AMENDED AND RESTATED UNITHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ENERPLUS RESOURCES FUND and
Exhibit
1
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
BETWEEN
and
CIBC
MELLON TRUST COMPANY
as
Rights Agent
Dated
as of April 12, 2005
(amending
and restating the Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement dated March 5, 1999
as
amended and restated April 25, 2002)
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE
1
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||
DEFINITIONS
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||
1.1
|
Definitions
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2
|
1.2
|
Currency
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13
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1.3
|
Acting
Jointly or in Concert
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13
|
1.4
|
Control
|
13
|
1.5
|
Holder
of Rights and Trust Units
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14
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1.6
|
References
to this Agreement
|
14
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ARTICLE
2
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||
THE
RIGHTS
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||
2.1
|
Legend
on Trust Unit Certificates
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14
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2.2
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Initial
Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights
|
15
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2.3
|
Adjustments
to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
|
17
|
2.4
|
Date
on Which Exercise is Effective
|
20
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2.5
|
Execution,
Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates
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20
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2.6
|
Registration,
Registration of Transfer and Exchange
|
21
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2.7
|
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates
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21
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2.8
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Persons
Deemed Owners
|
22
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2.9
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Delivery
and Cancellation of Certificates
|
22
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2.10
|
Agreement
of Rights Holders
|
22
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ARTICLE
3
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ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
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3.1
|
Flip-in
Event
|
23
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ARTICLE
4
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||
THE
RIGHTS AGENT
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4.1
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General
|
24
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4.2
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Merger,
Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
|
25
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4.3
|
Duties
of Rights Agent
|
26
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4.4
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Change
of Rights Agent
|
27
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4.5
|
Indemnity
|
28
|
ARTICLE
5
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||
MISCELLANEOUS
|
||
5.1
|
Redemption
and Termination
|
28
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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5.2
|
Expiration
|
30
|
5.3
|
Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
|
30
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5.4
|
Supplements
and Amendments
|
30
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5.5
|
Fractional
Rights and Fractional Trust Units
|
32
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5.6
|
Rights
of Action
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32
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5.7
|
Holder
of Rights Not Deemed a Unitholder
|
32
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5.8
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Notice
of Proposed Actions
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33
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5.9
|
Notices
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33
|
5.10
|
Costs
of Enforcement
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34
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5.11
|
Successors
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34
|
5.12
|
Benefits
of this Agreement
|
34
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5.13
|
Descriptive
Headings
|
34
|
5.14
|
Governing
Law
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34
|
5.15
|
Language
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34
|
5.16
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Counterparts
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35
|
5.17
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Severability
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35
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5.18
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Effective
Date
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35
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5.19
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Unitholder
Review
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35
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5.20
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Regulatory
Approvals
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35
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5.21
|
Declaration
as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders
|
36
|
5.22
|
Determinations
and Actions by the Board
|
36
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-
ii
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AMENDED
AND RESTATED UNITHOLDER
RIGHTS
PLAN AGREEMENT
THIS
AMENDED AND RESTATED UNITHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT made as of the 12th
day of
April, 2005 (amending and restating the Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement
dated
March 5, 1999 as amended and restated April 25, 2002).
BETWEEN:
ENERPLUS
RESOURCES FUND,
a trust created under the
laws
of Alberta (hereinafter referred to as the "Fund")
OF
THE FIRST PART
-
and -
CIBC
MELLON TRUST COMPANY,
a trust company
incorporated
under the laws of Canada (hereinafter referred to as
the
"Rights
Agent")
OF
THE SECOND PART
WHEREAS
the Fund and the Rights Agent entered into an agreement dated March 5, 1999,
as
amended
and restated April 25, 2002, respecting a unitholder rights plan (the
"Original
Plan")
that would be
effective at the latest until the close of business on the date on which
the
2005 annual meeting of the unitholders of the Fund terminates unless a
resolution ratifying the continued existence of the Original Plan was approved
by the Independent Unitholders (as defined in the Original Plan);
AND
WHEREAS the Board of Directors (the "Board")
of EnerMark Inc. (the "Corporation")
has determined that it is advisable to continue the rights plan by adopting
an
amended and restated unitholder rights plan to take effect immediately upon
receipt of approval of the Independent Unitholders, to
conform to current practices and to effect the continued distribution of
rights
under the Original Plan as further
amended and restated herein (the "Rights
Plan")
to ensure, to the extent possible, that all unitholders of the Fund are treated
fairly in connection with any take-over offer or bid for the trust units
of the
Fund, and to ensure that the Board is provided with a sufficient time to
evaluate unsolicited take-over bids and to explore and develop alternatives
to
maximize unitholder value;
AND
WHEREAS, in order to continue implementation of the Rights Plan, the Board
has:
(a)
|
confirmed
the distribution of one right (a "Right")
in respect of each Trust Unit (as hereinafter defined) outstanding
at the
close of business on March 5, 1999 (the "Record
Time
"),
such distribution having been made to unitholders of record at
the Record
Time; and
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(b)
|
confirmed
the authorization of the issuance of one Right in respect of each
Trust
Unit issued after the Record Time and prior to the earlier of the
Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and the Expiration Time
(as
hereinafter defined);
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AND
WHEREAS each Right entitles the holder thereof after the Separation Time
to
purchase securities of the Fund pursuant to the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein;
AND
WHEREAS the Fund desires to confirm its appointment of the Rights Agent to
act
on behalf
of the Fund, and the Rights Agent is willing to continue to so act, in
connection with the issuance, transfer,
exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as hereinafter defined),
the
exercise of Rights and other matters referred to herein;
NOW
THEREFORE in consideration of the premises and the respective agreements
set
forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
1.1
Definitions
For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring
Person"
shall mean any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of
the outstanding Trust Units of the Fund; provided, however, that the term
"Acquiring
Person"
shall not include:
(i) the
Fund or any Subsidiary of the Fund;
(ii) any
Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Trust Units of the Fund as a result of any one or a combination of:
(A)
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an
acquisition or redemption by the Fund of Trust Units of the Fund
which,
by reducing the number of Trust Units outstanding, increases the
proportionate
number of Trust Units Beneficially Owned by such Person to 20%
or more of
the Trust Units of the Fund then
outstanding;
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(B)
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Trust
Unit acquisitions made pursuant to a Permitted Bid ("Permitted
Bid Acquisitions ");
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(C)
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acquisitions
of Trust Units (1) in respect of which the Board has waived the
application of Section 3.1 pursuant to subsections 5.1(b) , 5.1(c)
or
5.1(d); or (2) which are made as an intermediate step in a series
of
related
transactions in connection with an acquisition by the Fund or its
Subsidiaries
of a Person or assets, provided that the acquiror of such Trust
Units
distributes or is deemed to distribute such Trust Units to its
securityholders within 10 Business Days of the completion of such
acquisition, and following such distribution no Person has become
the
Beneficial
Owner of 20% of more of the Trust Units of the Fund then outstanding;
or (3) which were made on or prior to the Effective Date; or (4)
which
were made pursuant to a distribution reinvestment plan of the Fund;
or (5) pursuant to the receipt or exercise of rights issued by
the Fund to
all the holders of the Trust Units to subscribe for or purchase
Trust
Units or Convertible Securities, provided that such rights are
acquired
directly from the Fund and not from any other person and provided
that the
Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage
of
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2
-
Trust
Units or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person's percentage of
Trust
Units or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately
prior to such acquisition; or (6) pursuant to a distribution by the
Fund of Trust Units or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a prospectus,
provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of
Trust
Units or Convertible Securities so offered than the Person's percentage of
Trust
Units or Convertible Securities beneficially owned immediately prior to such
acquisition; or (7) pursuant to a distribution by the Fund of Trust Units
or
Convertible Securities by way of
a private placement by the Fund or a securities exchange take-over bid
circular
or upon the exercise by an individual employee of trust unit options or rights
granted under a trust unit option or rights incentive plan of the Fund or
rights
to purchase securities granted under a trust unit purchase
plan of the Fund, provided that (i) all necessary stock exchange approvals
for
such private placement, take-over bid, trust unit option or rights
incentive plan or trust unit purchase plan have been obtained and such
private placement, take-over bid, trust unit option or rights incentive plan
or
trust unit purchase plan complies with the terms and conditions of such
approvals and (ii) such Person does not become the Beneficial Owner of more
than
25% of the Trust Units outstanding immediately prior
to the distribution, and in making this determination the Trust Units
to
be issued to such Person in the distribution shall be deemed to be held by
such
Person but shall not be included in the aggregate number of outstanding Trust
Units immediately prior to the distribution; or (8) pursuant to an amalgamation,
merger, business combination or other similar
transaction (statutory or otherwise, but for greater certainty not including
a Take-over Bid) requiring approval by the Fund's unitholders ("Exempt
Acquisitions ");
(D)
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the
acquisition of Trust Units upon the exercise of Convertible Securities
received
by such Person pursuant to a Permitted Bid Acquisition, Exempt
Acquisition
or a Pro Rata Acquisition (as defined below) ("Convertible
Security Acquisitions ");
or
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(E)
|
acquisitions
as a result of a distribution of Trust Units or a Trust Unit split
or
other event pursuant to which such Person receives or acquires
Trust Units
or Convertible Securities on the same pro rata basis as all other
holders
of Trust Units of the same class ("Pro
Rata Acquisitions ");
|
provided,
however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more
of
the Trust Units of the Fund then outstanding by reason of any one or a
combination
of (i) Trust Unit acquisitions or redemptions by the Fund or (ii) Permitted
Bid
Acquisitions or (iii) Exempt Acquisitions or (iv) Convertible Security
Acquisitions or (v) Pro Rata Acquisitions and, after such Trust Unit
acquisitions
or redemptions by the Fund, Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt Acquisitions,
Convertible Security Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions, such Person
subsequently becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than an additional 1.00%
of
the number of Trust Units of the Fund outstanding other than pursuant to
any one
or a combination of Trust Unit acquisitions or redemptions of Trust Units
by the Fund, Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt Acquisitions,
Convertible
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3
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Security
Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions, then as of the date of any such
acquisition such Person shall become an "Acquiring Person";
(iii)
a
Grandfathered Person provided, however, that if such Person shall thereafter
become
the Beneficial Owner of more than an additional 1.00% of the number of
Trust
Units of the Fund outstanding other than pursuant to trust unit acquisitions
or
redemptions of Trust Units by the Fund, Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt
Acquisitions, Convertible Security Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions,
then
as of
the date of any such acquisition such Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person";
(iv)
for a period of 10 days after the Disqualification Date, any Person who becomes
the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Trust Units as a result
of
such
Person becoming disqualified from relying on clause 1.1(e)(B) solely because
such Person makes or announces an intention to make a Take-over Bid,
either
alone, through such Person's Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly
or
in
concert with any other Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"Disqualification
Date "
means the first date of public announcement that any Person is making or
intends
to make a Take-over Bid either alone, through such Person's
Affiliates or Associates or by acting jointly or in concert with any other
Person;
or
(v)
an
underwriter or member of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Trust Units in connection with a distribution
of
securities by way of prospectus or private placement.
