SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT HARRY WINSTON DIAMOND CORPORATION - AND - KINROSS GOLD CORPORATION - AND - HARRY WINSTON DIAMOND MINES LTD. March 31, 2009
Exhibit
99.2
EXECUTION
COPY
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND CORPORATION
-
AND -
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
-
AND -
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND MINES LTD.
March
31, 2009
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
||||
ARTICLE
1
|
||||
DEFINITIONS
AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
|
2
|
|||
1.1
|
Definitions
|
2
|
||
1.2
|
Additional
Definitions
|
6
|
||
1.3
|
Certain
Rules of Interpretation
|
6
|
||
1.4
|
Accounting
Principles
|
7
|
||
1.5
|
Not
a Unanimous Shareholder Agreement
|
7
|
||
1.6
|
Schedules
|
7
|
||
ARTICLE
2
|
||||
PURPOSE
AND SCOPE
|
8
|
|||
2.1
|
Purpose
of the Corporation
|
8
|
||
2.2
|
Compliance
with Agreement
|
8
|
||
2.3
|
Compliance
by Corporation
|
8
|
||
2.4
|
Compliance
by Limited Partnership
|
8
|
||
ARTICLE
3
|
||||
MANAGEMENT
OF THE CORPORATION
|
8
|
|||
3.1
|
Board
of Directors
|
8
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||
3.2
|
Approval
of Matters
|
9
|
||
3.3
|
Indemnification
|
11
|
||
3.4
|
Additional
Capital
|
11
|
||
3.5
|
Books
and Records
|
12
|
||
3.6
|
Annual
Budget Consultation Process
|
13
|
||
3.7
|
Consulting
and Professional Services Agreement Fee
|
13
|
||
3.8
|
Information
Rights
|
18
|
||
3.9
|
Ability
to Cure Defaults
|
14
|
||
3.10
|
Exercise
of Pre-Emptive Rights under Diavik JV Agreement
|
14
|
||
3.11
|
Majority
Interest in the Diavik Diamond Mine
|
14
|
||
ARTICLE
4
|
||||
DEALING
WITH SHARES
|
14
|
|||
4.1
|
Restrictions
on Transfer of Special Voting Shares
|
14
|
||
4.2
|
Endorsement
on Certificates
|
15
|
||
4.3
|
Required
Transfers
|
15
|
||
4.4
|
Transfers
to Permitted Transferees
|
16
|
||
4.5
|
Encumbrances
|
16
|
||
4.6
|
Conditions
on Transfer
|
16
|
||
4.7
|
Co-operation
by the Corporation
|
17
|
||
4.8
|
Required
Issuances of Special Voting Shares
|
17
|
||
ARTICLE
5
|
||||
SHARE
TRANSFER PROCEDURES
|
17
|
-i-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
||||
5.1
|
Application
|
17
|
||
5.2
|
Time
and Place of Closing
|
17
|
||
5.3
|
Payment
and Delivery
|
17
|
||
5.4
|
Power
of Attorney
|
18
|
||
5.5
|
Remedies
|
18
|
||
ARTICLE
6
|
||||
GENERAL
|
19
|
|||
6.1
|
Confidentiality
|
19
|
||
6.2
|
Arbitration
|
19
|
||
6.3
|
Application
of this Agreement
|
19
|
||
6.4
|
Enurement
|
19
|
||
6.5
|
Entire
Agreement
|
20
|
||
6.6
|
Amendments
and Waivers
|
20
|
||
6.7
|
Assignment
|
20
|
||
6.8
|
Termination
|
20
|
||
6.9
|
Notices
|
20
|
||
6.10
|
Further
Acts
|
21
|
||
6.11
|
Execution
and Delivery
|
21
|
-ii-
THIS
AGREEMENT is made March 31, 2009 (the “Effective
Date”)
BETWEEN:
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND CORPORATION, a corporation governed by the laws of
Canada (“HWDC”),
|
-
and -
|
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION, a corporation governed by the laws of the
Province of Ontario (“Kinross”),
|
-
and -
|
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND MINES LTD., a corporation governed by the laws of
Northwest Territories (the “Corporation”)
|
RECITALS:
A.
|
The
Corporation was incorporated pursuant to a certificate of incorporation,
dated January 27, 1998 issued under the Companies
Act (Northwest Territories), under the name “Aber Diamond Mines
Ltd.”.
|
B.
|
On
August 3, 1998, pursuant to the filing of articles of continuance, the
Corporation was continued under the Business
Corporations Act (Northwest Territories).
|
C.
|
On
December 3, 2007, the Corporation filed articles of amendment pursuant to
which the Corporation’s name was changed to “Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond Mines
Ltd.”.
|
D.
|
On
March 19, 2009, HWDC and Kinross entered into a subscription agreement
(the “Subscription
Agreement”), pursuant to which, inter
alia, the Corporation would issue to Kinross shares of a new class
of special voting shares of the Corporation.
|
E.
|
On
March 25, 2009, the Corporation filed articles of amendment pursuant to
which the Corporation authorized the creation of an unlimited number of
Special Voting Shares (each, a “Special
Voting Share”). A copy of the certificate and articles of amendment
is attached as Schedule A.
|
F.
|
On
March 25, 2009, HWDC subscribed for 775 Special Voting Shares,
representing a 100% non-participating voting interest in the
Corporation.
|
G.
|
On
March 26, 2009, the Corporation filed articles of amendment to remove the
voting rights attached to the Class A Shares. A copy of the certificate
and articles of amendment is attached as Schedule
A.
|
- 2 -
H.
|
Immediately
prior to the Effective Date, the authorized share capital of the
Corporation consists of an unlimited number of Class A Shares (the “Class
A Shares”), an unlimited number of Class B Shares (the “Class
B Shares”) and an unlimited number of Special Voting Shares. There
are 25,980,002 Class A Shares, no Class B Shares and 775 Special Voting
Shares issued and outstanding, and HWDC owns of record and beneficially
all of the outstanding Class A Shares and Special Voting
Shares.
|
I.
|
On
the Effective Date, Kinross subscribed for 225 Special Voting Shares,
representing a 22.5% non-participating voting interest in the
Corporation.
|
J.
|
On
the Effective Date, HWDC and Kinross together own all of the issued and
outstanding Special Voting Shares.
|
K.
|
The
parties have entered into this Agreement to record their agreement as to
the manner in which the Corporation’s affairs shall be conducted and to
grant to each other certain rights and obligations with respect to their
ownership, directly and indirectly, of the Special Voting
Shares.
