practices of the Corporation
since the dates of such Financial
Statements;
|
-
14 -
(bb)
|
there
are no actions, suits, proceedings or inquiries pending or to the
Corporation's knowledge threatened against or affecting the Corporation
or
any Subsidiary at law or in equity or before or by any federal,
provincial, municipal or other governmental department, commission,
board,
bureau, agency or instrumentality which in any way materially adversely
affect, or may in any way materially adversely affect, the business,
operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Corporation
(on a
consolidated basis) or its properties or assets or which affects
or may
affect the distribution of the Offered Securities, the Compensation
Warrant or the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the securities
underlying the Offered Securities or upon the exercise of the Compensation
Warrants;
|
(cc)
|
except
as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents and as set out in Schedule
"E",
none of the directors or officers of the Corporation, any holder
of more
than ten per cent of any class of shares of the Corporation, or any
associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing persons or companies
(as
such terms are defined in the Securities
Act
(Ontario)), has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any
material
transaction within the previous two years or any proposed material
transaction which, as the case may be, materially affected, is material
to
or will materially affect the Corporation or any
Subsidiary;
|
(dd)
|
there
are approximately 132 employees of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries
and each of the Corporation and the Subsidiaries is in compliance
with all
laws respecting employment and employment
practices;
|
(ee)
|
the
Corporation and/or its Subsidiaries has full and proper title, free
and
clear of all defects of title and liens to the mineral licences,
concessions and properties in connection with all of its properties
and/or
projects, including, but not limited to, the Black Fox Project in
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, other than the Permitted Encumbrances
set out
in Schedule
"F";
|
(ff)
|
the
Corporation and the Subsidiaries are not in violation of, or in default
in
any material respect under, the applicable statutes, ordinances,
rules,
regulations, orders or decrees of any governmental entities, regulatory
agencies or bodies having, asserting or claiming jurisdiction over
it or
over any part of its respective operations or assets, including,
but not
limited to, the Black Fox Project in Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, other
than
the Permitted Encumbrances set out in Schedule
"F";
|
(gg)
|
other
than in compliance with applicable law and as disclosed in Schedule
"D",
neither the Corporation nor any Subsidiary has used any of its property
or
facilities to generate, manufacture, process, distribute, use, treat,
store, dispose of, transport or handle any pollutants, contaminants,
chemicals or industrial toxic or hazardous waste or substances
("Hazardous
Substances");
|
-
15 -
(hh)
|
other
than as disclosed in Schedule
"D",
neither the Corporation nor any Subsidiary has caused or permitted
the
release, in any manner whatsoever, of any Hazardous Substances on
or from
any of its properties or assets or any such release on or from a
facility
owned or operated by third parties but with respect to which the
Corporation or any Subsidiary is or may reasonably be alleged to
have
material liability or has received any notice that it is potentially
responsible for a federal, provincial, municipal or local clean-up
site or
corrective action under any applicable laws, statutes, ordinances,
by-laws, regulations or any orders, directions or decisions rendered
by
any ministry, department or administrative regulatory agency relating
to
the protection of the environment, occupational health and safety
or
otherwise relating to dealing with Hazardous Substances;
|
(ii)
|
the
Corporation and each of the Subsidiaries is insured against such
losses
and risks and in such amount as are customary in the business in
which it
is engaged. All policies of insurance insuring the Corporation or
any of
the Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, assets, employees,
officers and directors are in full force and effect, and each of
the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with the terms
of such
policies in all material respects. There are no claims by the Corporation
or any of the Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as
to which
any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a
reservation of rights clause;
|
(jj)
|
the
offer, sale and issuance of the Offered Securities as
contemplated by this Agreement will be duly registered under the
registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and, subject to
the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers
and
the Agents, the offer, sale and issuance of the Offered Securities
as
contemplated by this Agreement will be exempt from the registration
or
qualifications requirements of the state securities or "blue sky"
laws and
regulations of any applicable state, other than New York, or other
applicable jurisdiction and all other Applicable Securities Laws
(other
than the U.S. Securities Act);
|
(kk)
|
the
Common Shares are quoted for trading on AMEX and the Exchange;
|
(ll)
|
no
order ceasing, halting or suspending trading in securities of the
Corporation nor prohibiting the sale of such securities has been
issued to
and is outstanding against the Corporation or its directors, officers
or
promoters, and, to the best of the Corporation knowledge, no
investigations or proceedings for such purposes are pending or
threatened;
|
(mm)
|
neither
the Corporation nor any subsidiary thereof will have taken any action
which would be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or
suspension of quotation of the Common Shares on or from the AMEX
or the
Exchange and the Corporation will have complied, in all material
respects,
with the rules and regulations of eligibility on AMEX and the
Exchange;
|
-
16 -
(nn)
|
the
Corporation is a "reporting issuer" under section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act")
and is not in default of any of the requirements of the 1934
Act;
|
(oo)
|
as
of their respective filing dates, each report, schedule, registration
statement and proxy filed by the Corporation with the SEC (each,
an
"SEC
Report"
and collectively, the "SEC
Reports")
(and if any SEC Report filed prior to the date of this Agreement
was
amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement,
then also on the date of filing of such amendment or superseding
filing),
including without limitation of the foregoing, the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement (i)
where
required, were prepared in all material respects in accordance with
the
requirements of the U.S. Securities Act, or the U.S. Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations
promulgated under such Acts applicable to such SEC Reports, (ii)
did not
contain any untrue statements of a material fact and did not omit
to state
a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iii)
are all
the forms, reports and documents required to be filed by the Corporation
with the SEC since the Corporation commenced filing reports with
the SEC.
