SHAW COMMUNICATIONS INC. (an Alberta corporation) $450,000,000 6.1% Senior Notes due 2012 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC.
(an Alberta corporation)
$450,000,000 6.1% Senior Notes due 2012
Dated: As of November 9, 2005
Table of Contents
Section 1. |
Representations and Warranties | 4 | ||||
(a) |
Representations and Warranties by the Company | 4 | ||||
(b) |
Officer’s Certificates | 13 | ||||
Section 2. |
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing | 13 | ||||
(a) |
Securities | 13 | ||||
(b) |
Payment | 13 | ||||
(c) |
Denominations; Registration | 14 | ||||
(d) |
Appointment of Qualified Independent Underwriter | 14 | ||||
Section 3. |
Covenants of the Company | 14 | ||||
(a) |
Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests | 14 | ||||
(b) |
Filing of Amendments | 15 | ||||
(c) |
Delivery of Filed Documents | 15 | ||||
(d) |
Delivery of Prospectuses | 15 | ||||
(e) |
Blue Sky Qualifications | 16 | ||||
(f) |
Rule 158 | 16 | ||||
(g) |
Use of Proceeds | 16 | ||||
(h) |
French Version of the Canadian Prospectus | 16 | ||||
Section 4. |
Payment of Expenses | 17 | ||||
(a) |
Expenses | 17 | ||||
(b) |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 17 | ||||
Section 5. |
Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations | 18 | ||||
(a) |
Effectiveness of Registration Statement | 18 | ||||
(b) |
Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Company | 18 | ||||
(c) |
Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company | 19 | ||||
(d) |
Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Underwriters | 19 | ||||
(e) |
Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters to the Underwriters | 19 | ||||
(f) |
Opinion of Regulatory Counsel | 19 | ||||
(g) |
Officers’ Certificate | 20 | ||||
(h) |
Accountants’ Comfort Letter | 20 | ||||
(i) |
Bring-down Comfort Letter | 20 | ||||
(j) |
Maintenance of Rating | 20 | ||||
(k) |
Additional Documents | 21 | ||||
(l) |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 21 | ||||
Section 6. |
Indemnification | 21 | ||||
(a) |
Indemnification of Underwriters | 21 | ||||
(b) |
Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers | 23 | ||||
(c) |
Actions against Parties; Notification | 23 | ||||
(d) |
Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse | 24 | ||||
Section 7. |
Contribution | 24 | ||||
Section 8. |
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 26 | ||||
Section 9. |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 26 |
(a) |
Termination; General | 26 | ||||
(b) |
Liabilities | 27 | ||||
Section 10. |
Default by One or More of the Underwriters | 27 | ||||
Section 11. |
Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunities | 27 | ||||
Section 12. |
Notices | 28 | ||||
Section 13. |
Authority of Lead Underwriters | 28 | ||||
Section 14. |
Parties | 29 | ||||
Section 15. |
Governing Law and Time | 29 | ||||
Section 16. |
Effect of Headings | 29 | ||||
Section 17. |
Entire Agreement | 29 | ||||
Section 18. |
Counterparts | 29 | ||||
SCHEDULES |
||||||
Schedule A - List of Underwriters | Sch A-1 | |||||
Schedule B - Pricing Information | Sch B-1 | |||||
EXHIBITS |
||||||
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Canadian Counsel for the Company | A-1 | |||||
Exhibit B - Form of Opinion of U. S. Counsel for the Company | B-1 | |||||
Exhibit C - Form of Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Underwriters | C-1 | |||||
Exhibit D - Form of Opinion of Special Regulatory Counsel for the Company | D-1 |
November 9, 2005
Xxxx Communications Inc.
Xxxxx 000, 000-0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Xxxxx 000, 000-0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Dear Sirs/Mesdames:
The undersigned, TD Securities Inc. and the Underwriters listed in Schedule A (collectively,
the “Underwriters” and individually an “Underwriter”) understand that Xxxx Communications Inc. (the
“Company”) proposes to raise funds by the creation and issue of $450,000,000 principal amount of
6.10% Senior Notes due 2012 (the “Securities”) on the terms set out in Schedule B. The Securities
will be unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally and ratably with all existing and future
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and are further described and will have the attributes
substantially as outlined in the English and French language versions of the Canadian Prospectus
and as outlined in the Registration Statement (as defined below) of the Company filed in respect of
the issue and sale of the Securities. The Securities are to be issued pursuant to an indenture
dated November 12, 2003 between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as trustee
(the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a series supplemental indenture dated as of the closing of the
offering (collectively the “Indenture”).
Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters severally offer to
purchase from the Company at the Closing Time (as such term is hereinafter defined), and, by its
acceptance hereof, the Company agrees to issue and sell at such time to the Underwriters, all but
not less than all of the Securities in consideration for the Purchase Price (as defined in Schedule
B hereto) plus accrued interest, if any, from November 16, 2005 to the date of delivery of the
Securities.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase the Securities which will result
from the Company’s acceptance of this offer, and in consideration of the services rendered and to
be rendered by the Underwriters in connection therewith, including but not limited to: acting as
financial advisors to the Company; assisting in the preparation of the Canadian Prospectus, the
U.S. Prospectus and the Registration Statement and related documentation in order to qualify the
Securities for sale in Canada and register the sale of the Securities in the United States; selling
the Securities to the public both directly and through other dealers and brokers; and performing
administrative work in connection with the sale of the Securities, you agree to pay to TD
Securities Inc. or as it may direct, on behalf of the Underwriters, a fee of 1
per cent of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities sold to institutions by Closing
Time and 1.5 per cent of the aggregate
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principal amount for all other sales (the “Underwriting Fee”) against receipt of the Purchase Price for the Securities. (the “Underwriting Commission”)
against receipt of the Purchase Price for the Securities. 10 per cent of the Underwriting
Commission will be paid to TD Securities Inc. with the remaining 90 per cent being divided among
the Underwriters pro rata based on the percentages noted in Schedule B hereof.
Payment of the Purchase Price for the Securities by the Underwriters will be made by wire
transfer to accounts designated by the Company at least one day in advance of Closing against
payment of the Underwriting Commission by the Company and delivery of the Securities in global,
fully registered form for deposit in the book-entry only system administered by The Canadian
Depository for Securities Limited (“CDS”) at the Closing Time at the office of counsel to the
Corporation in Calgary, Alberta.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Alberta Securities Commission (the “Reviewing
Authority”) and the securities commissions or other regulatory authorities (each a “Qualifying
Authority” and collectively, the “Qualifying Authorities” and, together with the Reviewing
Authority, the “Canadian Regulatory Authorities”) of each of the other provinces of Canada
(together with the Province of Alberta, the “Qualifying Provinces”) a preliminary short form base
PREP prospectus dated November 2, 2005, including the documents incorporated by reference therein
together with all other required documents (in the English and French languages, as applicable,
collectively, the “Preliminary PREP Prospectus”) in accordance with the PREP Procedures (as
hereinafter defined) and has obtained from the Reviewing Authority a preliminary MRRS decision
document dated November 2, 2005 for such Preliminary PREP Prospectus evidencing receipts for the
Preliminary PREP Prospectus issued by each of the Canadian Regulatory Authorities (i) pursuant to
National Policy 43-201 — Mutual Reliance Review System For Prospectuses and Annual Information
Forms and its related memorandum of understanding (collectively, the “MRRS”), and the Reviewing
Authority is acting as principal regulator, and (ii) in accordance with the rules and procedures
established under the securities laws, rules, regulations and published policy statements
applicable in the Provinces of Canada (the “Canadian Securities Law”), including National
Instrument 44-101 — Short Form Prospectus Distributions and Companion Policy 44-101CP and National
Instrument 44-103 and Companion Policy 44-103CP (together, the “PREP Procedures”) of the Canadian
Regulatory Authorities. The Company has also prepared and filed with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “1933 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1933 Act
Regulations”) a registration statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-129405) which includes the
Preliminary PREP Prospectus in the English language (with such deletions therefrom and additions
thereto as are permitted or required by Form F-10 and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission, the “U.S. Preliminary Prospectus”).