|
THEREFORE,
the parties agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
1.1
|
Definitions
|
Whenever
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set
out below:
|
|
“Act”
means the Business
Corporations Act (Northwest Territories);
|
|
“Agreement”
means this Shareholders Agreement, including all schedules, and all
amendments or restatements as permitted, and references to “Article”,
“Section”
or “Schedule”
mean the specified Article, Section or Schedule of this
Agreement;
|
|
“Annual
Budget” means, for a fiscal year, annual operating and capital
budget of the Limited Partnership for such fiscal year, which shall
reflect the distribution principles set forth in the Limited Partnership
Agreement and shall include a schedule of planned Distributions and Cash
Calls and the SG&A Budget;
|
|
“Arm’s
Length” has the meaning that it has for purposes of the Income
Tax Act (Canada);
|
|
“Board”
means the board of directors of the Corporation;
|
|
“Business”
has the meaning given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
|
“Business
Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any day on
which banks are generally not open for business in the City of Toronto
(Ontario) or Yellowknife (Northwest Territories);
|
|
“Cash
Call” has the meaning given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
- 3 -
“Change
of Control” of a Person (for the purposes of this definition, the
“First
Person”) at any time means the direct or indirect acquisition of
Control of the First Person at such time by a Person or group of Persons,
acting in concert, who, immediately prior to such time, did not directly
or indirectly Control the First Person;
|
|
“Class
A Shares” has the meaning given in the recitals, and includes the
Class A Shares currently authorized as well as any additional Class A
Shares that may be issued;
|
|
“Class
B Shares” has the meaning given in the recitals, and includes the
Class B Shares currently authorized as well as any additional Class B
Shares that may be issued;
|
|
“Consulting
Agreement” has the meaning given in Schedule
1.1;
|
|
“Control”
means, with respect to a particular Person (for the purposes of this
definition, the “First
Person”), possession by another Person or a group of other Persons,
acting in concert, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, of the power to direct or cause the direction of
management and policies of such First Person, or to elect or appoint a
majority of the board of directors of such First Person, whether through
ownership of Voting Securities, by contract or otherwise; and the words
“Controlled”,
“Controlling”
and similar words have corresponding meanings;
|
|
“Diavik
Diamond Mine” means the Diavik diamond mine located in the
Northwest Territories and subject to the Diavik JV
Agreement;
|
|
“Diavik
JV Agreement” has the meaning given in Schedule
1.1;
|
|
“Direct
Transfer” means, in respect of any Special Voting Shares, any sale,
exchange, transfer, assignment, gift, disposition, alienation or other
transaction, whether voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law, by
which legal or beneficial ownership of, or other direct interest in, such
Special Voting Shares passes directly from one Person to another, or to
the same Person in a different capacity, whether or not for value, but
excludes an Encumbrance of any Special Voting Shares permitted under this
Agreement and an Indirect Transfer, and for the purposes of this
definition, the definition of Indirect Transfer shall be read as if the
words “but excludes Encumbrances granted by any such Persons” had been
deleted;
|
|
“Director”
means a member of the Board;
|
|
“Distribution”
has the meaning given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
|
“Eligible
Transferee” means, in respect of a Shareholder: (a) any body
corporate that is a Related Entity of such Shareholder and that is
governed by the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada; or
(b) any Canadian partnership for the purposes of the Income
Tax Act (Canada) that is a Related Entity of such
Shareholder;
|
|
“Encumbrance”
means any mortgage, charge, pledge, security interest, lien, trust or
other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever, however arising; and “Encumber”,
“Encumbering”
and “Encumbered”
and similar words have corresponding meanings;
|
|
“Fee”
has the meaning given in Section
3.7(a);
|
- 4 -
“General
Partner” means a Person who is admitted as the general partner of
the Limited Partnership, so long as such Person remains the general
partner of the Limited Partnership, being the Corporation as at the
Effective Date;
|
||
“Governmental
Authority” means governments, regulatory authorities, governmental
departments, agencies, commissions, bureaus, officials, ministers, Crown
corporations, courts, bodies, boards, tribunals, or dispute settlement
panels or other law, rule or regulation-making organizations or
entities:
|
||
(a)
|
having
or purporting to have jurisdiction on behalf of any nation, province,
territory, state, or other geographic or political subdivision of any of
them; or
|
|
(b)
|
exercising,
or entitled or purporting to exercise any administrative, executive,
judicial, legislative, policy, regulatory or taxing authority or
power;
|
|
“Indirect
Transfer” means any:
|
||
(a)
|
direct
or indirect sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, gift, disposition,
alienation or other transaction, whether voluntary, involuntary or by
operation of law, whereby the direct or indirect legal or beneficial
ownership of, or other interest in, a Person, who, directly or indirectly,
legally or beneficially holds Special Voting Shares, passes directly or
indirectly from one Person to another, or to the same Person in a
different capacity, whether or not for value; or
|
|
(b)
|
Change
of Control of any of the legal or beneficial owners of any Person that
Controls, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever, any Person
legally or beneficially holding Special Voting Shares,
|
|
but
excludes Encumbrances granted by any such Persons and, for greater
certainty, debt instruments which do not evidence or otherwise in any way
provide an ownership or participating or like interest or a right to
acquire an ownership or participating or like interest issued by such
Person;
|
||
“Initial
Period” has the meaning given in Section 3.7(a);
|
||
“Laws”
means laws (including common law and civil law), statutes, by-laws, rules,
regulations, Orders, ordinances, protocols, codes, guidelines, treaties,
policies, notices, directions, decrees, judgments, awards or requirements,
in each case of any Governmental Authority;
|
||
“Limited
Partnership” means Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond Limited Partnership, a
limited partnership formed under the laws of the Northwest
Territories;
|
||
“Limited
Partnership Agreement” means the amended limited partnership
agreement with respect to the Limited Partnership dated the Effective Date
between the Corporation (as General Partner) and 6355137 Canada Inc. and
Kinross (as Limited Partners), as the same may be amended, restated or
replaced from time to time;
|
||
“Nominating
Shareholder” has the meaning given in Section
3.1;
|
- 5 -
“Notice”
has the meaning given in Section 6.9;
|
|
“Orders”
means orders, injunctions, judgments, administrative complaints, decrees,
rulings, awards, assessments, directions, instructions, settlements,
penalties or sanctions issued, filed or imposed by any Governmental
Authority or arbitrator;
|
|
“Participant”
has the meaning given in the Diavik JV Agreement;
|
|
“Participating
Interest” has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Diavik JV
Agreement;
|
|
“Parties”
means, collectively, HWDC, Kinross, the Corporation and any other Person
that becomes a party to this Agreement, and “Party”
means any one of them;
|
|
“Partner”
means a Person who is admitted as a partner of the Limited Partnership, so
long as such Person remains a partner of the Limited
Partnership;
|
|
“Partnership
Units” has the meaning given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
|
“Person”
means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, entity,
unincorporated association, unincorporated syndicate, unincorporated
organization, trust, body corporate, limited liability company, unlimited
liability company, Governmental Authority and, where the context requires,
any of the foregoing when they are acting as trustee, executor,
administrator or other legal representative;
|
|
“Purchased
Special Voting Shares” has the meaning given in Section
5.1;
|
|
“Purchaser”
has the meaning given in Section 5.2;
|
|
“Related
Agreements” means the agreements set forth in Schedule
1.1;
|
|
“Related
Entity” has the meaning given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
|
“Selling
Entities” means, collectively, those Related Entities of HWDC which
sort rough diamonds on behalf of the Limited Partnership and to which the
Limited Partnership sells rough diamonds (being Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Technical
Services Inc., Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond (India) Private Limited and Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond International N.V. as of the Effective Date); and “Selling
Entity” means any one of them;
|
|
“SG&A
Budget” has the meaning given in Section 3.7(b);
|
|
“Shareholders”
means, collectively, HWDC and Kinross together with such other Persons as
may become Parties to this Agreement as a shareholder of the Corporation,
and “Shareholder”
means any one of such Persons;
|
|
“Special
Voting Shares” has the meaning given in the recitals, and includes
the Special Voting Shares currently authorized as well as any additional
Special Voting Shares that may be issued;
|
|
“Subscription
Agreement” has the meaning given in the recital, and as the same
may be amended, restated or replaced from time to
time;
|
- 6 -
“Third
Party Transferee” has the meaning given in Section
4.3(a);
|
||
“Time
of Closing” has the meaning given in Section
5.2;
|
||
“Transfer”
means a Direct Transfer or Indirect Transfer; and the words “Transferee”
and “Transferred”
and similar words have corresponding meanings, provided that were “Transfer”,
“Transferee”
and “Transferred”
are used in respect of Partnership Units, such terms shall have the
respective meanings given in the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
||
“Vendor”
has the meaning given in Section 5.2; and
|
||
“Voting
Securities” means the securities of any class of any corporation,
trust or partnership carrying voting rights generally under all
circumstances and shall include any shares, interests or other securities
convertible or exchangeable into such securities, and for the purposes of
the Corporation includes the Special Voting Shares.
|
||
1.2
|
Additional
Definitions
|
|
Unless
there is something inconsistent in the subject matter or context, or
unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, all other words and terms
used in this Agreement that are defined in the Act shall have the meanings
set out in the Act.
|
||
1.3
|
Certain
Rules of Interpretation
|
|
In
this Agreement:
|
||
(a)
|
Time
- Time is of the essence in the performance of the Parties’
respective
obligations.
|
|
(b)
|
Currency
- Unless otherwise specified, all references to money amounts or
“$” are to the lawful currency of
Canada.
|
|
(c)
|
Headings
- Headings of Articles and Sections are inserted for convenience of
reference only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of
this
Agreement.
|
|
(d)
|
Consent
- Whenever a provision of this Agreement requires an approval or
consent and such approval or consent is not delivered within the
applicable time period, then, unless otherwise specified, the Party whose
consent or approval is required shall be conclusively deemed to have
withheld its consent or
approval.
|
|
(e)
|
Time
Periods - Unless otherwise specified, time periods within or
following which any payment is to be made or act is to be done shall be
calculated by excluding the day on which the period commences and
including the day which the period ends and by extending the period to the
next Business Day following if the last day of the period is not a
Business
Day.
|
- 7 -
(f)
|
Business
Day - Whenever any payment to be made or action to be taken under
this Agreement is required to be made or taken on a day other than a
Business Day, such payment shall be made or action taken on the next
Business Day
following.
|
|
(g)
|
||
(h)
|
Including
- Where the word “including”
or “includes”
is used in this Agreement, it means “including (or includes) without
limitation”.
|
|
(i)
|
No
Strict Construction - The language used in this Agreement is the
language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule
of strict construction shall be applied against any
Party.
|
|
(j)
|
Number
and Gender - Unless the context otherwise requires, words importing
the singular include the plural and vice versa and words importing gender
include all
genders.