The Corporation's subsidiaries are not required to file any reports
or
other documents with the SEC. Each set of audited consolidated financial
statements and unaudited interim financial statements of the Corporation
(including any notes thereto) included in the SEC Reports (i) complies
as
to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations
of the SEC with respect thereto, and (ii) has been prepared in accordance
with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles applied on
a
consistent basis (except as may be indicated therein or in the notes
thereto) and fairly present, in all material respects, the financial
position of the Corporation as of the dates thereof and the results
of its
operations and cash flows for the periods then ended subject, in
the case
of the unaudited interim financial statements, to normal year-end
adjustments which were not or are not expected to be material in
amount.
To the Corporation's knowledge, no events or other factual matters
exist
which would require the Corporation to file any amendments or
modifications to any SEC Reports which have not yet been filed with
the
SEC but which are required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the
U.S.
Securities Act or the 1934 Act; and
|
(pp)
|
each
SEC Report containing financial statements that has been filed with
or
submitted to the SEC since July 31, 2002, was accompanied by the
certifications required to be filed or submitted by the Corporation's
chief executive officer and chief financial officer pursuant to the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the "Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act");
at the time of filing or submission of each such certification, such
certification was true and accurate and complied with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; such
certifications contain no qualifications or exceptions to the matters
certified therein and have not been modified or withdrawn; and neither
the
Corporation nor any of its officers has received notice from any
governmental entity questioning or challenging the accuracy, completeness,
form or manner of filing or submission of such
certification.
|
-
17 -
The
Corporation acknowledges that the Agents and each of the Purchasers are relying
upon such representations and warranties.
5.
|
Covenants
of the Corporation
|
The
Corporation hereby covenants to and with the Agents (on the Agents' behalf
and
on behalf of the Purchasers) that:
(a)
|
the
Corporation will use all reasonable efforts to maintain its status
as a
reporting issuer not in default in each of the Offering Jurisdictions
in
which it is a reporting issuer or equivalent for a period of six-years
from the Closing Date;
|
(b)
|
the
Corporation will use all reasonable efforts to maintain the listing
of the
Common Shares, including the Flow-Through Shares, on the Exchange
and AMEX
to the date which is six-years following the Closing Date and will
use all
reasonable commercial efforts so that the Common Shares underlying
the
Offered Securities other than the Common Shares underlying the
Compensation Units and Agent Warrants, will be listed and posted
for
trading on the Exchange and AMEX upon their
issue;
|
(c)
|
the
Corporation shall, as soon as practicable, use all reasonable efforts
to
receive all necessary consents to the transactions contemplated herein;
and
|
(d)
|
if,
at any time prior to the Closing Date, any event occurs known to
the
Corporation as a result of which the Prospectus as supplemented by
the
Prospectus Supplement would include any untrue statements of material
fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
therein in light of the circumstances under which they are made not
misleading, or if it shall become necessary to amend the Prospectus
or the
Prospectus Supplement to comply with the U.S. Securities Act or the
rules
thereunder, the Corporation will give the Agents immediate notice
thereof,
and the Corporation will promptly prepare and file with the SEC an
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement
which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment to
effect
such compliance.
|
6.