(b)
|
"Affiliate",
used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, shall
mean a
Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with,
such
specified Person.
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(c) "Amendment
Date "
means April 12, 2005.
(d)
|
"Associate
"
of a specified individual shall mean any individual to whom such
specified
individual is married or with whom such specified individual is
living in
a conjugal relationship, outside marriage, or any relative of such
specified individual or said spouse who has the same home as such
specified individual.
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(e)
|
A
Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner",
and to have "Beneficial
Ownership",
of,
and to "Beneficially
Own":
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(i) any
securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates
is the owner at law or in equity;
(ii) any
securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates
has the right to acquire (A) upon the exercise of any Convertible Securities,
or
(B) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, in either
case where such right is exercisable within a period of 60 days and whether
or
not on condition or the happening of any contingency (other than (1) customary
agreements with and between underwriters and banking group or selling
group members with respect to a distribution to the public or pursuant to
a
-
4
-
private
placement of securities, or (2) pursuant to a pledge of securities in the
ordinary course of business); and
(iii) any
securities which are Beneficially Owned within the meaning of clauses 1.1(e)(i)
or (ii) above by any other Person with which such Person is acting jointly
or in
concert;
provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or to
have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, or to "Beneficially Own", any security:
(A)
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where
(1) the holder of such security has agreed to deposit or tender
such
security pursuant to a Permitted Lock-up Agreement to a Take-over
Bid
made
by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
or any
other Person referred to in clause 1.1(e)(iii), or (2) such security
has
been deposited or tendered pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by
such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other Person
referred to in clause 1.1(e)(iii), in each case until the earliest
time at
which any such tendered security is accepted unconditionally for
payment
or exchange or is taken up and paid
for;
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(B)
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where
such Person, any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any
other
Person referred to in clause 1.1(e)(iii), holds such security provided
that
(1) the ordinary business of any such Person (the "Investment
Manager")
includes the management of investment funds for others and such
security is held by the Investment Manager in the ordinary course
of
such
business in the performance of such Investment Manager's duties
for the
account of any other Person, including the acquisition or holding
of
securities for non-discretionary accounts held on behalf of a client
by a
broker or dealer registered under applicable securities laws, or
(2) such
Person (the "Trust
Company")
is licensed to carry on the business of a trust company under applicable
laws and, as such, acts as trustee or administrator
or in a similar capacity in relation to the estates of deceased
or
incompetent Persons or in relation to other accounts and holds
such
security in the ordinary course of such duties for the estates
of deceased
or incompetent Persons or for such other accounts, or (3) such
Person (the
"Plan
Trustee")
is the administrator or trustee of one or more pension funds or
plans
(each a "Plan")
registered under applicable laws and holds such security for the
purposes
of its activity as such, or (4) such
Person is a Plan or is a Person established by statute (the "Statutory
Body")
for purposes that include, and the ordinary business or activity
of
such
Person includes the management of investment funds for employee
benefit
plans, pension plans, insurance plans (other than plans administered
by
insurance companies) or various public bodies or (5) such Person
is a
Crown agent or agency or (6) such Person (the "Manager")
is the manager or trustee of a mutual fund (a "Mutual
Fund")
that is registered or qualified to issue its securities to investors
under
the securities laws of any province of Canada or the laws of the
United
States of America or such Person is a Mutual Fund; provided in
any
of the above cases, that the Investment Manager, the Trust Company,
the
Plan Trustee, the Plan, the Statutory Body, the Crown agent or
agency, the
Manager or the Mutual Fund, as the case may be, is not
then
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-
5
-
making
a Take-over Bid or has not announced a current intention to make a Take-over
Bid, other than an Offer to Acquire Trust Units or other securities pursuant
to
a distribution by the Fund or by means of ordinary market transactions
(including pre-arranged trades entered into in
the ordinary course of business of such Person) executed through the
facilities
of a stock exchange, securities quotation system or organized over-the-counter
market, alone, through its Affiliates or Associates or by acting
jointly or in concert with any other Person; or
(C)
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because
such Person is a client of or has an account with the same Investment
Manager as another Person on whose account the Investment Manager
holds
such security, or where such Person is a client of or has an account
with
the same Trust Company as another Person on whose account the Trust
Company holds such security, or where such Person is a Plan and
has a Plan
Trustee who is also a Plan Trustee for another Plan on whose account
the
Plan Trustee holds such security;
or
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(D)
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where
such Person is (i) a client of an Investment Manager and such security
is
owned at law or in equity by the Investment Manager, or (ii) an
account of a Trust Company and such security is owned at law or
in
equity
by the Trust Company, or (iii) a Plan and such security is owned
at law or
in equity by the Plan Trustee; or
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(E)
|
where
such Person is the registered holder of securities as a result
of carrying
on the business of or acting as a nominee of a securities
depositary.
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For
purposes of this Agreement, the percentage of Trust Units Beneficially Owned
by
any Person, shall be and be deemed to be the product determined by the
formula:
100
x A/B
Where:
A
= the number of votes for the nomination of all directors of the Corporation
to
be nominated
by the unitholders generally attaching to the Trust Units Beneficially
Owned
by such Person; and
B
= the number of votes for the nomination of all directors of the Corporation
to
be nominated by the unitholders generally attaching to all outstanding Trust
Units.
For
the purposes of the foregoing formula, where any Person is deemed to
Beneficially Own unissued Trust Units which may be acquired pursuant to
Convertible Securities, such Trust Units shall be deemed to be outstanding
for
the purpose of calculating the percentage of Trust Units Beneficially Owned
by
such Person in both the numerator and the denominator, but no other unissued
Trust Units which may be acquired pursuant to any
other outstanding Convertible Securities shall, for the purposes of that
calculation, be deemed
to be outstanding.
(f)
"Business
Day"
shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day that is treated
as
a holiday at the Fund's principal executive offices in Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx.
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6
-
(g) "Canadian-U.S.
Exchange Rate "
shall mean on any date the inverse of the U.S. Canadian Exchange
Rate.
(h) "Canadian
Dollar Equivalent"
of any amount which is expressed in United States dollars shall mean on any
day
the Canadian dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to
the
Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate on such date.
(i) "close
of business"
on any given date shall mean the time on such date (or, if such date is
not
a Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the
office of the
transfer agent for the Trust Units in the City of Calgary, Alberta (or, after
the Separation
Time, the offices of the Rights Agent in the City of Calgary, Alberta) becomes
closed
to the public.
(j) "Competing
Permitted Bid"
means a Take-over Bid that:
(i) is
made after a Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the expiry of the
Permitted
Bid;
(ii) satisfies
all components of the definition of a Permitted Bid other than the requirements
set out in clause (ii) of that definition; and
(iii) contains,
and
the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited is subject to,
an
irrevocable and unqualified provision that no Trust Units will be taken up
or
paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid prior to the close of business on
the
date that is no earlier than the later of (1) the earliest date on which
Trust
Units may be taken up or paid for under any Permitted Bid or Competing
Permitted
Bid that is then in existence and (2) 35 days after the date of the
Take-over
Bid constituting the Competing Permitted Bid.
(k) "Convertible
Securities"
means, at any time, any securities issued by the Fund from time to time (other
than the Rights) carrying any exercise, conversion or exchange right pursuant
to
which the holder thereof may acquire Trust Units or other securities which
are
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Trust Units.
(l) "Convertible
Security Acquisitions "
has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring
Person" herein.
(m) "Co-Rights
Agent"
shall have the meaning set forth in subsection 4.1(a) hereof.
(n) "Effective
Date "
shall mean the close of business on March 5, 1999.
(o) "Exempt
Acquisition"
has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person"
herein.
(p) "Exercise
Price "
shall mean, as of any date after the Amendment Date, the price at which a
holder
may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right in
accordance with the terms hereof and, subject to adjustment thereof in
accordance with the terms hereof , the Exercise Price shall equal Cdn.
$300.
(q) "Expansion
Factor"
shall have the meaning set forth in subsection 2.3(a)(x) hereof;
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7
-
(r) "Expiration
Time "
shall mean the earlier of:
(i) the
Termination Time; and
(ii) the
termination of the annual meeting of the unitholders of the Fund in the year
2008;
provided,
however, that if the resolution referred to in Section 5.19 is approved by
Independent Unitholders in accordance with Section 5.19 at or prior to such
annual meeting, "Expiration
Time "
means the earlier of (i) the Termination Time and (ii) the termination of
the
annual meeting of the unitholders of the Fund in the year 2011.
(s)
"Fiduciary"
shall mean a trust company registered under the trust company legislation
of
Canada
or any province thereof, a trust company organized under the laws of any
state
of the United States, a portfolio manager registered under the securities
legislation of one or more provinces of Canada or an investment adviser
registered under the United
States Investment Advisers Act of
1940 or any other securities legislation of the United States or any
state of the United States.
(t)
A
"Flip-in
Event"
shall mean a transaction occurring subsequent to the date of this Agreement
as a result of which any Person shall become an Acquiring Person provided,
however, that a Flip-in Event, shall be deemed to occur at the close of business
on the tenth day (or such later day as the Board may determine) after the
Trust
Unit Acquisition Date.
(u)
"Grandfathered
Person"
means any Person who was the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Trust Units of the Fund at the Record Time.
(v)
"Independent
Unitholders "
shall mean holders of Trust Units of the Fund excluding (i) any Acquiring
Person; or (ii) any Person (other than a Person referred to in clause 1.1(e)(B))
that is making or has announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid
for
Trust Units of the Fund (including a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted
Bid)
but excluding
any such Person if the Take-over Bid so announced or made by such Person
has
been withdrawn, terminated or, expired; or (iii) any Affiliate or Associate
of
such Acquiring
Person or a Person referred to in clause (ii); or (iv) any Person acting
jointly
or in
concert with such Acquiring Person or a Person referred to in clause (ii);
or
(v) a Person who is a trustee of any employee benefit plan, Trust Unit purchase
plan, deferred profit sharing plan or any similar plan or trust for the benefit
of employees of the Fund or a
Subsidiary of the Fund, unless the beneficiaries of the plan or trust direct
the
manner in which
the Trust Units are to be voted or direct whether the Trust Units are to
be
tendered to a Take-over Bid.