|
|
(k)
|
Severability
- If, in any jurisdiction, any provision of this Agreement or its
application to any Party or circumstance is restricted, prohibited or
unenforceable, such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective only to the extent of such restriction, prohibition or
unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions of this
Agreement and without affecting the validity or enforceability of such
provision in any other jurisdiction or without affecting its application
to other Parties or
circumstances.
|
|
(l)
|
Statutory
References - A reference to a statute includes all regulations made
pursuant to such statute and, unless otherwise specified, the provisions
of any statute or regulation that amends, supplements or supersedes any
such statute or any such
regulation.
|
|
1.4
|
Accounting
Principles
|
|
Wherever
in this Agreement reference is made to “Financial
Reporting Standards” such reference shall be deemed to be to the
generally accepted accounting principles applicable from time to time to
public companies in Canada.
|
||
1.5
|
Not
a Unanimous Shareholder Agreement
|
|
This
Agreement is not a unanimous shareholder agreement within the provisions
of Section 148(1) of the Act.
|
||
1.6
|
Schedules
|
|
The
Schedules to this Agreement, as listed below, are an integral part of this
Agreement:
|
Schedule
A
|
-
|
Certificates
and Articles of Amendment
|
|
Schedule
1.1
|
-
|
Related
Agreements
|
- 8 -
Schedule
3.2
|
-
|
Summary
of Sorting and Marketing Operations
|
|
Schedule
4.6
|
-
|
Form
of Counterpart and Acknowledgement
|
|
Schedule
6.2
|
-
|
Arbitration
Procedures
|
ARTICLE
2
PURPOSE
AND SCOPE
2.1
|
Purpose
of the Corporation
|
|
(a)
|
The
sole purpose of the Corporation is to: (a) act as the General Partner in
accordance with the Limited Partnership Agreement; and (b) undertake such
other business and activities in accordance with this Agreement or as the
Shareholders have agreed to unanimously in writing.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Corporation shall not carry on any business except as set out in Section
2.1(a).
|
|
2.2
|
Compliance
with Agreement
|
|
Each
Shareholder agrees to vote and act as a shareholder of the Corporation to
fulfil the provisions of this Agreement and in all other respects to
comply with, and use all reasonable efforts to cause the Corporation to
comply with, this Agreement.
|
||
2.3
|
Compliance
by Corporation
|
|
The
Corporation undertakes to carry out and be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement to the full extent that it has the capacity and power at law to
do so.
|
||
2.4
|
Compliance
by Limited Partnership
|
|
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement and the Limited Partnership Agreement, the
Corporation, as the General Partner, shall cause, and take all actions
necessary to cause, the Limited Partnership to comply with its obligations
under the Related Agreements.
|
||
ARTICLE
3
|
||
MANAGEMENT
OF THE CORPORATION
|
||
3.1
|
Board
of Directors
|
|
The
Corporation shall have a Board appointed by the Shareholder or
Shareholders holding a majority of the Voting Securities in the capital of
the Corporation (the “Nominating
Shareholder”). The Nominating Shareholder shall be entitled to
determine the number of Directors comprising the Board and to remove any
such Director by notice to such Director, the other Shareholders and the
Corporation. Any vacancy occurring on the Board by reason of the death,
disqualification, inability to act, resignation or removal of any Director
shall be filled only by a further nominee of the Nominating
Shareholder.
|
- 9 -
3.2
|
Approval
of Matters
|
||
(a)
|
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement or the Act, no obligation will be
entered into, no decision will be made, and no action taken by the
Corporation: (1) as General Partner, on behalf of the Limited Partnership,
in respect to the Limited Partnership with respect to each of the matters
set out below; or (2) the Corporation in respect of itself with respect to
the matters set out in Sections 3.2(a)(i), 3.2(a)(iii), 3.2(a)(v),
3.2(a)(xiii), 3.2(a)(xvi), 3.2(a)(xix) and 3.2(a)(xxii), in each case,
without the written approval of Kinross (which shall not be unreasonably
withheld with respect to the Related Agreements listed in Part 2 of
Schedule 1.1 in respect of the matters set forth in Sections 3.2(a)(vii)
and 3.2(a)(viii) and in respect of expenditures pursuant to (B) of Section
3.2(a)(viii) that in the aggregate exceed [REDACTED]
in a particular fiscal year (excluding amounts required to be paid by Law
by the Limited Partnership)):
|
||
(i)
|
any
change in the articles or the by-laws of the
Corporation;
|
||
(ii)
|
any
change to the certificate of limited partnership of the Limited
Partnership, other than to reflect changes in: (i) capital contributions
of the Partners; (ii) the current addresses of the Partners; or (iii) the
identity of the Partners;
|
||
(iii)
|
the
issuance of any Special Voting Shares other than in accordance with
Section 4.8;
|
||
(iv)
|
the
issuance of any equity securities of the Limited Partnership, including
Partnership Units, warrants, options, convertible debt or other rights to
purchase units or interests in the Limited Partnership, other than in
accordance with the Limited Partnership Agreement;
|
||
(v)
|
the
redemption or purchase for cancellation of any outstanding Special Voting
Shares;
|
||
(vi)
|
the
redemption or purchase for cancellation of any Partnership
Units;
|
||
(vii)
|
the
amending, restating, replacing, terminating or waiving of any material
term under, or the assigning of (or otherwise transferring any of the
rights of or under) any of the Related Agreements;
|
||
(viii)
|
the
making or incurring of any expenditure or obligation by the Limited
Partnership, other than: (A) as explicitly required by any of the Related
Agreements; and (B) any other expenditures necessary for the operation of
the Limited Partnership and that are in accordance with the terms of the
Limited Partnership Agreement; provided that such expenditures shall not
in aggregate exceed [REDACTED]
in any fiscal year (excluding amounts required to be paid by Law by the
Limited Partnership);
|
||
(ix)
|
the
borrowing by the Limited Partnership of any money from any Person, other
than in accordance with the Limited Partnership
Agreement;
|
- 10 -
(x)
|
the
granting of any security interest or creation of any Encumbrances on the
assets of the Limited Partnership;
|
||
(xi)
|
the
making, directly or indirectly, by the Limited Partnership of loans or
advances to any Person, other than as explicitly required by any of the
Related Agreements;
|
||
(xii)
|
the
guaranteeing by the Limited Partnership of debts or obligations of any
Person, other than as explicitly required by any of the Related
Agreements;
|
||
(xiii)
|
the
engaging of any transaction outside of the normal course of business of
the Corporation (including acquiring or establishing any new business or
terminating any part of the Corporation’s current
business);
|
||
(xiv)
|
the
engaging of any transaction outside of the normal course of business of
the Limited Partnership (including acquiring or establishing any new
business or terminating any part of the Business);
|
||
(xv)
|
the
purchase by the Limited Partnership of shares in the capital of any
corporation or an interest in any partnership, joint venture or similar
entity;
|
||
(xvi)
|
the
entering by the Corporation or the Limited Partnership into of an
amalgamation, merger or consolidation with any other
Person;
|
||
(xvii)
|
the
entering into of any agreement with or commitment to any Person with whom
the Partnership does not deal at Arm’s Length (including any Partner or
Related Entity of such Partner);
|
||
(xviii)
|
the
sale or disposition of any material property or assets of the Limited
Partnership;
|
||
(xix)
|
the
taking of any steps to reorganize, dissolve, wind up or otherwise
terminate the existence of the Corporation or the Limited
Partnership;
|
||
(xx)
|
the
admission of any Person as a Partner, other than in accordance with the
Limited Partnership Agreement;
|
||
(xxi)
|
the
admission of a new or additional General Partner;
|
||
(xxii)
|
the
entering into of any agreement whereby the Corporation delegates all or
substantially all of its duties as General Partner;
|
||
(xxiii)
|
the
making of any Distribution in any form except cash, other than in
accordance with the Limited Partnership Agreement;
|
||
(xxiv)
|
any
change in the fiscal year of the Limited
Partnership;
|
- 11 -
(xxv)
|
as
General Partner, permit the Limited Partnership to allow to occur any
material change to the marketing and sorting operations, as set forth in
Schedule 3.2, including: (A) any change to the current transfer price of
diamonds used by the Limited Partnership when selling diamonds to the
Selling Entities, which is currently [PROVISIONS
RELATED TO TRANSFER PRICE REDACTED]; and (B) the addition or
elimination of any Selling Entities;
|
||
(xxvi)
|
the
entering into any agreement or arrangement whereby the Limited Partnership
sells diamonds to any Person other than a Selling Entity or Xxxxxxx and
Company pursuant to the applicable Related Agreements;
and
|
||
(xxvii)
|
any
commitment or agreement to do any of the foregoing.