The Company (A) has also prepared and filed (1) with the Canadian Regulatory Authorities, a
short form base PREP prospectus dated November 8, 2005, including the
documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Securities, together with all other
required documents (in the English and French languages, as applicable, the “Final PREP
Prospectus”) omitting the PREP Information
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(as hereinafter defined) in accordance with the PREP Procedures and has obtained from the Reviewing Authority a final MRRS decision document dated
November 8, 2005 for such Final PREP Prospectus evidencing receipts for the Final PREP Prospectus
issued by each of the Canadian Regulatory Authorities (i) pursuant to the MRRS, and the Reviewing
Authority is acting as principal regulator, and (ii) in accordance with Canadian Securities Laws,
including the PREP Procedures, and (2) with the Commission, an amendment to the registration
statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-129405), including the Final PREP Prospectus in the English
language (with such deletions therefrom and additions thereto as are permitted or required by Form
F-10 and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission) omitting the PREP Information,
which registration statement as most recently amended became effective upon filing pursuant to the
1933 Act Regulations and (B) will prepare and file, promptly, and in any event within two business
days after the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (1) with the Canadian Regulatory
Authorities, in accordance with the PREP Procedures, a supplemented PREP prospectus setting forth
the PREP Information (in the English and French languages, as applicable, the “Supplemented PREP
Prospectus”), and (2) with the Commission, in accordance with General Instruction II.L. to Form
F-10, the Supplemented PREP Prospectus in the English language (with such deletions therefrom and
additions thereto as are permitted or required by Form F-10 and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission) (the “U.S. Supplemented Prospectus”). The information included in
the Supplemented PREP Prospectus that is omitted from the Final PREP Prospectus but that is deemed
under the PREP Procedures to be incorporated by reference into the Final PREP Prospectus as of the
date of the Supplemented PREP Prospectus is referred to herein as the “PREP Information.”
Each prospectus prepared by the Company relating to the Securities (A) included as part of the
registration statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-129405) filed with the Commission (1) before the
time such registration statement on Form F-10 becomes effective or (2) after such effectiveness and
prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) filed with and for which a preliminary
MRRS decision document has been obtained from the Canadian Regulatory Authorities (1) before a
final MRRS decision document for the Final PREP Prospectus has been obtained from the Canadian
Regulatory Authorities or (2) after such final MRRS decision document has been obtained and prior
to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, in each case, including the documents incorporated
by reference therein, that omits the PREP Information, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.”
Such registration statement on Form F-10, including the exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference therein, as amended at the time it became effective and including the
PREP Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The prospectus included in the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective under the Securities Act, including the
documents incorporated by reference therein, is herein referred to as the “U.S. Prospectus,” except
that when the U.S. Supplemented Prospectus containing the PREP Information is furnished to the
Underwriters after execution of this Agreement (whether or not such prospectus is yet required to
be filed under the Securities Act), the term “U.S. Prospectus” shall refer to such U.S. Supplemented Prospectus, including
the documents incorporated by reference therein. The Final PREP Prospectus for which a final MRRS
decision document has been obtained from the Canadian Regulatory Authorities, including the
documents incorporated by reference therein, is herein referred to as the “Canadian Prospectus,”
except that, when a Supplemented PREP Prospectus is (x)
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furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities in Canada or (y) filed with the Canadian Regulatory
Authorities, the term “Canadian Prospectus” shall refer to such Supplemented PREP Prospectus,
including the documents incorporated by reference therein. Any amendment to the Canadian
Prospectus, any amended or supplemental prospectus or auxiliary material, information, evidence,
return, report, application, statement or document that may be filed by or on behalf of the Company
under the Canadian Securities Laws of the Qualifying Provinces prior to the Closing Time (as
hereinafter defined) and which is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Supplemented PREP
Prospectus, prior to the expiry of the period of distribution of the Securities in Canada is
referred to herein collectively as the “Supplementary Material.”
The Company and the Trustee has each prepared and filed with the Commission an appointment of
agent for service of process upon the Company and the Trustee, as applicable, in each case on Form
F-X in conjunction with the filing of the Registration Statement (the “Company Form F-X” and the
"Trustee Form F-X”, respectively).