|
Conditions
to Closing
|
The
following are conditions to the closing of the transactions involving the
issuance and sale of the Offered Securities contemplated hereby, which
conditions the Corporation covenants to exercise its reasonable best efforts
to
have fulfilled on or prior to the Time of Closing and which conditions may
be
waived in writing in whole or in part by the Agents:
(a)
|
the
Corporation will have made and/or obtained the necessary filings,
approvals, consents and acceptances of the appropriate regulatory
authorities required to be made or obtained by the Corporation in
connection with the sale of the Offered Securities to the Purchasers
prior
to the Time of Closing as herein contemplated, it being understood
that
the Agents shall do all that is reasonably required to assist the
Corporation to fulfil this
condition;
|
-
18 -
(b)
|
the
Corporation's board of directors shall have authorized and approved
the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the acceptance of the
Subscription Agreements, the allotment, issuance and delivery of
the
Offered Securities and the creation and issuance of the Compensation
Warrants, the filing of the Prospectus Supplement and all matters
relating
thereto;
|
(c)
|
the
Corporation shall have accepted one or more Subscription Agreements
with
the Purchasers;
|
(d)
|
the
Corporation shall have filed the Prospectus Supplement with the SEC
during
the period required for such filing by SEC Rule 424(b)(5);
and
|
(e)
|
the
Agents shall have received an opinion, dated as of the Closing, of
the
Corporation's counsel (it being understood that such counsel may
rely to
the extent appropriate in the circumstances, (i) as to matters of
fact, on
certificates of the Corporation executed on its behalf by a senior
officer
of the Corporation and on certificates of the Transfer Agent, as
to the
issued capital of the Corporation; and (ii) as to matters of fact
not
independently established, on certificates of the Corporation's auditors
or a public official) with respect to the following
matters:
|
(i)
|
as
to the incorporation and subsistence of the Corporation and each
Subsidiary under the laws of its governing jurisdiction and as to
the
corporate power of the Corporation to carry out its obligations under
this
Agreement and the Subscription Agreements, and to issue the Offered
Securities and the Compensation
Warrants;
|
(ii)
|
as
to the authorized and issued capital of the
Corporation;
|
(iii)
|
that
the Corporation is the registered holder of the percentage of the
outstanding shares of each Subsidiary referred to in subsection
4(c)
hereof;
|
(iv)
|
that
the Corporation has all requisite corporate power and authority under
the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation to carry on its business
as
presently carried on and to own its
properties;
|
(v)
|
that
none of the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Subscription
Agreements, the performance by the Corporation of its obligations
hereunder and thereunder, or the sale or issuance of the Offered
Securities will conflict with or result in any breach of the constating
documents or by-laws of the
Corporation;
|
(vi)
|
that
each of this Agreement and the Subscription Agreements, have been
duly
authorized and executed and delivered by the Corporation, and constitute
a
valid and legally binding obligation of the Corporation enforceable
against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof
may
be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally
and
except as limited by the application of equitable principles when
equitable remedies are sought, and the qualification that the
enforceability of rights of indemnity and contribution may be limited
by
applicable law;
|
-
19 -
(vii)
|
that
the Offered Securities have been validly issued by the
Corporation;
|
(viii)
|
that
the Flow-Through Shares have been authorized and allotted for issuance
and
will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable securities
in the
capital of the Corporation;
|
(ix)
|
that
the Warrant Shares have been authorized and allotted for issuance
upon the
due exercise of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions thereof,
will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable securities
in the
capital of the Corporation;
|
(x)
|
that
the Compensation Warrants have been duly and validly created and
issued by
the Corporation;
|
(xi)
|
that
the Agent Common Shares have been authorized and allotted for issuance
upon the due exercise of the Compensation Units in accordance with
the
provisions thereof, will be validly issued as fully paid and
non-assessable securities in the capital of the
Corporation;
|
(xii)
|
that
the Agent Warrants have been authorized and allotted for issuance
upon the
due exercise of the Compensation Units in accordance with the provisions
thereof, will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable
securities in the capital of the
Corporation;
|
(xiii)
|
that
the Common Shares issuable upon the due exercise of the Agent Warrants
have been authorized and allotted for issuance upon the due exercise
of
the Agent Warrants in accordance with the provisions thereof, will
be
validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable securities in the
capital
of the Corporation;
|
(xiv)
|
that
the issuance and sale by the Corporation of the Flow-Through Units
to the
Purchasers and the issuance by the Corporation of the Compensation
Warrant
to the Agents are exempt from the prospectus and registration requirements
of Applicable Securities Laws in the Offering Provincial Jurisdictions
and
no documents are required to be filed (other than specified forms
accompanied by requisite filing fees), proceedings taken or approvals,
permits, consents or authorizations obtained under the Applicable
Securities Laws to permit such issuance and sale;
|
-
20 -
(xv)
|
that
the Flow-Through Shares and Common Shares are qualified investments