|
||
(b)
|
Notwithstanding
Section 3.2(a) and subject to the prior unanimous approval of the
Shareholders, the Limited Partnership shall be permitted to make such
non-sustaining capital expenditures as are contemplated by the last
sentence of Schedule 3.2.
|
||
(c)
|
Without
limiting Section 3.2(a), for greater certainty, HWDC shall not be
prohibited from Encumbering its own assets, including the Partnership
Units held by the Corporation, or any Encumbering of the Class A Shares or
Special Voting Shares beneficially owned by HWDC or any of its Related
Entities, in connection with the implementation of any secured financing
of HWDC and its Related Entities; provided that:
|
||
(i)
|
such
financing is consistent with and subject to the provisions of Section 9 of
the Subscription Agreement; and
|
||
(ii)
|
no
property, assets or undertaking of the Limited Partnership shall be
Encumbered in connection with the implementation of any such secured
financing, except as otherwise may be agreed by the
Parties.
|
||
3.3
|
Indemnification
|
||
The
Corporation shall indemnify each Director and his or her heirs and legal
representatives against all costs, charges and expenses, including an
amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred
by him or her in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative
proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of being or having
been a Director provided (i) he or she acted honestly and in good faith
with a view to the best interests of the Corporation; and (ii) in the case
of a criminal or administrative proceeding that is enforced by a monetary
penalty, he or she had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her
conduct was lawful.
|
|||
3.4
|
Additional
Capital
|
||
Except
as otherwise unanimously agreed by the Shareholders in writing or as
explicitly set forth in this Agreement, none of the Shareholders shall be
obligated to acquire additional Special Voting Shares or to make loans to
the Corporation or guarantee any
indebtedness.
|
- 12 -
3.5
|
Books
and Records
|
|
(a)
|
The
Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept complete and accurate books and
records as required hereunder, reflecting the assets, liabilities, income
and expenditures of the Corporation in accordance with Financial Reporting
Standards and applicable Laws. Each Shareholder, its accountants and
auditors shall have access at all reasonable times to examine, copy and
audit such books and records. No third party other than (i) an accountant
or auditor of a Shareholder, (ii) any tax advisor of a Shareholder engaged
for transfer pricing studies or advice, (iii) Governmental Authorities,
(iv) third parties that have rights to access the books and records of the
Corporation pursuant to the Related Agreements (including any third
parties with such rights in any future agreements related to the
Corporation, the execution of which are consented to by the Shareholders)
and (v) providers of financing in respect of Section 9 of the Subscription
Agreement shall have access to the Corporation’s books and records without
the prior written consent of all of the Shareholders unless entitlement
thereto is conferred on such party by applicable Laws. Each Shareholder
may, at its own expense, conduct an annual audit of the Corporation and
its books and records using such Shareholder’s own internal accounting
staff or external accountants. Each Shareholder shall be permitted to
conduct, at its own expense, such further and other investigations into
the financial affairs of the Corporation as it may reasonably require. The
Corporation agrees to provide all such reasonable access to its books and
records as may be required from time to time for the purposes of this
Section 3.5(a).
|
|
(b)
|
The
Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept complete and accurate books and
records as required hereunder, reflecting the assets, liabilities, income
and expenditures of the Limited Partnership in accordance with Financial
Reporting Standards and applicable Laws. Each Shareholder, its accountants
and auditors shall have access at all reasonable times to examine, copy
and audit such books and records. No third party other than (i) an
accountant or auditor of a Shareholder, (ii) any tax advisor of a
Shareholder engaged for transfer pricing studies or advice, (iii)
Governmental Authorities, (iv) third parties that have rights to access
the books and records of the Corporation pursuant to the Related
Agreements (including any third parties with such rights in any future
agreements related to the Corporation, the execution of which are
consented to by the Shareholders) and (v) providers of financing in
respect of Section 9 of the Subscription Agreement shall have access to
the Limited Partnership’s books and records without the prior written
consent of all of the Shareholders unless entitlement thereto is conferred
on such party by applicable Laws. Each Shareholder may, at its own
expense, conduct an annual audit of the Limited Partnership and its books
and records using such Shareholder’s own internal accounting staff or
external accountants. Each Shareholder shall be permitted to conduct, at
its own expense, such further and other investigations into the financial
affairs of the Limited Partnership as it may reasonably require. The
Corporation agrees to provide all such reasonable access to the Limited
Partnership’s books and records as may be required from time to time for
the purposes of this Section
3.5(b).
|
- 13 -
3.6
|
Annual
Budget Consultation Process
|
|
Not
later than 30 days after the date the Limited Partnership receives
financial information with respect to the Diavik Diamond Mine, the
Corporation shall provide to Kinross the proposed Annual Budget for the
upcoming fiscal year. Kinross shall have a reasonable period of time to
review the proposed Annual Budget and the Corporation shall respond to any
reasonable questions and consider any comments that Kinross may have on
the proposed Annual Budget. The Board shall review each proposed Annual
Budget and either approve it or require further revisions to it, as the
Board may determine; provided that each such Annual Budget shall be
approved by the Board not later than 60 days after the date the Limited
Partnership receives financial information with respect to the Diavik
Diamond Mine. The Board may at any time and from time to time during a
fiscal year approve amendments to the Annual Budget previously approved by
the Board for such year; provided that Kinross shall have a reasonable
period of time to review such proposed amendments and the Corporation
shall respond to any reasonable questions and consider any reasonable
comments that Kinross may have on such proposed amendments. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 3.6, no Party shall have the
right to disapprove any aspect of the proposed Annual Budget that is an
item specified or required by the terms of the Diavik JV
Agreement.
|
||
3.7
|
Consulting
and Professional Services Agreement
Fee
|
|
(a)
|
The
Shareholders shall negotiate in good faith to establish, as compensation
for the services provided by the Corporation under the Consulting
Agreement, an appropriate annual consulting fee payable monthly by the
Limited Partnership to HWDC (the “Fee”)
for the balance of HWDC’s current fiscal year following the expiry of the
first full two calendar months that occur following the Effective Date
(the “Initial
Period”) and for each of the following fiscal years, in each case,
which properly reflects the appropriate allocation of the marketing, sales
and general and administrative costs to be borne by the Partnership that
are not attributable to or for the sole benefit of HWDC, including the
retail division of HWDC, as more fully established in the SG&A Budget
for the applicable fiscal year.
|
|
(b)
|
As
part of the process described in Section 3.6, the Shareholders shall agree
to HWDC’s budgeted marketing, sales and general and administrative costs
to be incurred on behalf of the Limited Partnership for the following
fiscal year (the “SG&A
Budget”).
|
|
(c)
|
In
the event that the Shareholders have been unable to agree on the amount of
the Fee prior to: (i) the expiry of the Initial Period for the current
fiscal year of HWDC; or (ii) approval of the SG&A Budget for each
subsequent fiscal year, in each case, the amount of the Fee shall be
resolved in accordance with Section 6.2.
|
|
3.8
|
Information
Rights
|
|
The
Corporation shall provide each Shareholder
with:
|
- 14 -
(a)
|
the
final Annual Budget for the next fiscal year (or any amendment thereto),
as approved by the Board, not later than two days after such Annual Budget
(or amendment thereto) is approved in accordance with Section
3.6;
|
|
(b)
|
all
notices delivered on behalf of and received by the Limited Partnership
under the Related Agreements (including management committee reports under
the Diavik JV Agreement, reconciliations under the Consulting Agreement
and notices of non-compliance, breach or default under any of the Related
Agreements);
|
|
(c)
|
all
notices of Board meetings, all materials disseminated to the Board and all
Board resolutions promptly following the time such notices, materials and
resolutions are provided to Board; and
|
|
(d)
|
any
other information concerning the financial condition, business, assets,
prospects or affairs of the Corporation or the Limited Partnership or with
respect to the Related Agreements as any Shareholder may reasonably
request from time to time, provided that information relating to the
marketing, sorting and selling of rough diamonds shall only be provided to
Kinross if it is not competing, directly or indirectly, in the marketing
and selling of rough diamonds.
|
|
3.9
|
Ability
to Cure Defaults
|
|
For
so long as Kinross exercises direction or control over any Special Voting
Shares, Kinross shall be permitted to cure, on behalf of the Corporation
in respect of the Limited Partnership, any non-compliance, breach or
default by the Limited Partnership of any of its obligations under the
Related Agreements, subject to the applicable cure periods in such Related
Agreements.
|
||
3.10
|
Exercise
of Pre-Emptive Rights under Diavik JV Agreement
|
|
[PROVISIONS
RELATED TO THE EXERCISE OF RIGHTS UNDER THE JV AGREEMENT
REDACTED]
|
||
3.11
|
Majority
Interest in the Diavik Diamond Mine
|
|
In
the event that the Limited Partnership acquires at least a majority of the
Participating Interests under the Diavik JV Agreement, the Parties shall
negotiate in good faith to amend this Agreement to reflect the Limited
Partnership’s operation and management of the Diavik Diamond
Mine.