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the
Securities in Canada and the United States as soon as the Underwriters deem advisable after this
Underwriting Agreement has been executed and delivered and the Indenture has been qualified under
the US Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”).
Section 1. Representations and Warranties
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Mutual Reliance Review System Decision Document; Effectiveness; No Stop Order.
The Company meets the general eligibility requirements for use of Form F-10 under the
1933 Act, is eligible to use the PREP Procedures and is eligible to file a short form
prospectus with the Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities. Final Mutual
Reliance Review System Decision Documents have been obtained from the Reviewing Authority in
respect of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus. No order
preventing or suspending the distribution of the Securities has been issued by the Reviewing
Authority or any Qualifying Authority and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority. The Registration
Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission
for additional information has been complied with.
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(ii) Compliance with U.S. and Canadian Securities Laws. (A) Each document filed or
to be filed with the Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities and incorporated by
reference in the Canadian Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material
respects with the requirements of Canadian Securities Law, including the PREP Procedures as
interpreted and applied by the Reviewing Authority and none of such documents contained or
will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; (B) since the time that the Reviewing Authority issued a final Mutual Reliance
Review System Decision Document for the Canadian Prospectus, no other document with respect
to the Canadian Prospectus or the Registration Statement, any amendment thereto or any
document incorporated by reference therein has been or will be filed or transmitted for
filing with the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority or the Commission by or on
behalf of the Company, except for (x) the prospectus supplement in the form previously
delivered to the Underwriters and (y) any other documents filed or transmitted for filing
subsequent to the time that the Reviewing Authority issued a final Mutual Reliance Review
System Decision Document for to the Canadian Prospectus, copies of which have been delivered
to the Underwriters within one day of such filing or transmission; (C) as of the date of the
execution of this Underwriting Agreement by the parties hereto and as of the Closing Time,
the information and statements contained in the Canadian Prospectus constitute, and will
constitute, full, true and plain disclosure of all material facts; (D) on the date each is
filed, and at the Closing Time, the U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and U.S. Prospectus
conformed, and will conform, to the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and Canadian Prospectus,
respectively, except for such deletions therefrom and additions thereto as are permitted or
required by Form F-10 and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission; (E) each
document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and incorporated by
reference in the U.S. Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material
respects with the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)
and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (F) the Registration
Statement, when it became effective and at the Closing Time, did not contain and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (G) when the
Registration Statement became effective and at the Closing Time, each of the Registration
Statement and the U.S. Prospectus complied, and will comply, in all material respects with
the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1939 Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act Regulations”) and; (H) neither the Canadian Prospectus nor the U.S. Prospectus contains nor,
as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Time will contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this Section
1(a)(ii) do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the U.S.
Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus based upon information relating to an Underwriter
furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use therein.
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(iii) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who are reporting upon the
audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the
Canadian Prospectus, are the auditors of the Company and its subsidiaries and are
independent within the meaning of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) and are
independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iv) Filings in Canada/U.S. There are no reports or information that in accordance
with the requirements of the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority must be made
publicly available in connection with the offering of the Securities that have not been made
publicly available as required; there are no documents required to be filed with the
Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority or with any other Canadian securities
regulatory authority in connection with the Canadian Prospectus that have not been filed as
required; and there are no contracts, documents or other materials required to be described
or referred to in the Registration Statement or the U.S. Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, referred to or filed as
required.
(v) Financial Statements The financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Canadian Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes,
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries, respectively, at the dates indicated and for the periods specified; said
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with Canadian generally accepted
accounting principles (“Canadian GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
involved and the consolidated financial statements of the Company have been reconciled to
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) in
accordance with item 18 of Form 20-F under the 1934 Act. The supporting schedules, if any,
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly, in all
material respects, the information required to be stated therein.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian
Prospectus and the Supplementary Material (as defined below), except as otherwise stated
therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no
transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are material with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for
regular dividends on the Company’s Class A Participating Shares and Class B Non-Voting
Participating Shares in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice (with such
increases as have been publicly announced prior to the date hereof) or in connection with
the Corporation’s
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previously announced normal course issuer bid, there has been no dividend
or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its
capital stock. Any auxiliary material, information, evidence, return, report, application,
statement or document that may be filed by or on behalf of the Company under Canadian
Securities Law prior to the Closing Time or, where such document is deemed to be
incorporated by reference into the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus prior to the
expiry of the period of distribution of the Securities is referred to herein collectively as
the “Supplementary Material”.