for
trusts governed by a registered retirement savings plan, a registered
retirement income fund, a registered education savings plan or a
deferred
profit sharing plan under the Income Tax Act (Canada)
(the "Tax Act")
and the regulation under the Tax Act and, based upon information
provided
by the Corporation, the common shares at the date of their issue
will not
constitute "foreign property" for purposes of the Tax Act for persons
subject to tax under part XI of the Tax Act; and
|
(xvi)
|
as
to such other matters as the Agents' legal counsel may reasonably
request
prior to the Time of Closing;
|
(f)
|
the
Agents shall have received a legal opinion addressed to the Agents
from
United States counsel for the Corporation, dated as of Closing, in
form
and substance satisfactory to the Agents, acting reasonably, with
respect
to the initial sale of the Offered Securities by the Agents and the
Corporation, the conversion of the Offered Securities and the underlying
Common Shares when issued and that the Registration Statement has
become
effective under the U.S. Securities Act; to the best knowledge of
such
counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration
Statement has been issued; the Prospectus Supplement was filed in
the time
period required under SEC Rule 424, the Prospectus as supplemented
by the
Prospectus Supplement comply as to form in all material respects
with the
applicable requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and rules promulgated
pursuant thereto; and such counsel has no reason to believe that
the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement include any untrue statements of material fact or omit
to state
any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light
of the
circumstances under which they are made not misleading;
|
(g)
|
the
Agents shall have received an incumbency certificate dated the Closing
Date including specimen signatures of the President and Chief Executive
Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and any other officer of the
Corporation signing this Agreement or any document delivered
hereunder;
|
(h)
|
the
Agents shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date,
of the
President and Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer
of
the Corporation (or such other officer or officers of the Corporation
acceptable to the Agents, acting reasonably), addressed to the Agents
and
its counsel to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge,
information and belief, after due enquiry and without personal
liability:
|
(i)
|
the
representations and warranties of the Corporation in this Agreement
are
true and correct in all material respects as if made at and as of
the Time
of Closing and the Corporation has performed all covenants and agreements
and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
in
all material respects at or prior to the Time of
Closing;
|
(ii)
|
no
order, ruling or determination having the effect of suspending the
sale or
ceasing, suspending or restricting trading in securities of the
Corporation in any of the Offering Jurisdictions has been issued
or made
by any stock exchange, securities commission or regulatory authority
and
is continuing in effect and no stop order, ruling or determination
having
the effect of suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and no proceedings, investigations or enquiries
for that
purpose have been instituted or are
pending;
|
(iii)
|
the
articles and by-laws of the Corporation delivered at Closing are
full,
true and correct copies, unamended, and in effect on the date
thereof;
|
(iv)
|
the
minutes or other records of various proceedings and actions of the
Corporation's board of directors relating to the Offering and delivered
at
Closing are full, true and correct copies thereof and have not been
modified or rescinded as of the date
thereof;
|
(v)
|
since
the date of the Letter Agreement, there has been no material adverse
change in the business, affairs, operations, assets, liabilities
or
capital of the Corporation and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;
|
(vi)
|
none
of the documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities
since December 31, 2001 contained a misrepresentation as at the time
the
relevant document was filed that has not since been corrected;
and
|
(vii)
|
the
Common Shares underlying the Offered Securities shall have been approved
for listing on the Exchange and AMEX, subject only to the official
notices
of issuance and fulfilment of such other conditions of the Exchange
and
AMEX as set out in the conditional listing
letter;
|
(i)
|
the
Common Shares underlying the Offered Securities shall have been approved
for listing on the Exchange and AMEX, subject only to the official
notices
of issuance and fulfilment of such other conditions of the Exchange
and
AMEX as set out in the conditional listing letter;
|
(j)
|
the
Agents shall have conducted all due diligence inquiries and investigations
and not identified any material adverse changes or misrepresentations
or
any items materially adversely affecting the Corporation's affairs
which
exist as of the date hereof but which have not been widely disseminated
to
the public; and
|
(k)
|
the
Agents shall have received certificates, issued under applicable
provisions of the securities laws of the Offering Provincial Jurisdictions
stating that the Corporation is not in default under the Applicable
Securities Laws of such provinces,
respectively.
|
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21 -
It
is
understood that the Agents may waive in whole or in part or extend the time
for
compliance with any of such terms and conditions without prejudice to its rights
in respect of any other of the foregoing terms and conditions or any subsequent
breach or non-compliance, provided that to be binding on the Agents any such
waiver or extension must be in writing and signed by it.