(w)
"Market
Price "
per security of any securities on any date of determination shall mean the
average of the daily Closing Price Per Security of such securities (determined
as described
below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and including the
Trading
Day immediately preceding such date; provided, however, that if an event
of a
type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 hereof shall
have
caused the price
used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on any Trading Day not to
be
fully comparable
with the price used to determine the Closing Price Per Security on such date
of
determination or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the
immediately preceding
Trading Day, each such price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in
a
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8
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manner
analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 hereof
in
order to
make it fully comparable with the price per security used to determine the
Closing Price
Per Security on such date of determination or, if the date of determination
is
not a Trading
Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day. The "Closing
Price Per Security"
of any securities on any date shall be:
(i) the
closing board lot sale price or, if such price is not available, the average
of
the closing
bid and asked prices, for such securities as reported by the principal Canadian
stock exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading,
or if for any reason neither of such prices is available on such day or the
securities
are not listed or admitted to trading on a Canadian stock exchange, the closing
board lot sale price or, if such price is not available, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices, for such securities as reported by such other
securities exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted for
trading;
(ii) if,
for any reason, none of such prices is available on such date or the securities
are
not listed or admitted to trading on a Canadian stock exchange or other
securities exchange, the last sale price, or in case no sale takes place
on such
date,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices for such securities in the
over-the-counter
market, as quoted by any reporting system then in use (as selected by the
Board); or
(iii) if
the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading as contemplated in clause
1.1(w)(i)
or (ii) , the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by
a
professional
market maker making a market in the securities provided, however, that
if on any such date the Closing Price Per Security cannot be determined in
accordance
with the foregoing, the Closing Price Per Security of such securities
on
such date shall mean the fair value per security of such securities on such
date
as determined in good faith by an internationally recognized investment dealer
or investment
banker with respect to the fair value per security of such
securities.
The
Market Price shall be expressed in Canadian dollars and, if initially determined
in respect
of any day forming part of the 20 consecutive Trading Day period in question
in
United
States dollars, such amount shall be translated into Canadian dollars at
the
Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof.
(x) "1933
Securities Act"
shall mean the Securities
Act of 1933 of
the United States, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor
laws
or
regulations thereto.
(y) "1934
Exchange Act"
shall mean the Securities
Exchange Act of
1934 of the United States, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder,
and any comparable or successor laws or regulations thereto.
(z) "Offer
to Acquire "
shall include:
(i) an
offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell, Trust Units;
and
(ii) an
acceptance of an offer to sell Trust Units, whether or not such offer to
sell
has been
solicited;
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9
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or
any combination thereof, and the Person accepting an offer to sell shall
be
deemed to be making an offer to acquire to the Person that made the offer
to
sell.
(aa) "Offeror's
Securities"
means Trust Units Beneficially Owned on the date of an Offer to Acquire by
any
Person who is making a Take-over Bid and "Offeror"
means a Person who has announced a current intention to make or is making
a
Take-over Bid.
(bb) "Permitted
Bid"
means a Take-over Bid made by a Person by means of a Take-over Bid circular
and
which also complies with the following additional provisions:
(i) the
Take-over Bid is made to all holders of record of Trust Units, other than
the
Offeror;
(ii) the
Take-over Bid shall contain, and the provisions for the take-up and payment
for
Trust Units tendered or deposited thereunder shall be subject to, an irrevocable
and unqualified condition that no Trust Units shall be taken up or paid for
pursuant to the Take-over Bid prior to the close of business on a date which
is
not less than 45 days following the date of the Take-over Bid;
(iii) the
Take-over
Bid shall contain irrevocable and unqualified provisions that, unless
the Take-over Bid is withdrawn, Trust Units may be deposited pursuant to
the
Take-over Bid at any time prior to the close of business on the date of first
take-up or payment for Trust Units and that all Trust Units deposited pursuant
to the
Take-over Bid may be withdrawn at any time prior to the close of business
on
such
date;
(iv) the
Take-over
Bid shall contain an irrevocable and unqualified condition that more than
50% of
the outstanding Trust Units held by Independent Unitholders, determined
as at the date of first take-up or payment for Trust Units under the Take-over
Bid, must be deposited to the Take-over Bid and not withdrawn at the
close
of business on the date of first take-up or payment for Trust Units;
and
(v) the
Take-over
Bid shall contain an irrevocable and unqualified provision that in the event
that more than 50% of the then outstanding Trust Units held by Independent
Unitholders shall have been deposited to the Take-over Bid and not withdrawn
as
at the date of first take-up or payment for Trust Units under the Take-over
Bid,
the Offeror will make a public announcement of that fact and the Take-over
Bid will remain open for deposits and tenders of Trust Units for not less
than
10 Business Days from the date of such public announcement;
provided
that if a Take-over Bid constitutes a Competing Permitted Bid, the term
"Permitted Bid" shall also mean the Competing Permitted Bid.
(cc) "Permitted
Bid Acquisitions "
has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person"
herein.
(dd) "Permitted
Lock-up Agreement"
means an agreement (the "Lock-up
Agreement")
between a Person and one or more holders of Trust Units (each such holder
herein
referred to as a "Locked-up
Person")
(the terms of which are publicly disclosed and a copy of which is made available
to the public (including the Fund) not later than the date of the Lock-up
Bid
(as defined below) or, if the Lock-up Bid has been made prior to
the
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10
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date
of the Lock-up Agreement, not later than the first Business Day following
the
date of the
Lock-up Agreement) pursuant to which each Locked-up Person agrees to deposit
or
tender
the Trust Units held by such holder to a Take-over Bid (the "Lock-up
Bid")
made by
the Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other
Person
referred to in clause 1.1(e)(iii) provided that:
(i) the
Lock-up Agreement permits the Locked-up Person to withdraw its Trust
Units
from the Lock-up Agreement in order to deposit or tender the Trust Units
to
another Take-over Bid or to support another transaction prior to the Trust
Units
being taken up and paid for under the Lock-up Bid:
(A)
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at
a price or value per Trust Unit that exceeds the price or value
per Trust
Unit
offered under the Lock-up Bid; or
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(B)
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at
an offering price for each Trust Unit that exceeds by as much as
or more
than a specified amount (the "Specified
Amount")
the offering price
for each Trust Unit contained in or proposed to be contained in
the
Lock-up
Bid and that does not by its terms provide for a Specified Amount
that is
greater than 7% of the offering price contained in or proposed
to be
contained in the Lock-up Bid;
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and
for greater clarity, the agreement may contain a right of first refusal or
require a period of delay to give the Person who made the Lock-up Bid an
opportunity to match a higher price in another Take-over Bid or transaction
or
other similar limitation on a Locked-up Person's right to withdraw Trust
Units
from the agreement, so long as the limitation does not preclude the exercise
by
the Locked-up Person of the right to withdraw Trust Units during the period
of
the other Take-over Bid or transaction; and
(ii)
no
"break-up" fees, "top-up" fees, penalties, expenses or other amounts that
exceed
in aggregate the greater of:
(A)
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2.5%
of the price or value of the consideration payable under the Lock-up
Bid
to a Locked-up Person; and
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(B)
|
50%
of the amount by which the price or value of the consideration
received by
a Locked-up Person under another Take-over Bid or transaction exceeds
the
price or value of the consideration that the Locked-up Person would
have
received under the Lock-up Bid;
|
shall
be payable by such Locked-up Person if the Locked-up Person fails to deposit
or
tender Trust Units to the Lock-up Bid, withdraws Trust Units previously tendered
thereto in order to deposit or tender such Trust Units into another Take-over
Bid or supports another transaction.
(ee) "Person"
shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, association, trust, trustee,
personal representative, body corporate, corporation, unincorporated
organization, syndicate or other entity.
(ff) "Pro
Rata Acquisition"
has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Acquiring Person"
herein.
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11
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(gg) "Record
Time "
shall mean the close of business on March 5, 1999.
(hh) "Redemption
Price "
has the meaning set forth in subsection 5.1(a).
(ii) "Rights
Certificate "
shall mean, after the Separation Time, the certificate representing the
Rights substantially in the form of Exhibit "A" hereto;
(jj) "Securities
Act"
shall mean the Securities
Act (Alberta),
R.S.A. 2000, c. S-4, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, each as may be amended from time to time, and
any
comparable or successor laws, rules or regulations thereto.
(kk) "Separation
Time "
shall mean the close of business on the tenth Business Day after the earlier
of:
(i) the
Trust Unit Acquisition Date;
(ii) the
date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of
any
Person (other than the Fund or any Subsidiary of the Fund) to commence a
Take-over Bid (other than a Take-over Bid which is a Permitted Bid so long
as
such Take-over Bid continues to satisfy the requirements of a Permitted Bid),
provided that, if any Take-over Bid referred to in this clause (ii) expires,
is
cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time,
such
Take-over
Bid shall be deemed, for purposes of this subsection 1.1(kk), never to
have
been made; and
(iii) the
date upon
which a Permitted Bid ceases to be a Permitted Bid;
or
such later date as may be determined by the Board acting in good faith provided
that, if the
foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time,
the
Separation Time shall be the Record Time and if the Board determines pursuant
to
Section 5.1 to waive the application of Section 3.1 to a Flip-in Event, the
Separation Time in respect of such Flip-in Event shall be deemed never to
have
occurred.
(ll) "Subsidiary"
of any specified Person shall mean any corporation or other entity controlled
by such specified Person.
(mm) "Take-over
Bid"
means an Offer to Acquire Trust Units or securities convertible into
Trust
Units, where the Trust Units subject to the Offer to Acquire, together with
the
Trust Units
into which the securities subject to the Offer to Acquire are convertible,
and the Offeror's Securities, constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of
the
outstanding Trust Units at the date of the Offer to Acquire.
(nn) "Termination
Time "
shall mean the time at which the right to exercise Rights shall terminate
pursuant to Section 5.1, 5.18 or 5.19 hereof.
(oo) "Trading
Day",
when used with respect to any securities, shall mean a day on which the
principal securities exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted
to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the securities are
not
listed or admitted to trading on any securities exchange, a Business
Day.
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12
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(pp) "Trust
Indenture "
shall mean the Amended and Restated Trust Indenture dated January 1, 2004
pursuant to which the Fund is organized, as may be amended, restated or
supplemented from time to time.
(qq) "Trust
Unit Acquisition Date "
shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for
purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report
filed
pursuant to Section
176 of the Securities
Act or
Section 13(d) under the 1934
Exchange Act)
by the Fund or an Acquiring Person that a Person has become an Acquiring
Person.
(rr) "Trust
Units "
and "Trust
Units of the Fund"
means the trust units of the Fund, as constituted on the Amendment Date and
any
other security of the Fund into which such trust units may be subdivided,
reclassified or changed from time to time.
(ss) "U.S.
Canadian Exchange Rate "
shall mean on any date:
(i) if
on such date the Bank of Canada sets an average noon spot rate of exchange
with
a conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such
rate;
(ii) in
any other case, the rate for such date for the conversion of one United States
dollar
into Canadian dollars which is calculated in the manner which shall be
determined
by the Board from time to time acting in good faith.
(tt) "U.S.
Dollar Equivalent"
of any amount which is expressed in Canadian dollars shall mean on any day
the
United States dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to
the
U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate on such date.
1.2 Currency
All
sums of money which are referred to in this Agreement are expressed in lawful
money of Canada.
1.3 Acting
Jointly or in Concert
For
purposes of this Agreement, a Person is acting jointly or in concert with
another Person if such Person has any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether formal or informal and whether or not in writing) with such other
Person to acquire, or Offer to Acquire, any Trust Units of the Fund (other
than (A) customary agreements with and between underwriters and banking group
or
selling group members
with respect to a distribution of securities by way of prospectus or private
placement, or (B) pursuant to a pledge of securities in the ordinary course
of
business).