(vii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is a
valid and subsisting corporation under the laws of the Province of Alberta, has the
corporate power and corporate capacity to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and to
enter into and perform its obligations under this Underwriting Agreement; and the Company is
duly qualified as an extra-provincial or foreign corporation to transact business and is in
good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(viii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each of Xxxx Cablesystems Limited, Xxxx
Cablesystems G.P., Videon Cablesystems Inc., Canadian Satellite Communications Inc., Star
Choice Communications Inc., Star Choice Television Network Incorporated and Star Choice
Satellite T.V. Inc. is a “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in
Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”);
such Subsidiaries are the only “significant subsidiaries” of the Company; and each of such
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is a valid and subsisting corporation in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described
in the U.S. Prospectus and Canadian Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign or
extra-provincial corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and
the Canadian Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such
Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and
is owned by the Company, directly or indirectly free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of
capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights
of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.
(ix) Capitalization. The issued and outstanding capital of the Company is as set
forth in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization”
(except for subsequent issuances of shares, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or
employee benefit plans referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or
pursuant to
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the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and subsequent purchases of shares pursuant to the
Corporation’s previously announced normal course issuer bid). The shares of issued and
outstanding capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares in the capital of the Company
were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of
the Company.
(x) Authorization of Underwriting Agreement. This Underwriting Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xi) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the
Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations and, when duly
executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except
as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); no registration, filing or
recording of the Indenture under the laws of Canada or any province thereof is necessary in
order to preserve or protect the validity or enforceability of the Indenture or the
Securities issued thereunder .
(xii) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized
and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when
authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and
delivered against payment of the Purchase Price therefor as provided in this Underwriting
Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of,
the Indenture.
(xiii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The Securities and the
Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating
thereto contained in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and are in the form
contemplated by the Indenture, filed, or to be filed, with the Commission.
(xiv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of its constating documents or by-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in
any contract,
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indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease,
license or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and
Instruments”) except for such defaults that would not result individually or in the
aggregate in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance
and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Use of
Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and under the
Indenture do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default or Repayment Event (as
defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults
or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result individually or in the aggregate in
a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of the constating documents or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations which violation
would result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any
event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of
indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s
behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of
such indebtedness by the Company or any of the subsidiaries.
(xv) Absence of Labour Dispute. No labour dispute with the employees of the Company
or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company
is not aware of any existing or imminent labour disturbance by the employees of any of its
or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in
either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting
the Company or any subsidiary individually or in the aggregate which is required to be
disclosed in the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, the Supplementary Material or the
Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to
materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder
- 10 -
or thereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to
which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property
or assets is the subject which are not described in the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian
Prospectus, the Supplementary Material and the Registration Statement, including ordinary
routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company, could not reasonably be
expected to result individually or in the aggregate in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries
possess, license or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and
other rights to inventions, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), patents,
patent rights, licenses, copyrights, and other intellectual property (collectively,
“Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, and neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual
Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property
invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
therein, where such infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the
Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Underwriting Agreement or for the due execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by
the Company, except (A) such as have already been obtained or as may be required under the
1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws and except for the
qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act and (B) such as have been obtained or may
be required under Canadian Securities Law.
(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess
such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively,
“Governmental Licenses”) issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission or other appropriate federal, provincial, territorial, state, local or foreign
regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to own, lease, license and use its properties and
assets and to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure to possess
Governmental Licenses would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its
subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental
Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have
a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and
effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such
Governmental Licenses
- 11 -
to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse
Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses
which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all
other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges,
liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as
(a) are described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or (b) do not, singly
or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with
the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries; and (i) all of the leases and subleases related to the business of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds
properties described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, are in full force
and effect, and (ii) neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any claim of
any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any
subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning
the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, in each case except where
the failure of such leases or subleases to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of
the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as
described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus will not be, an “investment
company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in
the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940 Act”).