The
Corporation agrees that the aforesaid legal opinions and certificates to be
delivered at the Time of Closing will also be addressed to the Purchasers and
that the Agents may deliver copies thereof to such persons and to any persons
who purchase Offered Securities.
7.
|
Termination
of Obligations
|
If
at any
time before the Time of Closing:
(a)
|
there
shall have occurred any adverse material change (actual, intended,
anticipated or threatened) or the Agents shall have discovered any
previously undisclosed adverse material fact (determined by the Agents
in
its sole discretion) in relation to the Corporation or the Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, which, in the opinion of the Agents, prevents or
restricts trading in or the distribution of the Offered Securities
or
adversely affects or would reasonably be expected to adversely affect
the
market price or value of the Flow-Through Units and the underlying
Flow-Through Shares;
|
(b)
|
there
shall have occurred any change in the applicable securities laws
of any
province of Canada or any inquiry, investigation or other proceeding
is
made or any order is issued under or pursuant to any statute of Canada
or
any province thereof or any statute of the United States or any state
thereof or any stock exchange in relation to the Corporation or any
of its
securities (except for any inquiry, investigation or other proceeding
based upon activities of the Agents and not upon activities of the
Corporation) which, in the opinion of the Agents, prevents or restricts
trading in or the distribution of the Offered Securities or adversely
affects or would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the market
price or value of the Flow-Through Units and the underlying Flow-Through
Shares;
|
(c)
|
if
there should develop, occur or come into effect or existence any
event,
action, state, condition or major financial occurrence or catastrophe,
war
or act of terrorism of national or international consequence or any
law or
regulation which, in the reasonable opinion of the Agents, seriously
adversely affects or involves, or will seriously adversely affect
or
involve, the financial markets or the business, operations or affairs
of
the Corporation and the Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole;
|
(d)
|
a
cease trading order is made by any Securities Commission or other
competent authority by reason of the fault of the Corporation or
its
respective directors, officers and agents and such cease trading
order is
not rescinded within 48-hours;
|
(e)
|
if
the Corporation fails to obtain the approval of the Exchange for
the
conditional listing of any Common Shares underlying the Offered
Securities; or
|
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22 -
(f)
|
if
the Registration Statement shall cease to be effective with the SEC
or a
stop order shall be issued with respect to the Registration
Statement,
|
the
obligations of the Agents contained in this Agreement may be terminated by
the
Agents in its sole discretion.
Any
termination pursuant to the foregoing provisions shall be effected by notice
in
writing delivered by the Agents to the Corporation at its address as herein
set
out. Notwithstanding the giving of any notice of termination hereunder, the
expenses agreed to be paid by the Corporation shall be paid by the Corporation
as herein provided and the obligations of the Corporation under Sections
9, 10 and 11
hereof
shall survive.
In
the
event of a termination pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions hereof
and notice having been given, as aforesaid, there will be no further liability
on the part of the Agents under this Agreement. The rights of the Agents to
terminate its obligations hereunder are in addition to, and without prejudice
to, any other remedies it may have.
8.
|
Closing
|
The
Closing will be completed at the offices of the Corporation's counsel,
Fogler, Xxxxxxxx LLP Barristers & Solicitors, 0000-00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
West, Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, ON M5J 2Z9, or such other place or
places as may be agreed upon by the Corporation and the Agents, provided that
if
the Corporation has not been able to comply with any of the conditions set
forth
under Section
6
"Conditions to Closing" prior to the date of Closing may be extended by mutual
agreement of the Corporation and the Agents, failing which, the respective
obligations of the parties will terminate without further liability or
obligation except as set out under Sections
9, 10 and 11
hereof.
At
Closing, the Corporation shall deliver to the Agents:
(a)
|
certificates,
duly registered as the Agents may direct, representing the Offered
Securities purchased;
|
(b)
|
the
requisite legal opinions and certificates as contemplated in Section
6
hereof;
|
(c)
|
a
direction addressed to the Agents directing the Agents to pay the
Gross
Proceeds less the Agent Fees and the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
of
the Agents including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Agents
(including GST), respectively; and
|
(d)
|
such
further documentation as may be contemplated
herein,
|
against
payment of the purchase price for the Offered Securities by certified cheque,
bank draft or other acceptable electronic means, to the Corporation as
contemplated herein.