1.4 Control
A
Person is "controlled"
by another Person or two or more other Persons acting jointly or in concert
if:
(a)
in
the
case of a body corporate, securities entitled to vote in the election of
directors of such
body corporate carrying more than 50% of the votes for the election of directors
are held,
directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons
acting jointly or in concert and the votes carried by such securities are
entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board of directors of
such
body corporate; or
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13
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(b)
in
the case
of a Person which is not a body corporate, more than 50% of the voting or
equity
interests of such entity are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the
benefit
of the other Person or Persons acting jointly or in concert,
and
"controls
",
"controlling"
and "under
common control with"
shall be interpreted accordingly.
1.5 Holder
of Rights and Trust Units
As
used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the term
"holder"
of any Rights shall
mean the registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time,
the
associated Trust Units).
1.6 References
to this Agreement
In
this Agreement, unless otherwise provided herein and unless the context
otherwise requires, references to "this
Agreement",
"herein",
"hereby"
and "hereunder"
mean this Amended and Restated Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement dated April
12,
2005 between the Fund and the Rights Agent as amended and supplemented from
time
to time.
ARTICLE
2
THE
RIGHTS
2.1
Legend
on Trust Unit Certificates
Certificates
for the Trust Units, including without limitation Trust Units issued upon
the
conversion of Convertible Securities, issued after the Record Time but prior
to
the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time shall evidence
one
Right for each Trust Unit represented thereby and, commencing as soon as
reasonably practicable after the Record Time, shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them prior to the Amendment Date the
legend set forth in
Section 2.1 of either the Original Plan or the Amended and Restated Unitholder
Rights Plan Agreement dated
April 25, 2002, which legend shall be deemed to be amended for all purposes
to
read the same as the legend set forth below, or the following
legend:
Until
the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to below),
this
certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights
as
set forth in an Amended and Restated Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement dated
as
of April 12, 2005 (amending and restating the Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement
dated March 5, 1999 as amended and restated April 25, 2002, as such may from
time to time be amended, restated, varied or replaced, (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Enerplus Resources Fund (the "Fund") and CIBC Mellon Trust Company
as
Rights Agent, the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and, a copy of which is on file at the registered office of the Fund. In
certain
circumstances, as set forth, in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
amended, redeemed, may expire, may become void (if, in certain cases, they
are
"Beneficially Owned" by an "Acquiring Person", as such terms are defined
in the
Rights Agreement, or a transferee thereof) or may be evidenced by separate
certificates and may no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Fund
will
mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the
holder
of this certificate without charge within five days, after the receipt of
a
written request therefor.
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14
-
Certificates
representing Trust Units that are issued and outstanding at and after the
Record
Time shall
evidence one Right for each Trust Unit evidenced thereby notwithstanding
the
absence of the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Separation Time
and
the Expiration Time.
2.2
Initial
Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of
Rights
(a)
|
Subject
to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will entitle the
holder
thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase, for the Exercise
Price,
or its U.S. Dollar Equivalent as at the Business Day immediately
preceding
the day of exercise of the Right, one Trust Unit. Notwithstanding
any
other provision of this Agreement, any Rights held by the Fund
or any of
its Subsidiaries shall be void.
|
(b)
Until
the Separation Time,
(i) no
Right may be exercised; and
(ii) each
Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated Trust Unit
and
will
be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer
of,
such associated Trust Unit.
(c)
|
After
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights
(i) may
be exercised; and (ii) will be transferable independent of Trust
Units.
Promptly following the Separation Time the Rights Agent will mail
to each
holder of record of Trust Units as of
the Separation Time and, in respect of each Convertible Security
converted
into Trust Units
after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time promptly
after
such conversion
to the holder so converting, (other than an Acquiring Person and,
in
respect of any
Rights Beneficially Owned by such Acquiring Person which are not
held of
record by such
Acquiring Person, the holder of record of such Rights) at such
holder's
address as shown by the records of the Fund (the Fund hereby agreeing
to
furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent for this purpose),
(x)
a Rights Certificate with registration particulars appropriately
completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder
at the Separation Time and having such marks of identification
or
designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Fund
may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of
this
Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any law or with
any rule
or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any
stock exchange or securities quotation system on which the Rights
may from
time to time be listed or traded, or to conform to usage, and (y) a
disclosure statement describing the
Rights.
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(d)
|
Rights
may be exercised in whole or in part on any Business Day (or on
any other
day which, in the city at which an Election to Exercise (as hereinafter
defined) is duly submitted to the Rights Agent in accordance with
this
Agreement, is not a Saturday, Sunday or a day that is treated as
a holiday
in such city) after the Separation Time and prior
to the Expiration Time by submitting to the Rights Agent (at its
office in
the City of Calgary,
Alberta, Canada or at any other office of the Rights Agent in the
cities
designated from time to time for that purpose by the Fund), the
Rights
Certificate evidencing
such Rights together with an Election to Exercise (an "Election
to Exercise")
substantially
in the form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed,
accompanied
by
payment by certified cheque, banker's draft or money order payable
to the
order of the Rights
Agent, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number
of
Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer
tax or
charge which may be
|
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15
-
payable
in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights
Certificates
or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Trust Units in a name other
than
that
of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
(e)
|
Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate, with a duly completed Election
to
Exercise (which does not indicate that the holder so exercising
is an
Acquiring Person) accompanied by payment as set forth in subsection
2.2(d)
above, the Rights Agent will thereupon
promptly:
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(i) requisition
from the transfer agent or any co-transfer agent of the Trust Units certificates
for the number of Trust Units to be purchased (the Fund hereby irrevocably
authorizing its transfer agent to comply with all such
requisitions);
(ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Fund the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of
issuing fractional Trust Units and after receipt, deliver such cash to or
to the
order of the registered holder of the Rights Certificate;
(iii) after
receipt
of the Trust Unit certificates, deliver the same to or upon the order of
the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names
as
may be designated by such holder; and
(iv) tender
to the
Fund all payments received upon exercise of the Rights.
(f)
|
In
case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the
Rights
evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised
will be issued by the Rights Agent to such holder or to such holder's
duly
authorized
assigns.
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(g) The
Fund covenants and agrees that it will:
(i) take
all such action as may be necessary and within its power to ensure that all
Trust
Units delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the
certificates
for such Trust Units (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly
and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and
non-assessable;
(ii) take
all such action as may be necessary and within its power to comply with any
applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture, the Securities
Act,
the securities acts
or comparable legislation of each of the other provinces of Canada, the
1933
Securities
Act and
the 1934
Exchange Act,
and the rules and regulations thereunder
or any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with the
issuance
and delivery of the Rights Certificates and the issuance of any Trust Units
upon
exercise of Rights;
(iii) use
reasonable efforts to cause all Trust Units issued upon exercise of Rights
to be
listed on the principal exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter markets
on
which the Trust Units were traded immediately prior to the Trust Unit
Acquisition Date;
(iv) cause
to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Trust Units
the
number of Trust Units that, as provided in this Agreement, will
from
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16
-
time
to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights;
and
(v)
pay
when due
and payable any and all Canadian and United States federal, provincial,
and state transfer taxes (for greater certainty not including any income
or
capital gains taxes of the holder or exercising holder or any liability of
the
Fund to withhold tax) and charges which may be payable in respect of the
original issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or certificates
for
Trust Units, provided that the Fund shall not be required to pay any transfer
tax or charge
which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer
or
delivery
of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Trust
Units
in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or
exercised.
2.3
Adjustments
to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
The
Exercise Price, the number and kind of securities subject to purchase upon
exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 2.3.
(a) In
the event
the Fund shall at any time after the Amendment Date and prior to the Expiration
Time:
(i) declare
or pay a distribution on the Trust Units payable in Trust Units (or other
securities
or securities exchangeable for or convertible into or giving a right to acquire
Trust Units or other securities of the Fund) other than pursuant to any optional
Trust Unit distribution program, distribution reinvestment plan or a
distribution payable in Trust Units in lieu of a regular periodic cash
distribution;
(ii) subdivide
or change the then outstanding Trust Units into a greater number of Trust
Units;
(iii) consolidate,
combine or change the then outstanding Trust Units into a smaller number
of
Trust Units; or
(iv) issue
any
Trust Units (or other securities or securities exchangeable for or convertible
into or giving a right to acquire Trust Units or other securities of the
Fund)
in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for existing Trust Units in a
reclassification, amalgamation, merger, statutory arrangement or
consolidation,
the
Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding, or, if the payment or
effective date therefor shall occur after the Separation Time, the securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights shall be adjusted in the manner set forth
below. If the Exercise Price and number of Rights outstanding are to be adjusted
(x) the Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment shall be equal to
the
Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by
the
number of Trust Units (or other securities) (the "Expansion
Factor")
that a holder of one Trust Unit immediately prior to such distribution,
subdivision, change, combination or issuance would hold thereafter as a result
thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such adjustment shall become that
number of Rights equal
to the Expansion Factor, and the adjusted number of Rights will be deemed
to be
allocated among the Trust Units with respect to which the original Rights
were
associated
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17
-
(if
they remain outstanding) and the Trust Units issued in respect of such
distribution, subdivision,
change, combination or issuance, so that each such Trust Unit (or other
securities) will have exactly one Right associated with it. If the securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights are to be adjusted, the securities
purchasable upon exercise of each Right after such adjustment will be the
number
of securities that a holder of the securities
purchasable upon exercise of one Right immediately prior to such distribution
subdivision, change, combination or issuance would hold thereafter as a result
thereof. If after
the Amendment Date and prior to the Expiration Time the Fund shall issue
securities
other than Trust Units in a transaction of a type described in clause 2.3(a)(i)
or (iv),
such securities shall be treated herein as nearly equivalent to Trust Units
as
may be practicable and appropriate under the circumstances and the Fund and
the
Rights Agent agree to amend this Agreement in order to effect such treatment.
If
an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section
2.3
and Section 3.1 hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 2.3 shall
be
in addition to and shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant
to
Section 3.1 hereof. Adjustments pursuant to this
subsection 2.3(a) shall be made successively, whenever an event referred
to in
this subsection
2.3(a) occurs.
In
the event the Fund shall at any time after the Amendment Date and prior to
the
Separation Time issue any Trust Units otherwise than in a transaction referred
to in the preceding paragraph, each such Trust Unit so issued shall
automatically have one new Right associated with it, which Right shall be
evidenced by the certificate representing such Trust Unit.