|
||
ARTICLE
4
|
||
DEALING
WITH SHARES
|
||
4.1
|
Restrictions
on Transfer of Special Voting Shares
|
|
Subject
to Section 4.4 and Section 4.5, no Party shall Transfer or permit the
Transfer of, or create or permit to exist an Encumbrance against, Special
Voting Shares legally or beneficially owned by such Shareholder,
except:
|
||
(a)
|
in
accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement;
or
|
- 15 -
(b)
|
upon
unanimous agreement of the Shareholders,
|
|
provided
that notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, an Indirect
Transfer in respect of a Person, whose common shares or similar equity
interests are listed on a stock exchange, shall not be prohibited, or
otherwise affected by the provisions of this Agreement.
|
||
4.2
|
Endorsement
on Certificates
|
|
All
certificates representing Special Voting Shares shall bear the following
language either as an endorsement or on the face of such
certificate:
|
||
“The
shares represented by this certificate are subject to the terms and
conditions of a shareholders agreement made March 31, 2009, as it may be
amended, which agreement contains, among other things, restrictions on the
right of the holder hereof to transfer or sell the shares. A copy of such
agreement is on file at the registered office of the
Corporation.”
|
||
4.3
|
Required
Transfers
|
|
Subject
to Section 4.6, but notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement:
|
||
(a)
|
if
a Shareholder or any Related Entity of such Shareholder, which, in either
case, is a Partner, Transfers all or any of
its Partnership Units to any Person that is not a Related Entity of such
Shareholder (a “Third
Party Transferee”), such Shareholder shall concurrently Transfer to
the Third Party Transferee for $0.01 per Special Voting Share the same
proportion of Special Voting Shares owned by such Shareholder as the
Partnership Units Transferred to the Third Party Transferee is of such
Shareholder’s and/or Related Entity’s Partnership Units immediately prior
to the Transfer, rounded up to the nearest whole number;
and
|
|
(b)
|
if,
pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement, the number of Partnership
Units of a Partner decreases at any time or from time to time, other than
by reason of a Transfer contemplated in Section 4.3(a), the Shareholder
that is, or is a Related Entity of, such Partner shall Transfer for $0.01
per Special Voting Share the number of Special Voting Shares necessary,
rounded to the nearest whole number, to such other Shareholder or
Shareholders that are, or are Related Entities to, Partners whose
proportional interest in the Limited Partnership increased as a result of
such event or events such that following such Transfer or Transfers, for
each Partner that holds Special Voting Shares (either directly or through
one or more Related Entities), the proportional interest of such Partner
in the Limited Partnership to that of all Partners who hold Special Voting
Shares (either directly or through one or more Related Entities)
corresponds to the proportional interest in the Special Voting Shares of
each such Shareholder, or Related Entity that is a
Shareholder.
|
- 16 -
4.4 |
Transfers
to Permitted Transferees
|
|
Notwithstanding Section 4.1, a Shareholder may effect: | ||
(a)
|
a
Direct Transfer of all or any of
its Special Voting Shares to an Eligible Transferee of such Shareholder
if, at the time of such Direct Transfer, the requirements of Section 4.6
have been satisfied; or
|
|
(b)
|
an
Indirect Transfer of all or any of its Special Voting Shares to an
Eligible Transferee of such
Shareholder.
|
If a
Shareholder Transfers less than all of the Special Voting Shares held by such
Shareholder at the time of the Transfer in accordance with this Section 4.4,
such Shareholder and all Related Entities in respect of such Shareholder that
are also Shareholders shall for all purposes of this Agreement be treated as a
single Shareholder.
4.5
|
Encumbrances
|
Notwithstanding
Section 4.1, a Shareholder may grant an Encumbrance in respect of all or
any of
its Special Voting Shares (and, with respect to any Class A Shares or Class B
Shares owned by the Parties from time to time) to a reputable, credit-worthy
bank, trust, insurance company, Governmental Authority or pension fund; provided
that:
(a)
|
the
requirements of Section 4.6 have been satisfied; and
|
|
(b)
|
such
lender agrees in favour of the Corporation and the other Shareholders that
the enforcement of such lender’s rights in respect of such Special Voting
Shares (or Class A Shares or Class B Shares) is subject to and subordinate
to the provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this
Article 4.
|
|
4.6
|
Conditions
on Transfer
|
No
Transfer or Encumbrance of Special Voting Shares pursuant to this Agreement may
be made or permitted to be made to any Person, and any such purported Transfer
or Encumbrance shall be void ab
initio, unless each of the following conditions have either been
satisfied or waived by prior unanimous written agreement of the
Shareholders:
(a)
|
prior
to such Transfer or Encumbrance, the Shareholder effecting the Transfer
provides evidence satisfactory to each other Shareholder, acting
reasonably, that:
|
||
(i)
|
the
other provisions of this Article 4 have been complied with or are not
applicable, and that such Transfer would not result in a contravention of
this Agreement;
|
||
(ii)
|
such
Transfer will not require the qualification for distribution or
registration of, or will not cause the Corporation to be required to
qualify or register, the Special Voting Shares pursuant to any applicable
securities Laws; and
|
||
(iii)
|
all
requirements of applicable Laws in respect of such Transfer have been
satisfied; and
|
- 17 -
(b)
|
the
Transferee in connection with a Direct Transfer shall have agreed in
writing to become a Party to and be bound by the terms of this Agreement
as a Shareholder, by executing a form of counterpart and acknowledgement
substantially in the form attached as Schedule 4.6 and delivering an
original executed version of such form to each other Shareholder and the
Corporation.
|
|
4.7
|
Co-operation
by the
Corporation
|
The
Corporation shall co-operate in all reasonable ways to effect and facilitate any
Transfer of Special Voting Shares permitted or required pursuant to this
Agreement; provided that such co-operation shall be at the sole expense of the
Shareholder that is Transferring the Special Voting Shares (which expense may
include all reasonable costs incurred by the Corporation in respect of such
Transfer).
4.8
|
Required
Issuances of Special Voting
Shares
|
If,
pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement, the number of Partnership Units
of a Partner increases at any time or from time to time, other than by reason of
a Transfer contemplated in Section 4.3, the Corporation shall issue from
treasury to, and the Shareholder that is, or is a Related Entity of, such
Partner, shall purchase, at a price of $0.01 per Special Voting Share, the
number of Special Voting Shares necessary, rounded to the nearest whole number,
such that following such issuance, for each Partner that holds Special Voting
Shares (either directly or through one or more Related Entities), the
proportional interest of such Partner in the Limited Partnership to that of all
Partners who hold Special Voting Shares (either directly or through one or more
Related Entities) corresponds to the proportional interest in the Special Voting
Shares of each such Shareholder, or Related Entity that is a
Shareholder.
ARTICLE
5
SHARE
TRANSFER PROCEDURES
5.1
|
Application
|
The
provisions of this Article 5 shall apply to any Transfer of Special Voting
Shares (the “Purchased
Special Voting Shares”) required pursuant to Section 4.3.
5.2
|
Time
and Place of Closing
|
The
closing of the Transfer of Purchased Special Voting Shares shall take place at
the offices of counsel to the Corporation (or such other location as the parties
to the Transfer and the Corporation may agree) at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on
the same day as the completion of the Transfer of the Partnership Units as
contemplated by Section 4.3 (or such other date and time that is mutually
acceptable to the vendor of the Purchased Special Voting Shares (the “Vendor”)
and the purchaser of the Purchased Special Voting Shares (the “Purchaser”))
(the “Time
of Closing”).