All
representations and warranties contained herein and all of the covenants and
agreements of the Corporation herein, to the extent that they are required
to be
performed on or before Closing, shall be construed as conditions and any breach
or failure to comply with any thereof shall entitle the Agents, at its option,
in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies the Agents have in respect
thereof, to terminate and cancel its obligations hereunder by written notice
to
that effect given to the Corporation prior to the Time of Closing, as
appropriate. It is understood that the Agents may waive in whole or in part
or
extend the time for compliance with any such terms and conditions without
prejudice to its rights in respect of any other terms and conditions or any
other or subsequent breach or non-compliance, provided that to be binding on
the
Agents any such waiver or extension must be in writing and signed by the
Agents.
-
23 -
9.
|
Expenses
|
Whether
or not Closing occurs, the Corporation shall pay all costs and expenses of,
or
incidental to, the Offering, including, without limitation, the costs and filing
fees with respect to the private placement of the Offered Securities, the
listing of the Listed Shares on the Exchange, the cost of printing the
certificates representing the Listed Shares, the cost of registration and
delivery of such certificates, and the reasonable fees and expenses of each
of
the Corporation's auditors, legal counsel and local legal counsel in connection
with the Offering. The reasonable legal fees of the Agents' legal counsel up
to
a maximum of CDN$25,000 (such maximum not to include disbursements and
applicable GST); and the Agents' reasonable out-of-pocket expenses shall be
paid
at Closing by the Corporation to the Agents upon written advice from the Agents
as to such costs and expenses in a form acceptable to the Corporation, acting
reasonably.
In
the
event the Corporation withdraws from or terminates the Offering as the result
of
entering into an alternative financing arrangement or a proposed or contemplated
merger, amalgamation, reorganization, plan of arrangement, take-over bid or
other similar transaction involving the Corporation or a sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Corporation (collectively, an
"Alternative
Transaction"),
the
Corporation will pay to the Agents the commission outlined above in Section
2
that
would be otherwise payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement if the
offering were for $999,999.45.
10.
|
Indemnity
|
The
Corporation agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agents' and each of the
affiliates, directors, officers, agents and employees of the Agents and its
affiliates, to the full extent lawful, from and against any actions or claims
(collectively, the "Claims"),
including actions by shareholders, and all related damages, liabilities and
losses, other than lost profits or remuneration or other costs of personnel,
and
including any reasonable amount paid with the consent of the Corporation, not
to
be unreasonably withheld, to settle a Claim, related to or arising out of such
engagement or the Agents' role in connection therewith, and will reimburse
the
Agents and any other party entitled to be indemnified hereunder for all expenses
(other than remuneration or other cost of personnel, or expenses in the nature
of overhead but including the fees of counsel to the Agents on a solicitor
and
client basis as set forth below) reasonably incurred by it or any such other
Indemnified Party in connection with investigating, preparing or defending
any
such Claim, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation
to which it is a party. The Corporation will not be responsible for any Claims
or expenses associated therewith which are finally judicially determined to
have
resulted from the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of any
Indemnified Party hereunder. The Corporation also agrees that neither the Agents
nor any of its affiliates, nor any officer, director, employee or agent of
the
Agents or any of its affiliates, nor any person controlling the Agents nor
any
of its affiliates, shall have any liability to the Corporation for or in
connection with such engagement except as a result of the Agents' willful
misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence. The foregoing agreement shall be
in
addition to any rights that the Agents or any Indemnified Party may have at
common law or otherwise in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
including, without limitation, the following:
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24 -
(a)
|
any
statement (other than a statement contained in and included in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Corporation by the Agents relating to the Agents specifically for
use
therein) in any document filed by the Corporation or any predecessor
thereto with the relevant securities regulatory authorities in Canada
since December 31, 2001 including the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement and all press releases filed
on
SEDAR, which at the time and in the light of the circumstances under
which
it was made contains or is alleged to contain a
misrepresentation;
|
(b)
|
the
omission or alleged omission to state in any certificate of the
Corporation or of any officers of the Corporation delivered hereunder
or
pursuant hereto any material fact (other than a material fact omitted
in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the
Corporation by the Agents relating to the Agents specifically for
use
therein) required to be stated therein where such omission or alleged
omission constitutes or is alleged to constitute a
misrepresentation;
|
(c)
|
any
order made or any inquiry, investigation or proceeding commenced
or
threatened by any securities regulatory authority, stock exchange
or by
any other competent authority based upon any failure or alleged failure
to
comply with applicable securities laws (other than any failure or
alleged
failure to comply by the Agents) preventing and restricting the trading
in
or the sale of the Offered Securities in the provinces of Canada
or in the
United States or any state thereof;
|
(d)
|
the
non-compliance or alleged non-compliance by the Corporation with
any
requirement of Applicable Securities Laws, including the Corporation's
non-compliance with any statutory requirement to make any document
available for inspection; or
|
(e)
|
any
breach of any representation, warranty or covenant of the Corporation
contained herein or the failure of the Corporation to comply with
any of
its obligations hereunder,
|
and
will
reimburse the Agents promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any
such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions in respect thereof, as
incurred.