(b)
In
the
event the Fund shall at any time after the Amendment Date and prior to the
Expiration Time fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all
holders of Trust Units of rights or warrants entitling them (for a period
expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or
purchase Trust Units (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
or
carrying a right to purchase or subscribe for Trust Units) at a price per
Trust
Unit (or, if a security convertible into or exchangeable for or carrying
a right
to purchase or subscribe for Trust Units, having a conversion, exchange or
exercise price (including the price required to be paid to purchase such
convertible or exchangeable security or right per Trust Unit)) less than
90% of
the Market Price per Trust Unit on such record date, the Exercise Price shall
be
adjusted in the manner set forth below. The Exercise Price in effect after
such
record date shall equal the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to
such
record date multiplied by a fraction, of which the
numerator shall be the number of Trust Units outstanding on such record date
plus the number
of Trust Units which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
Trust
Units so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion, exchange
or
exercise price of the convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so
to be
offered (including the price required to be paid to purchase such convertible
or
exchangeable securities or rights))
would purchase at such Market Price and of which the denominator shall be
the
number
of Trust Units outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Trust Units to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so to be offered are initially
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable). In case such subscription price
is
satisfied in whole or in part by consideration in a form other than cash
the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board
whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and
the
holders
of Rights.
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18
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Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed.
For
purposes of this paragraph (b), the granting of the right to purchase Trust
Units pursuant to any distribution or interest reinvestment plan and/or any
Trust Unit purchase plan providing for the reinvestment of distributions
or
interest payable on securities of the Fund and/or the investment of periodic
optional payments and/or employee benefit or similar
plans (so long as such right to purchase is in no case evidenced by the delivery
of rights or warrants) shall not be deemed to constitute an issue of rights
or
warrants by the Fund;
provided, however, that in the case of any distribution or interest reinvestment
plan, the right to purchase Trust Units is at a price per Trust Unit of not
less
than 90% of the current market price per Trust Unit (determined as provided
in
such plans) of the Trust Units.
(c)
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In
the event the Fund shall at any time after the Amendment Date and
prior to
the Expiration Time fix a record date for the making of a distribution
to
all holders of Trust Units of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(other
than a regular periodic cash distribution
or a distribution paid in Trust Units) or rights or warrants entitling
them to subscribe
for or purchase Trust Units (or securities convertible into, exchangeable
for or carrying a right to subscribe for or purchase Trust Units)
at a
price per Trust Unit (or in the case of a security convertible
into,
exchangeable for or carrying a right to subscribe for or purchase
Trust
Units, having a conversion, exchange, exercise, subscription or
purchase
price) less than 90% of the Market Price per Trust Unit on such
record
date, (excluding those referred to in subsection 2.3(b)), the Exercise
Price shall be adjusted in the manner set forth below. The Exercise
Price
in effect after such record date shall equal the Exercise Price
in effect
immediately prior to such record date less the fair market value
(as
determined in good faith by the Board) of the portion of the assets,
evidences
of indebtedness, rights or warrants so to be distributed applicable
to
each of the securities
purchasable upon exercise of one Right (such determination to be
described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights).
Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is
fixed.
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(d)
Each
adjustment made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be made as of:
(i)
the
payment or effective date for the applicable distribution, subdivision,
consolidation,
change, combination or issuance, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant
to
paragraph (a) above; and
(ii) the
record date for the applicable distribution, in the case of an adjustment
made
pursuant
to paragraph (b) or (c) above, subject to readjustment to reverse the same
if
such distribution shall not be made.
(e)
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In
the event the Fund shall at any time after the Amendment Date and
prior to
the Expiration Time issue any securities of the Fund (other than
Trust
Units), or rights or warrants
to subscribe for or purchase any such securities, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for any such securities, in a
transaction
referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(iv) above,
or if the Fund shall take any other action (other than the issue
of Trust
Units) which might have a negative effect on the holders of Rights,
if the
Board acting in good faith determines that the adjustments contemplated
by
paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above are not applicable or will not
appropriately protect the interests of the holders of Rights, the
Fund may determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price,
number of
Rights and/or securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights would
be
appropriate and, if the adjustments contemplated by paragraphs
(a), (b)
and (c) above are applicable,
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19
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notwithstanding
such paragraphs, the adjustments so determined by the Fund, rather than
adjustments
contemplated by paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above, shall be made. The Fund
and
the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement in accordance with subsection
5.4(b)
and 5.4(c), as the case may be, to provide for such adjustments.
(f)
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Each
adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section
2.3 shall
be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the
Exercise
Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.3, the Fund
shall:
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(i) promptly
prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement
of
the facts accounting for such adjustment; and
(ii) promptly
file with the Rights Agent and with the transfer agent for the Trust
Units
a copy of such certificate and mail a brief summary thereof to each holder
of
Rights.
(g)
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Subject
to Section 5.3, irrespective of any adjustment or change in the
securities
purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore
and
thereafter issued may continue to express the securities so purchasable
which were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
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2.4 Date
on Which Exercise is Effective
Each
person in whose name any certificate for Trust Units is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of the Trust Units represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered (together with a
duly
completed Election to Exercise) and payment of the Exercise Price for such
Rights (and any applicable transfer taxes and other governmental charges
payable
by the exercising holder hereunder) was made; provided, however, that if
the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Trust Unit transfer
books of the Fund are closed, such person shall be deemed
to have become the record holder of such Trust Units on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Trust Unit
transfer books of the Fund are open.
2.5 Execution,
Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights
Certificates
(a)
The
Rights
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Fund by the Chairman of the
Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation. The signature of
any of
these officers
on the Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates
bearing
the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the
proper officers
of the Corporation shall bind the Fund, notwithstanding that such individuals
or
any
of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and
delivery of such Rights Certificates. Promptly after the Fund learns of the
Separation Time, the Fund will
notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver copies of
a
disclosure statement describing the Rights and Rights Certificates executed
by
the Fund to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and the Rights Agent shall
countersign (manually or by facsimile signature in a manner satisfactory
to the
Fund) and mail such Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant
to
subsection 2.2(c) hereof. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose
until countersigned by the Rights Agent as aforesaid.
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20
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(b) Each
Rights
Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature thereof.
2.6 Registration,
Registration of Transfer and Exchange
(a)
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After
the Separation Time, the Fund will cause to be kept a register
(the
"Rights
Register")
in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the
Fund will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights.
The Rights
Agent is hereby appointed "Rights
Registrar"
for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the Fund
and
registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein provided.
In the
event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar,
the
Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register
at all
reasonable times.
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(b)
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After
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender
for
registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate,
and
subject to the provisions
of subsection 2.6(d) below, the Fund will execute, and the Rights
Agent
will countersign
and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee
or
transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's instructions,
one or
more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number
of
Rights as did the Rights Certificates so
surrendered.
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(c)
|
All
Rights issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of
Rights
Certificates shall
be the valid obligations of the Fund, and such Rights shall be
entitled to
the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered
upon such
registration of transfer or
exchange.
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(d)
|
Every
Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or
exchange
shall be duly endorsed,
or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory
to the
Fund or the Rights Agent, as the case may be, duly executed by
the holder
thereof or such
holder's attorney duly authorized in writing. As a condition to
the
issuance of any new
Rights Certificate under this Section 2.6, the Fund may require
the
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge
that may be imposed in relation thereto.
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2.7 Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates
(a)
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If
any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent
prior
to the Expiration Time, the Fund shall execute and the Rights Agent
shall
countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate
so
surrendered.
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(b)
|
If
there shall be delivered to the Fund and the Rights Agent prior
to the
Expiration Time (i) evidence of ownership of any Rights Certificate,
(ii)
evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft
of any
Rights Certificate and (iii) such security or indemnity as
may be required by them in their sole discretion to save each of
them and
any of their agents
harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Fund or the Rights
Agent
that such Rights
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Fund
shall
execute and upon
its request the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in
lieu of any
such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights
Certificate so destroyed, lost or
stolen.
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21
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(c) | As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Fund may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected therewith. |
(d)
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Every
new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.7 in lieu
of any
destroyed, lost
or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an original additional
contractual obligation
of the Fund, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights
Certificate shall be
at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all
the
benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any
and all
other Rights, duly issued
hereunder.
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2.8 Persons
Deemed Owners
The
Fund, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Fund or the Rights Agent may
deem
and treat the
Person, in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time,
the associated Trust Unit certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever.
2.9 Delivery
and Cancellation of Certificates
All
Rights Certificates surrendered upon exercise or for redemption, registration
of
transfer or exchange
shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Rights Agent, be delivered
to
the Rights Agent and,
in any case, shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent. The Fund may
at
any time deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation any Rights Certificates
previously countersigned and delivered hereunder which the Fund may have
acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates so delivered
shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent. No Rights Certificate shall
be
countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights Certificates cancelled
as
provided in this Section 2.9, except as expressly permitted by this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall, subject to applicable law and in accordance with
its
ordinary business practice, destroy all cancelled Rights Certificates and
deliver a certificate of destruction to the Fund.
2.10 Agreement
of Rights Holders
Every
holder of Rights by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Fund
and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of Rights that:
(a)
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he
will be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement,
as
amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof,
in respect
of all Rights held;
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(b)
|
prior
to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only together
with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated
Trust
Unit;
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(c)
|
after
the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be transferable
only on
the Rights Register as provided
herein.
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(d)
|
prior
to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation
Time, the associated Trust Unit certificate) for registration of
transfer,
the Fund, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Fund or the Rights
Agent
may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate
(or,
prior to the Separation Time, the associated Trust Unit certificate)
is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced
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22
-
thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on such Rights
Certificate
or the associated Trust Unit certificate made by anyone other than the Fund
or
the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Fund nor the
Rights Agent shall
be affected by any notice to the contrary;
(e)
|
such
holder of Rights has waived his right to receive any fractional
Rights or
any fractional Trust Units upon exercise of a Right (except as
provided
herein);
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(f)
|
subject
to the provisions of Section 5.4, without the approval of any holder
of
Rights and upon
the sole authority of the Board acting in good faith this Agreement
may be
supplemented or amended from time to time as provided herein;
and
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(g)
|
notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Fund nor
the
Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or any
other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling
issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental,
regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute,
rule,
regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance
of such obligation.
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ARTICLE
3
ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE RIGHTS IN
THE
EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1
Flip-in
Event
(a)
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Subject
to subsections 3.1(b), 5.1(b) , 5.1(c) and 5.1(d) hereof, in the
event
that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Event shall occur,
the Fund
shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide,
within
10 Business Days thereafter or such longer period as may be required
to
satisfy the requirements of the applicable securities acts or comparable
legislation so that, except as provided below, each Right shall
thereafter
constitute the right to purchase from the Fund, upon exercise thereof
in
accordance with the terms hereof, that number of Trust Units of
the Fund
having an aggregate Market Price
on the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-in Event
equal to
twice the Exercise
Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price, (such
right to be
appropriately
adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided
for
in Section
2.3 in the event that after such date of consummation or occurrence
an
event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section
2.3
shall have occurred with respect to such Trust
Units).