5.3
|
Payment
and Delivery
|
In
addition to the conditions set forth in Section 4.6, at the Time of
Closing:
(a)
|
the
Vendor shall deliver to the
Purchaser:
|
- 18 -
(i)
|
an
executed share transfer power of attorney for the Purchased Special Voting
Shares, together with the certificate(s) representing the Purchased
Special Voting Shares; and
|
||
(ii)
|
a
certificate executed by the Vendor addressed to the Purchaser certifying
that the Purchased Special Voting Shares are owned of record and
beneficially by the Vendor with good and marketable title thereto, free
and clear of all Encumbrances; and
|
||
(b)
|
the
Purchaser shall deliver to the Vendor certified cheques or immediately
available funds by wire transfer to an account or accounts specified in
writing by the Vendor in full payment of the purchase price payable for
the Purchased Special Voting Shares.
|
||
5.4
|
Power
of Attorney
|
If, at
the Time of Closing, the Vendor fails to complete a required Transfer, the
Purchaser shall have the right, if it is not in default under this Agreement,
without prejudice to any other rights which it may have, upon payment of the
purchase price payable by it to the Vendor at the Time of Closing to the credit
of the Vendor in the main branch of the Corporation’s bank, to execute and
deliver, on behalf of and in the name of the Vendor, such assignments,
transfers, deeds, share certificates, instruments or other documents that may be
necessary to complete the Transfer and the Vendor hereby irrevocably appoints
the Purchaser its attorney in that behalf. Such appointment and power of
attorney, being coupled with an interest, shall not be revoked by the
insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or other termination of the
existence of the Vendor and the Vendor hereby ratifies and confirms and agrees
to ratify and confirm all that the transferee may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of such appointment and power. Any Transfer pursuant to the power
of attorney granted in this Section 5.4 shall be deemed to have been fully
completed and all right, title, benefit and interest, both at law and in equity,
in and to the Purchased Special Voting Shares shall conclusively be deemed to
have been transferred and assigned to and become vested in the Purchaser and all
right, title, benefit and interest, both at law and in equity, of the Vendor, or
of any Transferee or other Person having any interest, legal or equitable,
therein or thereto, shall thereupon cease.
5.5
|
Remedies
|
In
addition to and without limiting any remedy that may be available at law or in
equity or under this Agreement to the Vendor, in the event that a Purchaser
defaults in the performance of its obligation to complete such Transfer, the
Vendor may by notice in writing to the defaulting Purchaser, terminate all the
Vendor’s obligations relating to such Transfer and, upon the giving of such
notice in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.5, such obligations
shall be terminated without prejudice to the continued effectiveness of this
Agreement.
- 19 -
ARTICLE
6
GENERAL
6.1
|
Confidentiality
|
The
Parties shall be bound by the provisions of Article 12 of the Limited
Partnership Agreement, as if each Party was a party to the Limited Partnership
Agreement, with such changes thereto as may be required to suit the context of
this Agreement, as though such provisions were replicated in, and formed part
of, this Agreement.
6.2
|
Arbitration
|
(a)
|
Any
dispute, disagreement, controversy, question or claim arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, including its formation, execution, validity,
existence, interpretation, performance, breach, termination, construction,
application or enforcement or the rights, duties or obligations of any
Party, shall be referred to and determined by arbitration in accordance
with the Ontario
Arbitration Act, 1991 and the procedures set out in Schedule
6.2.
|
|
(b)
|
Each
of Shareholders acknowledges that a breach or threatened breach by any one
of them of any provision of this Agreement may result in the other
Shareholders or the Corporation suffering irreparable harm which cannot be
calculated or fully or adequately compensated by recovery of damages
alone. Accordingly, each of the Parties is entitled to equitable relief,
including interim, interlocutory and permanent injunctive relief, specific
performance and other equitable remedies, in the event of any breach or
threatened breach of the provisions of this Agreement, in addition to any
other remedies available to the Parties.
|
|
6.3
|
Application
of this Agreement
|
The terms
of this Agreement shall apply mutatis
mutandis to any shares:
(a)
|
resulting
from the conversion, reclassification, redesignation, subdivision or
consolidation or other change of the Special Voting Shares;
and
|
|
(b)
|
of
the Corporation or any successor body corporate that are received by the
Shareholders on a merger, amalgamation, arrangement or other
reorganization of or including the
Corporation;
|
and prior
to any such action being taken the Parties shall give due consideration to any
changes that may be required to this Agreement in order to give effect to the
intent of this Section 6.3.
6.4
|
Enurement
|
This
Agreement shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Parties and
their respective successors (including any successor by reason of amalgamation
of any Party) and permitted assigns.
- 20 -
6.5
|
Entire
Agreement
|
This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties pertaining to the
subject matter of this Agreement and sets out all the covenants, promises,
warranties, representations, conditions, understandings and agreements between
the Parties pertaining to that subject matter and supersedes all prior
agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or
written, pertaining to that subject matter, including: (a) the letter agreement
between Kinross and HWDC dated March 16, 2009; and (b) Schedule “B” to the
Subscription Agreement. There are no covenants, promises, warranties,
representations, conditions, understandings or other agreements, oral or
written, express, implied or collateral between the Parties in connection with
the subject matter of this Agreement except as specifically set forth in this
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for greater certainty, no provision of
the Subscription Agreement (other than Section 10 of the Subscription Agreement)
shall be superseded by this Agreement.
6.6
|
Amendments
and Waivers
|
No
amendment to this Agreement shall be valid or binding unless set forth in
writing and duly executed by all of the Parties. No waiver of any breach of any
provision of this Agreement shall be effective or binding unless made in writing
and signed by the Party purporting to give such waiver and, unless otherwise
provided in the written waiver, shall be limited to the specific breach
waived.
6.7
|
Assignment
|
Except as
may be expressly provided in this Agreement, none of the Parties may assign its
rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of
all of the other Parties.
6.8
|
Termination
|
This
Agreement shall terminate upon:
(a)
|
the
written agreement of all of the Shareholders; or
|
|
(b)
|
one
Person becoming the beneficial owner of all of the Voting Securities of
the Corporation;
|
except
that the provisions of Sections 6.1 and 6.2 and shall continue in the event of a
termination under (b).
6.9
|
Notices
|
Any
notice, consent or approval required or permitted to be given in connection with
this Agreement (in this Section referred to as a “Notice”)
shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given if delivered (whether in
person, by courier service or other personal method of delivery), or if
transmitted by electronic delivery as follows:
(a)
|
in
the case of a Notice to HWDC at:
|
|||
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond Corporation
X.X.
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx X
Xxxxxxx,
XX X0X 0X0
|
||||
If
by courier or personal service:
|
||||
[REDACTED]
|
||||
Attention:
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|||
E-mail:
|
xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
- 21 -
(b)
|
in
the case of a Notice to Kinross at:
|
|||
Kinross
Gold Corporation
|
||||
52nd
Floor, Scotia Plaza
|
||||
00
Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
|
||||
Xxxxxxx,
XX X0X 0X0
|
||||
Attention:
|
Corporate
Secretary
|
|||
E-mail:
|
Xxxxxxx.Xxxxx@Xxxxxxx.xxx
|
|||
(c)
|
in
the case of a Notice to the Corporation at:
|
|||
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond Mines Ltd.
|
||||
Xxxxx
000, Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||||
0000
- 00xx Xxxxxx
|
||||
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX X0X 0X0
|
||||
Attention:
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
|
|||
E-mail:
|
xxxxx@xxxxx.xx
|
|||
with
a copy to HWDC, at the address set out
above.
|
Any
Notice delivered or transmitted to a Party as provided above shall be deemed to
have been given and received on the day it is delivered or transmitted, provided
that it is delivered or transmitted on a Business Day prior to 5:00 p.m. local
time in the place of delivery or receipt. However, if the Notice is delivered or
transmitted after 5:00 p.m. local time or if such day is not a Business Day then
the Notice shall be deemed to have been given and received on the next Business
Day. Any Party may, from time to time, change its address by giving Notice to
the other Parties in accordance with the provisions of this Section
6.9.
6.10
|
Further
Acts
|
The
Parties will perform and cause to be performed such further and other acts and
things and execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered such
further and other documents as counsel to the Corporation considers necessary or
desirable to carry out the terms and intent of this Agreement.
6.11
|
Execution
and Delivery
|
This
Agreement may be executed by the Parties in counterparts and may be executed and
delivered by electronic means and all such counterparts shall together
constitute one and the same agreement.
- 22
-
[REMAINDER
OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
- 23
-
IN
WITNESS OF WHICH the Parties have duly executed this
Agreement.
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND CORPORATION
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx X. Smayne | ||
Name:
Xxxx X. Smayne
|
|||
Title:
Chief Fiancial Officer
|
|||
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxx X. Xxxx | ||
Name: Xxx
X. Xxxx
|
|||
Title:
President & Chief Executive Officer
|
|||
XXXXX
XXXXXXX DIAMOND MINES LTD.