-
25 -
The
Corporation shall not pursuant to this indemnity be obliged in any event to
pay,
as regards any particular Claim or series of related Claims, the fees and
disbursements of more than one counsel in addition to those of its own
counsel.
The
Agents covenant and agree that each shall use its reasonable efforts to
co-operate fully with the Corporation in the investigation and defence of any
Claim or potential Claim and to cause any other Indemnified Party to so
cooperate. To
the
extent that any party entitled to be indemnified hereunder is not a party to
this indemnity agreement, the Agents shall obtain and hold the rights and
benefits of these agreements in trust for and on behalf of such
party.
Promptly
after receipt by the Agents or any other Indemnified Party of notice of or
the
communication of any Claim or of any fact which reasonably might give rise
to
any Claim, the Agents or such other party shall notify the Corporation in
writing of such Claim or facts and the Corporation shall assume the
investigation and defence or contestation thereof and shall employ counsel
satisfactory to the Agents, acting reasonably, and neither the Agents nor such
other party shall incur any expense as regards such Claim or facts, including
any investigation for which the Corporation would be liable to indemnify without
the Corporation's prior written consent which shall not be unreasonably
withheld. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence the Agents will be entitled
to
employ counsel separate from counsel to the Corporation or to any other party
in
such action if the Agents, acting reasonably, determines that a conflict of
interest exists which makes representations by counsel chosen by the Corporation
not advisable or that it is likely that such a conflict of interest will
develop.
The
Corporation shall not, without the prior written consent of the Agents, which
shall not be unreasonably withheld, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry
of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding
in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not
the
Agents or any Agents' Personnel are a party to such claim, action, suit or
proceeding), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of the Agent and all Agents' Personnel from all liability
arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for the settlement
of
any claim or action in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder
effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
If
any
matter or thing contemplated by this section shall be asserted against any
person in respect of which indemnification is or might reasonably be considered
to be provided, such person (the "Indemnified
Party")
will
notify the Corporation as soon as possible and in any event on a timely basis,
of the nature of such claim and the Corporation shall be entitled (but not
required) to assume the defence of any suit brought to enforce such claim;
provided, however, that the defence shall be through legal counsel acceptable
to
the Indemnified Party, acting reasonably, and that no settlement may be made
by
the Corporation or the Indemnified Party without the prior written consent
of
the other.
-
26 -
To
the
extent that any Indemnified Party is not a party to this Agreement, the Agents
shall obtain and hold the right and benefit of the indemnity provisions
hereunder in trust for and on behalf of such Indemnified Party.
11.
|
Contribution
|
In
the
event that the indemnity provided for above is, for any reason, illegal or
unenforceable as being contrary to public policy or for any other reason, each
of the Agents and the Corporation shall contribute to the aggregate of all
losses, claims, costs, damages, expenses or liabilities (including any legal
or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with
investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this
section but excluding loss of profits or consequential damages) of the nature
provided for above such that the Agents shall be responsible for that portion
represented by the percentage that the Agent Fees paid by the Corporation to
the
Agents bears to the Gross Proceeds realized from the sale of the Offered
Securities and the Corporation shall be responsible for the balance, whether
or
not it has been sued, provided that, in no event, shall the Agents be
responsible for any amount in excess of the amount of the Agent Fees actually
received by it. In the event that the Corporation may be held to be entitled
to
contribution from the Agents under the provisions of any statute or law, the
Corporation shall be limited to contribution in an amount not exceeding the
lesser of: (i) the portion of the full amount of losses, claims, costs, damages,
expenses and liabilities, giving rise to such contribution for which the Agents
is responsible, as determined above, and (ii) the amount of the Agent Fees
actually received by the Agents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation shall not be entitled to contribution from
the
other party. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receiving
notice of commencement of any claim, action, suit or proceeding against such
party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against the
other
party under this section, notify such party from whom contribution may be
sought. In no case shall such party from whom contribution may be sought be
liable under this Agreement unless such notice has been provided, but the
omission to so notify such party shall not relieve the party from whom
contribution may be sought from any other obligation it may have otherwise
than
under this section.