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(b)
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Notwithstanding
the foregoing or any other provisions of this Agreement, upon the
occurrence of any Flip-in Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially
Owned on or after the earlier of the Separation Time or the Trust
Unit
Acquisition Date by:
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(i) an
Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or
any
Person
acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person); or
(ii) a
transferee, direct or indirect, of an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate
or
Associate
of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly or in concert
with,
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23
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an
Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) in
a
transfer made after the date hereof, whether or not for consideration, that
the
Board acting in good faith has determined is part of a plan, arrangement
or
scheme of an Acquiring Person, (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or any Person acting jointly or in concert with any Acquiring Person
or
any Affiliate or Associate of such Person) that has the purpose or effect
of
avoiding clause (i) of this subsection 3.1(b),
shall
become void and any holder of such Rights (including transferees) shall
thereafter have no right, to exercise such Rights under any provision of
this
Agreement and shall not have any other rights whatsoever in respect of such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.
(c)
Any
Rights
Certificate that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by a Person described
in
either clauses (i) or (ii) of subsection 3.1(b) or transferred to any nominee
of
any such Person, and any Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in
this
sentence, shall contain the following legend:
"The
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate were Beneficially Owned by
a
Person who was an Acquiring Person or who was an Affiliate or an Associate
of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or was
acting jointly or in concert with any of them. This Rights Certificate and
the
Rights represented hereby shall become void in the circumstances specified
in
subsection 3.1(b) of the Rights Agreement.",
provided
that the Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility to ascertain
the
existence of facts that would require the imposition of such legend but shall
be
required to
impose such legend only if instructed to do so by the Fund or if a holder
fails
to certify upon transfer or exchange in the space provided on the Rights
Certificate that such holder is
not an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting
jointly or in concert with any of them.
ARTICLE
4
THE
RIGHTS AGENT
4.1
General
(a)
The
Fund
hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Fund and the holders
of
Rights in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights
Agent
hereby accepts such appointment. The Fund may from time to time appoint such
Co-Rights
Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, subject to the prior approval
of
the Rights
Agent. In the event the Fund appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the
respective duties of the Rights Agent and Co-Rights Agents shall be as the
Fund
may determine with the approval of the Rights Agent and the Co-Rights Agents.
The Fund agrees
to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered
by
it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses
and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the execution and
administration of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its
duties
hereunder (including the reasonable fees and other disbursements of any expert
retained
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24
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by
the Rights Agent with the approval of the Fund, such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld). The Fund also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
and
its directors, officers, employees
and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct on the
part
of the Rights Agent or its directors, officers, employees and agents, for
anything done, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with
the
acceptance, execution and administration of this Agreement and the exercise
and
performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability, which
right to indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement and
the
resignation
or removal of the Rights Agent.
(b)
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The
Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for
or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any certificate
for
Trust Units, Rights Certificate, certificate for
other securities of the Fund, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power
of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement,
or
other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed,
executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the
proper
person or persons.
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(c)
|
The
Fund shall inform the Rights Agent in a reasonable and timely manner
of
events which may materially affect the administration of this Agreement
by
the Rights Agent.
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4.2
Merger,
Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent
(a)
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Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may
be merged or amalgamated or with which it may be consolidated,
or any
corporation resulting from any merger, amalgamation or consolidation
to
which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent is a party or any corporation succeeding
to the
shareholder or stockholder services business of the Rights Agent
or any
successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent
under
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or
any further
act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the
provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case, at the time such successor
Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the
Rights Certificates have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent
may adopt
the countersignature
of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates
so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates
have not been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates either
in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the
successor Rights Agent;
and in all such cases such Rights Certificates will have the full
force
provided in the Rights Certificates and in this
Agreement.
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(b)
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In
case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at
such time
any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the
Rights
Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver
Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the
Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent
may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates
shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in
this
Agreement.
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25
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4.3
Duties
of Rights Agent
The
Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement
upon the following
terms and conditions, by all of which the Fund and the holders of Rights
Certificates, by their acceptance
thereof, shall be bound:
(a)
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The
Rights Agent may retain and consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal
counsel for
the Fund), and the opinion of such counsel will be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or
omitted by it in good faith and in accordance
with such opinion; the Rights Agent may also, with the approval
of the
Fund (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) and at the
expense of
the Fund, consult with such other experts as the Rights Agent shall
consider necessary or appropriate to properly carry out the duties
and
obligations imposed under this Agreement and the Rights Agent shall
be
entitled to rely in good faith on the advice of any such
expert.
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(b)
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Whenever
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights
Agent
deems it
necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established
by
the Fund prior to
taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate
signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman
of the
Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief
Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President,
the
Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights
Agent;
and such certificate will be full authorization to the Rights Agent
for
any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of
this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
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(c)
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The
Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own negligence,
bad
faith or wilful misconduct.
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(d)
|
The
Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements
of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates
for
Trust Units or the Rights Certificates
(except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify
the same,
but all such
statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made
by the
Fund only.
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(e)
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The
Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of
the
validity of this Agreement
or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization,
execution and
delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity
or
execution of any Trust Unit certificate or Rights Certificate (except
its
countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach
by
the Fund of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in
any Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change
in the
exercisability
of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to subsection
3.1(b)
hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Section
2.3
hereof or responsible
for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after
receipt of
the certificate contemplated by Section 2.3 describing
any such adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed
to make
any representation or warranty as to the authorization of any Trust
Units
to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Rights or as to whether any Trust Units will,
when
issued, be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered
and
fully paid and non-assessable.
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26
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(f)
|
The Fund agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement. |
(g)
|
The
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions
with
respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any person
believed by the Rights Agent to be
the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the
President,
the Chief Executive
Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary
or
any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, and to apply to such
persons
for advice or instructions
in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action
taken or suffered
by it in good faith in reliance upon instructions of any such person;
it
is understood that instructions to the Rights Agent shall, except
where
circumstances make it impracticable or the Rights Agent otherwise
agrees,
be given in writing and, where not in
writing, such instructions shall be confirmed in writing as soon
as
reasonably possible after
the giving of such instructions.
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(h)
The
Rights
Agent and any shareholder or stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the
Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Trust Units, Rights or other securities
of
the Fund or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Fund
may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Fund or otherwise
act
as fully and freely as though the Rights Agent were not Rights Agent under
this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude
the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Fund or for any
other
legal
entity.
(i)
The
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby
vested
in it
or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys
or
agents, and the Rights Agent will not be answerable or accountable for any
act,
omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents
or for
any loss to the Fund resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect
or
misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and
continued employment thereof.
4.4
Change
of Rights Agent
The
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Fund)
in
writing mailed to the Fund and to each transfer
agent of Trust Units by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the
Rights in accordance with
Section 5.9. The Fund may remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing given to the Rights Agent and to the transfer agent of the Trust
Units
(by personal delivery, or registered or certified mail). If the Rights Agent
should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of acting, the
Fund
will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Fund fails to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has
been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent, then the resigning Rights Agent or any holder
of any
Rights may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a
new Rights Agent at the Fund's expense. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Fund or by such a court, shall be a corporation incorporated
under the laws of Canada or a province thereof authorized to carry on the
business of a trust company in the Province of Alberta. After appointment,
the
successor Rights Agent will be vested with the same powers, rights, duties
and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall, upon payment
of all
of its outstanding fees and expenses, deliver and transfer to the successor
Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and
deliver any further assurance,
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27
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conveyance,
act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date
of any
such appointment, the Fund will file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Trust Units, and
mail a
notice thereof in writing to the holders of the Rights. Failure to give any
notice provided for in this Section 4.4, however, or any defect therein,
shall
not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be.
4.5
Indemnity
The
Fund hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Rights Agent against
all
liability, loss, claim, action, cost and expense (collectively, the
"Liabilities")
which may be asserted against the Rights
Agent arising out of this Agreement, provided that the Fund shall not be
required to indemnify the Rights
Agent in the event that such Liabilities are a result of the negligence or
wilful misconduct of the Rights Agent. This indemnity shall survive the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the termination of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
5
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1
Redemption
and Termination
(a)
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The
Board may, with the prior consent of holders of Trust Units or
of the
holders of Rights given in accordance with subsection 5.1(f) or
5.1(g) as
the case may be, at any time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in
Event as
to which the application of Section 3.1 has
not been waived pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.1,
elect to
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a
redemption price of $0.0001 per Right appropriately adjusted in
a manner
analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section
2.3 in the event that an event of the type analogous to any of
the events
described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred (such redemption price
being
herein referred to as the "Redemption
Price ").
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(b)
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The
Board may, with the prior consent of the holders of Trust Units
given in
accordance with subsection 5.1(f), determine, at any time prior
to the
occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to
which the application of Section 3.1 has not been waived pursuant
to this
Section 5.1, if such Flip-in Event would occur by reason of an
acquisition
of Trust Units otherwise than pursuant to a Take-over Bid made
by means of
a Take-over Bid circular to all holders of record of Trust Units
and
otherwise than in the circumstances set forth in subsection 5.1(d)
, to
waive the application of Section 3.1 to such Flip-in Event. In
the event
that the Board proposes such a waiver, the Board shall extend the
Separation Time to
a date subsequent to and not more than ten Business Days following
the
meeting of unitholders
called to approve such waiver.
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(c)
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The
Board may, prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to which
the
application of Section
3.1 has not been waived under this clause, determine, upon prior
written
notice to the
Rights Agent, to waive the application of Section 3.1 to that Flip-in
Event provided that the Flip-in Event would occur by reason of
a Take-over
Bid made by means of a Take-over
Bid circular sent to all holders of record of Trust Units; further
provided that if the
Board waives the application of Section 3.1 to such a Flip-in Event,
the
Board shall be deemed to have waived the application of Section
3.1 to any
other Flip-in Event occurring by reason of any Take-over Bid made
by means
of a Take-over Bid circular to all holders of record of Trust Units
which
is made prior to the expiry of any
Take-over
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Bid
in respect of which a waiver is, or is deemed to have been, granted under
this
subsection 5.1(c).
(d)
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The
Board may, in respect of any Flip-in Event, waive the application
of
Section 3.1 to that Flip-in Event, provided that both of the following
conditions are satisfied:
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(i) the
Board has determined that the Acquiring Person became an Acquiring Person
by
inadvertence and without any intent or knowledge that it would become an
Acquiring Person; and
(ii) such
Acquiring Person has reduced its Beneficial Ownership of Trust Units such
that
at the time of waiver pursuant to this subsection 5.1(d) it is no longer
an
Acquiring Person.
(e)
|
Where,
pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Take-over Bid in respect of which
the
Board has waived,
or is deemed to have waived, pursuant to subsection 5.1(c), the
application of Section
3.1, a Person acquires outstanding Trust Units, then the Board
shall,
immediately upon
the consummation of such acquisition and without further formality
and any
approval under subsection 5.4(b) or 5.4(c), be deemed to have elected
to
redeem the Rights at the Redemption
Price.
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(f)
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If
a redemption of Rights pursuant to subsection 5.1(a) or a waiver
of a
Flip-in Event pursuant to subsection 5.1(b) is proposed at any
time prior
to the Separation Time, such redemption or waiver shall be submitted
for
approval to the holders of Trust Units. Such approval shall be
deemed to
have been given if the redemption or waiver is approved by the
affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast by Independent Unitholders
represented in person or by proxy at a meeting of such holders
duly held
in accordance with applicable laws and the Trust
Indenture.