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Vice President
|
SCHEDULE
A
CERTIFICATES
AND ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
(see
attached)
SCHEDULE
1.1
RELATED
AGREEMENTS
PART
1
|
|
1.
|
Diavik
Joint Venture Agreement dated March 23, 0000 xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
and Aber Resources Limited (the predecessor name of HWDC), as amended by
amending agreement dated December 1, 1996 between the same parties, as
subsequently assigned by Kennecott Canada Inc. to Diavik Diamond Mines
Inc. (“DDMI”)
and by Aber Resources Limited to Aber Diamond Mines Ltd. (“ADM”)
(the predecessor name of the Corporation), and as amended by an amending
agreement (no.2) dated January 17, 2002 between DDMI and ADM and by an
amending agreement (no.3) dated March 3, 2004 between DDMI and ADM, as
subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership (then named Aber
Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an assignment agreement dated
March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited Partnership (the “Diavik
JV Agreement”).
|
2.
|
Sorting
and Handling Agreement dated October 1, 2001 between ADM and Aber
Technical Services Inc., as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited
Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
3.
|
Marketing
Services Agreement dated February 27, 2004 between ADM and Aber
International N.V. (the predecessor name of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond
International N.V.), as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited
Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
4.
|
Aber
International Rough Diamond Supply Agreement dated October 29, 2007
between the Limited Partnership and Aber International N.V. (the
predecessor name of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond International N.V.), and as
amended by an amending agreement dated January 30,
2009.
|
5.
|
Aber
India Rough Diamond Supply Agreement dated October 30, 2007 between the
Limited Partnership and Aber India Private Limited. (the predecessor name
of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond (India) Private Limited) and as amended by an
amending agreement dated January 30, 2009.
|
6.
|
Repadre
Royalty Agreement dated September 30, 2003 between ADM, DDMI and Repadre
Capital Corporation, as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited
Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
7.
|
Letter
Agreement dated September 30, 2003 between ADM and Repadre Capital
Corporation, as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership
(then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an assignment
agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
- 2 -
8.
|
Xxxxxxxx
Royalty Agreement dated September 30, 2003 between ADM, DDMI and
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited
Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
9.
|
Letter
Agreement dated September 30, 2003 between ADM and Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,
as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership (then named
Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an assignment agreement
dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
10.
|
Mutual
Consent To Release Of Information dated September 22, 2003 between ADM and
DDMI, as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership (then
named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an assignment
agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
PART
2
|
|
11.
|
Diamond
Supply Agreement dated March 10, 2003, as amended by an amending agreement
dated December 6, 2004 and a side letter dated March 10, 2003, each
between ADM and Xxxxxxx and Company, as subsequently assigned by ADM to
the Limited Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership)
pursuant to an assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and
the Limited Partnership.
|
12.
|
Agreement
To Establish A Protocol For Diamond Production Splitting dated January 7,
2003 between ADM and DDMI, as subsequently assigned by ADM to the Limited
Partnership (then named Aber Diamond Limited Partnership) pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated March 11, 2005 between ADM and the Limited
Partnership.
|
13.
|
Consulting
and Professional Services Agreement dated February 1, 2001 between ADM and
Aber Diamond Corporation (the predecessor name of HWDC), as subsequently
assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership (then named Aber Diamond
Limited Partnership) pursuant to an assignment agreement dated March 11,
2005 between ADM and the Limited Partnership and as amended by an amending
agreement dated May 1, 2005, as amended and restated by the HWDC and the
Limited Partnership on the Effective Date (the “Consulting
Agreement”).
|
14.
|
Letter
Agreement dated November 29, 2007 between The Northern Strategy Group and
HWDC, as amended, as subsequently assigned by HWDC to ADM pursuant to an
assignment agreement dated July 1, 2008 between HWDC and ADM, as
subsequently further assigned by ADM to the Limited Partnership pursuant
to an assignment agreement on the Effective
Date.
|
SCHEDULE
3.2
SUMMARY
OF SORTING AND MARKETING OPERATIONS
The
companies referenced in this summary are set out on the organization chart
attached as Appendix 3.2-A, which does not reflect the investments made by
Kinross pursuant to the Subscription Agreement.
The
entities involved in the sorting and sale of rough diamonds are:
1.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Technical Services Inc.;
|
2.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond Limited Partnership;
|
3.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond (India) Private Limited;
|
4.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond International N.V.; and
|
5.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond Mines
Limited.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond Mines Limited is a holding company that pays for a consultant in
the Northwest Territories. The consulting agreement with such consultant will be
assigned to the Limited Partnership as of the Effective Date.
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Diamond (Israel) Ltd. will cease to do business on March 31,
2009.
Aber
Quebec Inc. is a financing vehicle.
[SUMMARY
OF BUSINESS DESCRIPTION REDACTED]
APPENDIX
3.2-A
ORGANIZATIONAL
CHART
SCHEDULE
4.6
FORM
OF COUNTERPART AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
RE:
|
The
shareholders agreement dated March 31, 2009 (the “Agreement”) between
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Diamond Mines Ltd. (the “Corporation”) and its
shareholders
|
The
undersigned acknowledges that it has received a copy of the Agreement and has
had an opportunity to review the Agreement. The undersigned agrees to be bound
by the terms (including all covenants, agreements and obligations) of the
Agreement as a party to the Agreement and shall be entitled to all benefits of a
party pursuant to the Agreement, as fully and effectively as though the
undersigned had executed the Agreement as a shareholder together with the other
parties to the Agreement.
Dated [as
of] ●
|
||||
[NAME]
|
||||
By:
|
||||
●
|
||||
Authorized
Signatory
|
SCHEDULE
6.2
ARBITRATION
PROCEDURES
1.
|
Definitions
and Interpretation
|
||
(a)
|
Definitions
– Unless otherwise defined in this Schedule, all terms defined in
the Agreement which are used in this Schedule have the same meaning as
provided for those terms in the Agreement. Where used in this Schedule,
unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires, the following
words and phrases will have the meaning set forth
below:
|
||
“Arbitration
Act” means the Arbitration
Act, 1991 (Ontario);
|
|||
“Arbitrator”
means the arbitrator appointed pursuant to Section 2 of this
Schedule;
|
|||
“Approved
Arbitrator” means a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Canada,
Ontario Superior Court or Court of Appeal or a senior qualified lawyer who
is impartial and independent of the Parties;
|
|||
“Complaint”
means a written statement concerning the Dispute, setting forth, with
particularity, the full names, descriptions and addresses of the Parties,
the nature of the complaint, the allegations of fact supporting the
Dispute submitted for arbitration and the relief or remedy
sought;
|
|||
“Court”
means the Ontario Superior Court of Justice;
|
|||
“Dispute”
means any matter which a Party, in accordance with the terms of the
Agreement, submits to arbitration in accordance with the terms of this
Schedule;
|
|||
“Procedures”
means the arbitration procedures described in this
Schedule;
|
|||
“Schedule”
means this schedule of arbitration procedures.
|
|||
(b)
|
Governing
Law and Jurisdiction – The seat of the arbitration shall be Ontario
and all Disputes referred to arbitration (including the scope of the
agreement to arbitrate, the law relating to the enforcement of the
agreement to arbitrate, any relevant limitation periods, the law governing
the procedure of the arbitration, the law relating to available remedies,
set-off claims, conflict of laws rules and claims to costs and interest)
shall be governed by the laws of the Province of
Ontario.
|
||
(c)
|
Time
– In the computation of time under the Procedures or an order or
direction given by the Arbitrator pursuant to this Schedule, except where
a contrary intention appears or the Parties otherwise
agree:
|
||
(i)
|
where
there is a reference to a number of days between two events, those days
shall be counted by excluding the day on which the first event happens and
including the day on which the second event
happens;
|
- 2
-
(ii)
|
where
the time for doing any act under this Schedule or any order or direction
given by the Arbitrator expires on a day which is not a Business Day, the
act may be done on the next day that is a Business Day;
and
|
||
(iii)
|
delivery
of a document or notice provided for in this Schedule or any order or
direction given by the Arbitrator made after 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) or
at any time on a day which is not a Business Day, shall be deemed to have
been made on the next Business Day.
|
||
2.
|
Commencement
of Arbitration
|
||
(a)
|
Any
Party or Parties (collectively, the “Claimant”)
may commence arbitration of a Dispute by delivering a written notice (a
“Notice
of Arbitration”) to the Party or Parties against whom the Claimant
seeks a remedy (collectively, the “Respondent”).