The
rights to indemnity and contribution provided in this Agreement shall be in
addition and not in derogation of any other right to indemnity or contribution
which the Agents or the Corporation may have by statute or otherwise by
law.
12.
|
Notice
|
Any
notice or other communication to be given by delivery or by facsimile hereunder
shall, in the case of notice to the Corporation, be addressed to the Corporation
at the address appearing on page 1 of this Agreement, Attention: R. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer, Facsimile No.(000) 000-0000, and in the case
of notice to the Agents:
Regent
Mercantile Bancorp Inc.
00
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
XX X0X 0X0
Attention:
J. Xxx Xxxxx, Chairman & CEO
Facsimile
No.: 000-000-0000;
-
27 -
and
a
copy to:
Limited
Market Dealer Inc.
0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
XX X0X 0X0
Attention:
Xxx Xxxx, President
Facsimile
No.: 000-000-0000;
and
if so
given, shall be deemed to have been given and received upon receipt by the
addressee or a responsible officer of the addressee if delivered, or one hour
after being telecopied and receipt confirmed during normal business hours,
as
the case may be. Any party may, at any time, give notice in writing to the
others in the manner provided for above of any change of address or
facs imile
number.
13.
|
Time
of the Essence
|
Time
shall be of the essence of this Agreement and every part hereof.
14.
|
Further
Assurances
|
Each
of
the parties hereto shall cause to be done all such acts and things or execute
or
cause to be executed all such documents, agreements and other instruments as
may
reasonably be necessary or desirable for the purposes of carrying out the
provisions and intent of this Agreement.
15.
|
Assignment
|
Except
as
contemplated herein, no party hereto may assign this Agreement or any part
hereof without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto. Subject
to
the foregoing, this agreement shall enure to the benefit of, and shall be
binding upon, the Corporation and the Agents and its respective successors
and
legal representatives, and nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement
is
intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or any provisions
contained in this Agreement, this Agreement and all conditions and provisions
of
this Agreement being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit
of such persons and for the benefit of no other person except that the covenants
and indemnities of the Corporation set out under the heading "Indemnity" shall
also be for the benefit of the Agents' Personnel.
16.
|
Counterpart
Provision
|
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when
delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall
constitute one and the same document.
-
28 -
17.
|
Entire
Agreement
|
The
provisions herein contained constitute the entire agreement between the parties
relating to the Offering and supersede all previous communications,
representations, understandings and agreements between the parties including,
but not limited to, the Letter Agreement and the Co-Agent Letter Agreement,
with
respect to the subject matter hereof whether verbal or written.
18.
|
Governing
Law
|
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the
Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable
therein.
19.
|
Survival
of Warranties, Representations, Covenants and
Agreements
|
All
warranties, representations, covenants, indemnities and agreements of the
Corporation herein contained or contained in documents submitted or required
to
be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the purchase by the
Purchasers of the Offered Securities and shall continue in full force and effect
for the benefit of the Agents for a period of two-years.
20.
|
Language
|
The
parties hereto confirm their express wish that this Agreement and all documents
and agreements directly or indirectly relating thereto be drawn up in the
English language.
Les
parties reconnaissent leur volonté express que la présente convention ainsi que
tous les documents et contrats s'y rattachant directement ou indirectement
soient rédigés en anglais.
21.
|
Facsimile
|
The
Corporation and the Agents shall be entitled to rely on delivery by facsimile
of
an executed copy
of
this Agreement and acceptance by the Corporation and the Agents of that delivery
shall be legally effective to create a valid and binding agreement between
the
Corporation and the Agents in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
22.
|
Acceptance
|
If
this
letter accurately reflects the terms of the transaction which we are to enter
into and if such terms are agreed to by the Corporation, please communicate
acceptance by executing where indicated below and returning a signed copy of
this Agreement to the Agents.
***THIS
PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK***
-
29 -
Yours
very truly,
REGENT
MERCANTILE BANCORP INC.
Per:
/s/
J.
XXX
XXXXX
Name: J.
XXX XXXXX
Title: Chairman
and CEO
LIMITED
MARKET DEALER INC.
Per:
/s/
The
foregoing accurately reflects the terms of the transaction which we are to
enter
into and such terms are agreed to with effect as of the date provided at the
top
of the first page of this Agreement.
APOLLO
GOLD CORPORATION
Per: _/s/
R.
XXXXX RUSSELL__________
Name: R.
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Title: President
& CEO
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30 -