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(g)
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If
a redemption of Rights pursuant to subsection 5.1(a) is proposed
at any
time after the Separation
Time, such redemption shall be submitted for approval to the holders
of
Rights. Such approval shall be deemed to have been given if the
redemption
is approved by holders of Rights by a majority of the votes cast
by the
holders of Rights represented in person or by proxy at and entitled
to
vote at a meeting of such holders. For the purposes
hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights which are Beneficially
Owned by any Person referred to in clauses (i) to (v) inclusive
of the
definition of Independent Unitholders)
shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures for the calling,
holding
and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be,
which are
provided in the Trust Indenture with respect to meetings of unitholders
of
the Fund.
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(h)
Where
a
Take-over Bid that is not a Permitted Bid is withdrawn or otherwise terminated
after
the Separation Time has occurred and prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in
Event,
the Board
may elect to redeem all the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price.
Notwithstanding such redemption, all of the provisions of this Agreement
shall
continue to
apply as if the Separation Time had not occurred and it shall be deemed not
to
have occurred
and Rights shall remain attached to the outstanding Trust Units, subject
to and
in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
(i)
If
the Board elects or is deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights, and,
in
circumstances
where subsection 5.1(a) is applicable, such redemption is approved by the
holders of Trust Units or the holders of Rights in accordance with
subsection 5.1(f) or
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29
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5.1(g),
as the case may be, the right to exercise the Rights will thereupon, without
further action and without notice, terminate and the only right thereafter
of
the holders of Rights will
be to receive the Redemption Price.
(j)
Within
10 Business Days after the Board electing or having been deemed to have elected
to
redeem the Rights or, if subsection 5.1(a) is applicable within 10 Business
Days
after the holders of Trust Units or the holders of Rights have approved a
redemption of Rights in accordance with subsection 5.1(f) or 5.1(g) , as
the
case may be, the Fund shall give notice of redemption to the holders of the
then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to each such holder at its last
address as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Separation Time, on the register of the Transfer Agent for the
Trust Units. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided will
be
deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state
the method
by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. The Fund may not
redeem,
acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other
than
that specifically set forth in this Section 5.1 or in connection with the
purchase of Trust Units prior to the Separation Time.
(k)
The Fund shall give prompt written notice to the Rights Agent of any waiver
of
the application of Section 3.1 made by the Board under this Section
5.1.
5.2 Expiration
No
Person shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement or in respect of
any
Right after the Expiration
Time, except the Rights Agent as specified in subsection 4.1(a) of this
Agreement.
5.3 Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary,
the
Fund
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such
form
as may be approved by
its Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the number of or kind or
class
of securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights made in accordance with
the
provisions of this Agreement.
5.4 Supplements
and Amendments
(a)
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The
Fund may make amendments to this Agreement to correct any clerical
or
typographical error or which are required to maintain the validity
of this
Agreement as a result of any change in any applicable legislation,
rules
or regulations thereunder. The Fund may, prior to the date of the
unitholders' meeting referred to in Section 5.18, supplement, amend,
vary,
rescind or delete any of the provisions of this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of Rights or Trust Units (whether or
not such
action would
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
generally) where the Board acting in good xxxxx xxxxx such action
necessary or desirable. Notwithstanding anything in this Section
5.4 to
the contrary, no such supplement or amendment shall be made to
the
provisions of Article 4 except with the written concurrence of
the Rights
Agents to such supplement or
amendment.
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(b)
|
Subject
to subsection 5.4(a) the Fund may, with the prior consent of the
holders
of Trust Units,
obtained as set forth below, at any time prior to the Separation
Time,
supplement, amend, vary, rescind or delete any of the provisions
of this
Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially
adversely affect the interests of the
holders
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of
Rights generally). Such consent shall be deemed to have been given if the
action
requiring such approval is authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority
of
the votes cast by Independent Unitholders present or represented at and entitled
to be voted at a meeting
of the holders of Trust Units duly called and held in compliance with applicable
laws
and the articles and by-laws of the Fund.
(c)
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The
Fund may, with the prior consent of the holders of Rights, at any
time on
or after the Separation Time, supplement, amend, vary, rescind
or delete
any of the provisions of this Agreement
and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally), provided
that no
such amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to the provisions
of
Article 4 except with the written concurrence of the Rights Agent
thereto.
Such consent shall be deemed to have been given if such amendment,
variation or deletion is authorized by the affirmative votes of
the
holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to be
voted at a
meeting of the holders
held in accordance with subsection 5.4(d) and representing 50%
plus one of
the votes cast in respect thereof.
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(d)
|
Any
approval of the holders of Rights shall be deemed to have been
given if
the action requiring
such approval is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders
of
Rights present
or represented at and entitled to be voted at a meeting of the
holders of
Rights and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect
thereof.
For the purposes hereof, each outstanding
Right (other than Rights which are void pursuant to the provisions
hereof)
shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures for the calling,
holding
and conduct of the
meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided
in the
Trust Indenture with
respect to meetings of unitholders of the
Fund.
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(e)
|
Any
amendments made by the Fund to this Agreement pursuant to subsection
5.4(a) which
are required to maintain the validity of this Agreement as a result
of any
change in any
applicable legislation, rules or regulation thereunder
shall:
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(i) if
made before the Separation Time, be submitted to the unitholders of the Fund
at
the next meeting of unitholders and the unitholders may, by the majority
referred
to in subsection 5.4(b) , confirm or reject such
amendment;
(ii) if
made after the Separation Time, be submitted to the holders of Rights at
a
meeting
to be called for on a date not later than immediately following the next
meeting
of unitholders of the Fund and the holders of Rights may, by resolution
passed
by the majority referred to in subsection 5.4(d), confirm or reject such
amendment.
Any
such amendment shall be effective from the date of the resolution of the
Board
adopting such amendment, until it is confirmed or rejected or until it ceases
to
be effective (as described in the next sentence) and, where such amendment
is
confirmed, it continues in effect in the form so confirmed. If such amendment
is
rejected by the unitholders or the holder of Rights or is not submitted to
the
unitholders or holders of Rights as required, then such amendment shall cease
to
be effective from and after the termination of the meeting at which it was
rejected or to which it should have been but was not submitted or from and
after
the date of the meeting of holders of Rights that should have been but was
not
held, and no subsequent resolution of the Board to amend this Agreement to
substantially the same effect shall be effective until confirmed by the
unitholders or holders of Rights as the case may be.
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31
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(f) The
Fund shall provide the Rights Agent with notice in writing of any such
amendment, variation
or deletion to this Agreement as referred to in Section 5.4 within five days
of
effecting such amendment, variation or deletion.
5.5 Fractional
Rights and Fractional Trust Units
(a)
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The
Fund shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. After the
Separation
Time there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which fractional Rights
would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction
of the Market
Price of a whole Right in lieu of such fractional Rights as of
the date
such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable. The Rights
Agent shall
have no obligation to
make any payments in lieu of fractional Rights unless the Fund
shall have
provided the Rights
Agent with the necessary funds to pay in full all amounts payable
in
accordance with subsection 2.2(e).
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(b)
|
The
Fund shall not be required to issue fractional Trust Units upon
exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Trust Units. In lieu of issuing fractional
Trust Units, the Fund shall pay to the registered holder of Rights
Certificates at the
time such Rights are exercised as herein provided, an amount in
cash equal
to the same fraction of the Market Price of one Trust Unit at the
date of
such exercise. The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make
any
payments in lieu of fractional Trust Units unless the Fund shall
have
provided the Rights Agent with the necessary funds to pay in full
all
amounts payable in accordance with subsection
2.2(e).
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5.6 Rights
of Action
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement, rights of action in respect of this Agreement,
other than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested
in the
respective holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights, without the
consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on
such
holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit and the benefit of
other
holders of Rights,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against
the Fund to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right
to
exercise such holder's Rights, or Rights to which he is entitled,
in the manner provided in this Agreement and in such holder's Rights
Certificate. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to
the
holders of Rights it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement
and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
5.7 Holder
of Rights Not Deemed a Unitholder
No
holder, as such, of any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive distributions
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Trust Units or any other securities
which may at any time be issuable on the exercise
of Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate
be
construed to confer upon
the holder of any Rights, as such, any of the rights of a unitholder of the
Fund
or any right to vote for
the election of directors of the Corporation or upon any matter submitted
to
unitholders at any meeting of
the Fund, or to give or withhold consent to any action of the Fund, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting Unitholders (except
as
provided in Section 5.8 hereof), or to receive distributions or
subscription rights or otherwise, until such Rights, or Rights to which such
holder is entitled, shall have been
exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
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32
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5.8 Notice
of Proposed Actions
In
case the Fund shall propose after the Separation Time and prior to the
Expiration Time:
(a)
|
to
effect or permit (in cases where the Fund's permission is required)
any
Flip-in Event; or
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(b)
|
to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund or
the sale
of all or substantially all of the Fund's
assets,
|
then,
in each such case, the Fund shall give to each holder of a Right, in accordance
with Section 5.9 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify
the date on which such Flip-in Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding
up is
to take place, and such notice shall be so given at least 10 Business Days
prior
to the date of taking of such proposed action by the Fund.
5.9 Notices
Notices
or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Rights
Agent or
by the holder of any Rights to or on the Fund shall be sufficiently given
or
made if delivered or sent by mail,
postage prepaid or by fax (with, in the case of fax, an original copy of
the
notice or demand sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Fund
following the giving of the notice or demand by fax), addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Suite
3000, The Dome Tower
000
- 0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
Attention: President
Fax:
(000)
000-0000
Notices
or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Fund
or
by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if delivered or sent by mail, postage
prepaid, or by fax (with, in the case of fax, an original copy of the notice
or
demand sent by first class
mail, postage prepaid, to the Rights Agent following the giving of the notice
or
demand by fax), addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the
Fund) as follows:
CIBC
Mellon Trust Company
600
The Dome Tower
000
- 0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
X0X
0X0
Attention: Manager
of Client Services
Fax:
(000)
000-0000
Notices
or demands to be given or made in connection with this Agreement by the Fund
or
the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be sufficiently
given
or made if delivered or sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by
fax
(with, in the case of fax, an original copy of the notice or demand sent
by
first class mail, postage prepaid, to such holder following the giving of
the
notice or demand by fax), addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder
as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation
Time, on the register of the Fund for the Trust Units.
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33
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Any
notice given or made in accordance with this Section 5.9 shall be deemed
to have
been given and to have been received on the day of delivery, if so delivered,
on
the third Business Day (excluding each day during which there exists any
general
interruption of postal service due to strike, lockout or other cause)
following
the mailing thereof, if so mailed, and on the day of faxing (provided such
sending is during the normal
business hours of the addressee on a Business Day and if not, on the first
Business Day thereafter). Each of the Fund and the Rights Agent may from
time to
time change its address for notice by notice to the other given in the manner
aforesaid.