Where a Dispute arises which involves more than one Respondent, the
Claimant may commence arbitration of the Dispute by delivering a Notice of
Arbitration to each Party that is a Respondent.
|
||
(b)
|
In
the Notice of Arbitration, the Claimant shall describe the substance of
the Dispute name three individuals whom the Claimant is prepared to
appoint as arbitrator, each of such individuals to be an Approved
Arbitrator.
|
||
(c)
|
Not
later than 10 days of the receipt of the Notice of Arbitration, the
Respondent shall by Notice to the Claimant agree to the appointment of one
of the three individuals named by the Claimant or provide the Claimant
with a list of three other individuals who are Approved
Arbitrators.
|
||
(d)
|
Not
later than 10 days of receipt of the Respondent’s list, by Notice to the
Respondent, the Claimant shall agree to the appointment of one of such
individuals, or provide a further list of three Approved Arbitrators. The
Parties shall continue to exchange lists of three Approved Arbitrators in
this fashion until the Arbitrator is appointed.
|
||
(e)
|
If
the Arbitrator is not appointed within 30 days of the initial receipt by
the Respondent of the Notice of Arbitration, either Party may provide
copies of the exchanged lists to ADR Xxxxxxxx which shall appoint the
Arbitrator.
|
||
(f)
|
Where
any Party is a party to two or more pending arbitrations in relation to
the same Dispute, such Party may apply to the Court for the consolidation
of such arbitrations and other Parties to such arbitrations shall agree to
the consolidation on such terms as the Court shall consider
just.
|
||
3.
|
Arbitration
Procedures – The following procedures shall apply to the
arbitration of any Dispute, except as the Parties may otherwise agree or
as the Arbitrator otherwise
directs:
|
||
(a)
|
Not
later than 20 days after the appointment of the Arbitrator, the Claimant
shall deliver to the Respondent and the Arbitrator the
Complaint.
|
- 3
-
(b)
|
Not
later than 30 days after the delivery of the Complaint, the Respondent
shall deliver to the Claimant and the Arbitrator a written response (the
“Answer”)
to the Complaint setting forth, with particularity, its position on the
Dispute and the allegations of fact supporting the
Answer.
|
|
(c)
|
If
the Respondent fails to deliver an Answer within the time limit referred
to in Section 3(b) of this Schedule, the Respondent shall, subject to
Section 3(f) of this Schedule, be deemed to have admitted the allegations
of fact alleged in the Complaint and have accepted the Claimant’s
entitlement to the relief and remedy set out in the
Complaint.
|
|
(d)
|
Not
later than 10 days after the delivery of any Answer, the Claimant may
deliver to the Respondent and the Arbitrator a written reply to that
Answer, setting forth, with particularity, its response, if any, to the
Answer.
|
|
(e)
|
If
the Respondent wants to submit any other Dispute to the Arbitrator it may,
within the time provided for the delivery of the Answer to the Complaint,
also deliver to the Claimant and the Arbitrator a counter-complaint (the
“Countercomplaint”)
setting forth, with particularity, the nature of the Countercomplaint, the
allegations of fact supporting the Countercomplaint and the relief or
remedy sought, for the Arbitrator to decide. Not later than 20 days after
the delivery of a Countercomplaint, the Claimant shall deliver to the
Respondent making a Countercomplaint and the Arbitrator a written response
to such Countercomplaint (the “Response
to Countercomplaint”) setting forth, with particularity, its
position on the Countercomplaint and the allegations of fact supporting
the Response to Countercomplaint. If the Claimant fails to deliver a
Response to Countercomplaint within such period, the Claimant will be
deemed, subject to Section 3(f) of this Schedule, to have admitted the
allegations of fact alleged in the Countercomplaint, and have accepted the
Respondent’s entitlement to the relief and remedy set out in the
Countercomplaint. Not later than 10 days after the delivery of a Response
to Countercomplaint, the Respondent may deliver to the Claimant and the
Arbitrator a written reply to such Response to Countercomplaint setting
forth, with particularity, its response to such Response to
Countercomplaint. Any Dispute submitted to arbitration in accordance with
this Section 3(e) of this Schedule shall be governed by, and dealt with as
if it were the subject of a Notice of Arbitration, that shall be
determined by the same Arbitrator as part of the same arbitration
proceeding as the Notice of Arbitration.
|
|
(f)
|
The
time limits set for the delivery of the documents referred to in Sections
3(a) to 3(e) of this Schedule may be extended by agreement of the Parties
or by the Arbitrator for such period, on such terms, and for such reasons
as the Arbitrator may determine upon application made to the Arbitrator in
writing by either the Claimant or the Respondent on Notice to the other,
with such application being made either before the expiry of the time
limit in issue or not later than two days after such expiry, and the
Arbitrator may relieve the applying Party of the consequences of its
failure to comply with the time limit in issue, provided, however, that
the other Party shall be given an opportunity to make submissions on the
application.
|
- 4
-
(g)
|
Not
later than 20 days after the completion of the steps set out in Sections
3(a) to 3(e) of this Schedule, a Party may, upon Notice to the other Party
and to the Arbitrator, request the Arbitrator to give directions and make
any order which is, in the discretion of the Arbitrator, reasonable
regarding any procedural matters which properly should be resolved before
the arbitration proceeds further, including the amendment of any
pleadings, the provision of particulars, the production of documents and
the need for examinations for discovery in connection with the
arbitration, either by way of oral examination or written interrogatories,
and a determination as to the manner in which evidence shall be presented
to the Arbitrator (by way of agreed statement of facts, sworn evidence and
transcripts of cross-examinations on such sworn evidence or viva voce, or
some combination thereof). In making any order or giving any direction in
respect of any procedural matter the Arbitrator may impose such terms as
are reasonable in order to ensure the completion of the arbitration in a
timely manner. The Notice requesting any direction or order pursuant to
this subsection shall state the direction or order sought and set out the
reasons for seeking such direction or order. Nothing in this Section shall
be taken to limit the jurisdiction of the Arbitrator to deal with
procedural matters in accordance with the Arbitration
Act.
|
|
(h)
|
If
no Party has requested directions in accordance with Section 3(g) of this
Schedule, the Arbitrator shall give directions regarding the further
procedural steps in the arbitration, including any production of
documents, any examinations for discovery, and the nature of any hearing
(“Hearing”).
In making any order or giving any direction in respect of any procedural
matter the Arbitrator may impose such terms as are reasonable in order to
ensure the completion of the arbitration in a timely manner. Each of the
Parties shall have an opportunity to make oral submissions to the
Arbitrator in respect of such procedural steps.
|
|
(i)
|
Unless
the time for making an award is extended by agreement of the Parties or by
court order, the Arbitrator shall make an award within 60 days after
completion of any Hearing or other final procedural step in which evidence
or argument are provided to the Arbitrator. The award shall be in writing
and shall state the reasons on which it is based. Executed copies of all
awards shall be delivered by the Arbitrator to each Party as soon as is
reasonably possible.
|
|
4.
|
Agreement
to be Bound – No individual shall be appointed to the Arbitrator
unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by all provisions of this
Schedule.
|
|
5.
|
Arbitrator
Discretion – Subject to the Arbitration Act and applicable Law, the
Agreement and this Schedule, the Arbitrator may conduct the arbitration in
such manner as the Arbitrator considers
appropriate.
|
|
6.
|
Interim
Relief – At the request of any Party to the arbitration, the
Arbitrator may take such interim measures as the Arbitrator considers
necessary in respect of the Dispute, including measures for the
preservation of assets, the conservation of goods or the sale of
perishable goods. The Arbitrator may require security for the costs of
such
measures.
|
|
7.
|
Remedies
– The Arbitrator may make final, interim, interlocutory and partial
awards. An award may grant any remedy or relief which the Arbitrator
considers just and equitable. The Arbitrator shall state in the award
whether or not the Arbitrator views the award as final or interim, for
purposes of any judicial proceedings in connection with such
award.
|
- 5
-
8.
|
Experts
– The Arbitrator shall not, without the written consent of the
Parties to the arbitration, appoint any expert or other consultant or
retain any counsel to advise him or
her.
|
|
9.
|
Appeal
– A Party to the arbitration may appeal an award to the court on a
question of law or mixed fact and
law.
|
|
10.
|
Costs
of Arbitration – The fees and expenses of the Arbitrator and costs
of the arbitration facilities shall be periodically billed to and paid in
equal proportions by the Parties to the arbitration as the Arbitration
proceeds. The Arbitrator shall have the power to award costs, including
the fees and expenses of the Arbitrator and costs of the arbitration
facilities, in whole or in part, upon hearing submissions by any Party
requesting same, and any responding submissions from the other Party.
Unless otherwise specifically ordered by the Arbitrator, any costs awarded
shall be on a full indemnity basis, as such term or equivalent amended
term is used in the Ontario Superior Court of
Justice.
|
|
11.
|
Interest
– The Arbitrator may award pre- and post-judgment interest in
accordance with the Courts
of Justice Act
(Ontario).
|
|
12.
|
Notices
– All Notices and all other documents required or permitted by this
Schedule to be given by any Party to the arbitration to the other shall be
given in accordance with Section 6.9 of the Agreement. All Notices and all
other documents required or permitted by this Schedule to be given by any
Party to the arbitration to the Arbitrator shall be given in accordance
with the Arbitrator’s
instructions.
|
|
13.
|
Confidentiality
– The existence of the arbitration and any element of the
arbitration (including an appeal) shall be confidential and shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 6.1 of the
Agreement.
|