If
mail service is or is threatened to be interrupted at a time when the Fund
or
the Rights Agent wishes to give
a notice or demand hereunder to or on the holders of the Rights, the Fund
or the
Rights Agent may, notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.9, give such notice by means,
of
publication once in each of two successive weeks in the business section
of the
National Post or the Globe and Mail and, so long as the Fund has a transfer
agent in the United States, in a daily publication in the United States
designated by the Fund, or in such other publication or publications as may
be
designated by the Fund and notice so published shall be deemed to have been
given on the date on which the first publication of such notice in any such
publication has taken place.
5.10 Costs
of Enforcement
The
Fund agrees that if the Fund fails to fulfil any of its obligations pursuant
to
this Agreement, then the Fund will reimburse the holder of any Rights for
the
costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions
to
enforce his rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
5.11 Successors
All
the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the
Fund
or the Rights Agent
shall bind and enure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
5.12 Benefits
of this Agreement
Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Fund,
the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole
and exclusive benefit of the Fund, the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights.
5.13 Descriptive
Headings
Descriptive
headings appear herein for convenience only and shall not control or affect
the
meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
5.14 Governing
Law
This
Agreement and each Right issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract
made
under the laws
of the Province of Alberta and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such Province applicable to contracts
to be made and performed entirely within such Province.
5.15 Language
Les
parties aux présentes ont exigé que la présente convention ainsi que tous les
documents et avis qui s'y rattachent et/ou qui en découleront soient rédigés en
langue anglaise. The parties hereto have
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34
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required
that this Agreement and all documents and notices related thereto and/or
resulting therefrom be drawn up in the English language.
5.16 Counterparts
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such
counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all
such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
5.17 Severability
If
any term or provision hereof or the application thereof to any circumstance
is,
in any jurisdiction and to any extent, invalid or unenforceable, such term
or
provision shall be ineffective as to such
jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without
invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions
hereof or the application of such term or provision to circumstances
other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable.
5.18 Effective
Date
Notwithstanding
its amendment and restatement as of the date hereof, this Agreement (subject
to
receipt
of the approval of the Independent Unitholders as set forth below) is effective
from the Effective Date and replaces and supersedes the Original Plan. If
this
Agreement is not approved by resolution passed by a majority of the votes
cast
by Independent Unitholders who vote in respect of reconfirmation of the Original
Plan as amended and restated herein at a meeting of unitholders to be held
not
later than the date on which the 2005 annual meeting of unitholders of the
Fund
terminates, then the Original Plan, this Agreement and all outstanding Rights
shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect on and from
that
date which is the earlier of (a) the date of termination of the meeting called
to consider the confirmation of the Original Plan as amended and restated
herein
under this Section 5.18, and (b) the date of termination of the 2005 annual
meeting of unitholders of the Fund.
5.19 Unitholder
Review
At
or prior to the annual meeting of the unitholders of the Fund in 2008, provided
that a Flip-in Event has not occurred prior to such time, the Board shall
submit
a resolution ratifying the continued existence of this Agreement to the
Independent Unitholders for their consideration and, if thought advisable,
approval. Unless the majority of the votes cast by Independent Unitholders
who
vote in respect of such resolution are voted in favour of the continued
existence of this Agreement, the Board shall, immediately upon the confirmation
by the Chairman of such unitholders' meeting of the results of the votes
on such
resolution and without further formality, be deemed to elect to redeem the
Rights at the Redemption Price.
5.20 Regulatory
Approvals
Any
obligation of the Fund or action or event contemplated by this Agreement
shall
be subject to the receipt of any requisite approval or consent from any
governmental or regulatory authority. Without limiting the generality of
the
foregoing, any issuance or delivery of debt or equity securities (other than
non-convertible
debt securities) of the Fund upon the exercise of Rights and any amendment
or
supplement to this Agreement shall be subject to the prior consent of the
Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and any other exchange
upon
which the Trust Units may not be listed.
-
35
-
5.21 Declaration
as to Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Holders
If
in the opinion of the Board (who may rely upon the advice of counsel), any
action or event contemplated
by this Agreement would require compliance with the securities laws or
comparable legislation of a jurisdiction outside Canada and the United States
of
America, its territories and possessions, the Board acting in good faith
may
take such actions as it may deem appropriate to ensure that such compliance
is
not required, including without limitation establishing procedures for the
issuance to
a Canadian resident Fiduciary of Rights or securities issuable on exercise
of
Rights, the holding thereof in trust for the Persons entitled thereto (but
reserving to the Fiduciary or to the Fiduciary and the Fund, as the
Fund may determine, absolute discretion with respect thereto) and the sale
thereof and remittance of the proceeds of such sale, if any, to the Persons
entitled thereto. In no event shall the Fund or the Rights Agent be required
to
issue or deliver Rights or securities issuable on exercise of Rights to Persons
who are
citizens, residents or nationals of any jurisdiction other than Canada and
a
province or territory thereof and the United States of America and any state
thereof in which such issue or delivery would be unlawful without
registration of the relevant Persons or securities for such
purposes.
5.22 Determinations
and Actions by the Board
All
actions and determinations (including all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done
or made by the Board pursuant to this Agreement, in good faith, shall not
subject any member of the Board
to any liability whatsoever to the holders of the Rights.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the date first above written.
by
EnerMark Inc.
|
|
Per:
|
(Signed
by) Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
|
Name:
Title:
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxx
President
& Chief Executive Officer
|
Per:
|
(Signed
by) Xxxxx X. XxXxx
|
Name:
Title:
|
Xxxxx
X. XxXxx
Vice
President, General Counsel & Corporate
Secretary
|
CIBC
MELLON TRUST COMPANY
|
|
Per:
|
(Signed
by) Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name:
Title:
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Manager,
Client Relations
|
Per:
|
(Signed
by) Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
Name:
Title:
|
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Senior
Manager, Client Relations
|
-
36
-
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. __________ |
_________Rights
|
THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE FUND, ON THE TERMS
SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION
3.1(b) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR TRANSFEREE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ITS AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES
(AS
SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY PERSON ACTING JOINTLY
OR
IN CONCERT WITH ANY OF THEM MAY BECOME VOID .
Rights
Certificate
This
certifies
that __________________________________________________ is
the registered holder
of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered
holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Amended
and Restated Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of April 12, 2005
(amending and restating the Unitholder Rights Plan Agreement dated
March 5, 1999 as amended and restated April 25, 2002) as such may from time
to
time be amended, restated,
varied or replaced, (the "Rights
Agreement")
between Enerplus Resources Fund, a trust organized under the laws of Alberta
(the "Fund"),
and CIBC Mellon Trust Company, a trust company incorporated under the laws
of
Canada, as Rights Agent (the "Rights
Agent"),
which term shall include any
successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement, to purchase from the Fund
at
any time after the Separation
Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the
Expiration Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), one fully
paid Trust Unit of the Fund (a "Trust
Unit")
at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender
of this
Rights Certificate together with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed
to the Rights Agent at its principal office in the City of
Calgary or in such other cities as may be designated by the Fund from time
to
time. The Exercise Price shall
initially be CDN $300 per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain
events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
In
certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the number of Trust
Units which each
Right entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase shall be adjusted
as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions
of
the Rights Agreement which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a
full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Rights Agent, the Fund and the holders
of the Rights Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at
the
registered office of the Fund and are available upon written
request.
This
Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender
at
any of the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor
and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate
number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be entitled
to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject
to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate may be redeemed by the Fund at a redemption price of $0.0001
per
Right, subject to adjustment in certain events, under certain circumstances
at
its option.
No
fractional Trust Units will be issued upon the exercise of any Rights evidenced
hereby, but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No
holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive
distributions or be deemed
for any purpose the holder of Trust Units or of any other securities which
may
at any time be issuable upon the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained
in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder
hereof,
as such, any of the Rights of a unitholder of the Fund or any right to vote
for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to unitholders at
any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action,
or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting unitholders (except
as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive distributions or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until
it
shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS
the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Fund and its corporate
seal.
Date:
by
EnerMark Inc.
|
|
By:
|
|
Authorized
Officer
|
|
Countersigned:
|
|
CIBC
MELLON TRUST COMPANY
|
|
By:
|
|
Authorized
Signature
|
-
2
-
FORM
OF ASSIGNMENT
(To
be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate.)
FOR
VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and
transfers to ________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address of transferee)
the
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title
and interest therein, and hereby
irrevocably constitutes and appoints ______________________ as
attorney, to transfer
the within Rights on the books of the Fund, with full power of
substitution.
Dated:
Signature
Guarantee
|
|
Signature
(Signature
must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any
change whatsoever.)
|
Signature
must be guaranteed by a Canadian Schedule 1 chartered bank, a major Canadian
trust company, a member of a recognized stock exchange or a member of a
recognized Medallion Program (STAMP, MSP or SEMP).
(To
be completed if true)
The
undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
Trust Units, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not,
and,
to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned
by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting
jointly
or in concert with any of the foregoing (all capitalized terms are used as
defined in the Rights Agreement).
Dated:
__________________________________________________________________
|
Signature: __________________________________________________________________ |
NOTICE
In
the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election to Exercise
is not completed upon exercise of the Right(s) evidenced hereby or in the
event
that the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment is not
completed upon the assignment of the Right(s) evidenced hereby, the Fund
will
deem the Beneficial Owner of the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate
to be an Acquiring Person,
an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert
with
any of them (each as defined
in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an assignment, will affix a
legend
to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this Rights
Certificate.
(To
be attached to each Rights Certificate)
FORM
OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _____________
whole
Rights represented
by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the Trust Units (or other
securities or property) issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Trust
Units (or other securities or title to such property) be issued in the name
of:
(Name)
|
|
(Street)
|
|
(City
and State or
Province)
|
|
(Country,
Postal Code or Zip Code)
|
|
SOCIAL
INSURANCE,
SOCIAL SECURITY OR
|
|
OTHER
TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
|
If
such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall
be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
(Name)
|
(Street)
|
(City
and State or Province)
|
(Country,
Postal Code or Zip Code)
|
SOCIAL
INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR
|
OTHER
TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
|
Dated:
Signature Guaranteed: | Signature |
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.) |
Signature
must be guaranteed by a Canadian Schedule 1 chartered bank, a major Canadian
trust company, a member of a recognized stock exchange or a member of a
recognized Medallion Program (STAMP, MSP or SEMP).
(To
be completed if true)
The
undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
Trust Units, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not,
and,
to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned
by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting
jointly
or in concert with any of the foregoing (all capitalized terms are used as
defined in the Rights Agreement).
Dated: ________________________________________________________________ | Signature: ________________________________________________________________ |
NOTICE
In
the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election to Exercise
is not completed upon exercise of the Right(s) evidenced hereby or in the
event
that the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment is not
completed upon the assignment of the Right(s) evidenced hereby, the Fund
will
deem the Beneficial Owner of the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate
to be an Acquiring Person,
an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert
with
any of them (each as defined
in the Rights Agreement) and, in the case of an assignment, will affix a
legend
to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this Rights
Certificate.