(xxii) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the
U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, and except as would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign statute,
law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or
administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order,
consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land
surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and
regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum
products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous
Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”) except where such violation would not have a
Material Adverse Effect, (B) the Company and its
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subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each
in compliance with their requirements except where the failure to have such permit,
authorization or approval would not have a Material Adverse Effect, (C) there are no pending
or, to its knowledge, threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits,
demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation,
investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any
of its subsidiaries except where such actions, suits, demands, claims, liens, noncompliance,
violations, investigations or proceedings, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a
Material Adverse Effect and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably
be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or
proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the
Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws
except where such events or circumstances, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains disclosure
controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act and as
contemplated by the certifications required under Form 52-109F1 and Form 52-109F2 under
Multilateral Instrument 52-109 — Certification of Disclosures in Issuer’s Annual and Interim
Filings, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material
information concerning the Company is made known, on a timely basis, to the individuals
responsible for the preparation of the Company’s filings with the Commission and the
Qualifying Authorities. The Company is not aware of (a) any significant deficiency and
material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
(as such term is defined by Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the 1934 Act and, in Canada,
under 52-109) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information or (b) any fraud, whether or not
material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Company’s internal controls over financial reporting;
(xxiv) Internal Controls. The Company maintains systems of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization;
and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;
provided that nothing contained in this subsection 1(a)(xxiv) shall be construed as a
representation by the Company that it has applied such procedures, made such investigations
or otherwise evaluated the effectiveness of its internal accounting controls as would be
required if the Company was subject to Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002; and
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(xxv) SOX Compliance. The Company has complied in all material respects with the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as applicable to the Company as at the date hereof, and the
corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange, as applicable to the Company as
at the date hereof, and Canadian Securities Laws, and, to the knowledge of the Company, the
Company’s directors and executive officers, in their capacities as such, have complied in
all material respects with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as applicable to the Company as
at the date hereof, and the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange and
Canadian Securities Laws.
(b) Officer’s Certificates
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to
the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty
by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
Section 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing
(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule B, the aggregate principal amount of
Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional
principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to
the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment of the Purchase Price for, and delivery of certificates for, the
Securities shall be made at the offices of Fraser Xxxxxx Casgrain LLP, 30th Floor, Fifth
Avenue Place, 237-4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P 4X7, or at such other place as
shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on November
16, 2005, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed
upon by the Underwriters and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein
called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Underwriters for the respective accounts
of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood
that each Underwriter has authorized TD Securities Inc., for its account, to accept delivery of,
receipt for, and make payment of the Purchase Price for, the Securities which it has agreed to
purchase. TD Securities Inc., individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but
shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by
any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not
relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
- 14 -
(c) Denominations; Registration
Certificates for the Securities shall be registered in the name of “CDS & Co.” and in such
denominations as may be required by the Canadian Depository for Securities Limited, or as otherwise
may be requested in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time.
(d) Appointment of Qualified Independent Underwriter
The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated as, and Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated hereby confirms its
agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter” within the
meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities in the United States. Xxxxxxx
Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, solely in its capacity as qualified independent
underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “Independent Underwriter”.
Section 3. Covenants of the Company.
The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests
Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Canadian
Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus unless the Company has furnished the Underwriters a copy for
their review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which
the Underwriters object. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will prepare the Canadian
Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus in relation to the Securities in a form approved by the
Underwriters and shall file (i) the Supplemented PREP Prospectus with the Reviewing Authority and
the Qualifying Authorities in accordance with Canadian Securities Law and the PREP Procedures and
(ii) the U.S. Supplemented Prospectus, with the Commission pursuant to General Instruction II.L. of
Form F-10 not later than the Commission’s close of business on the business day following the date
of the filing thereof with the Reviewing Authority. The Company will promptly file all reports
required to be filed by it with the Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities pursuant to
Canadian Securities Law and with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the
1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with
the offering or sale of the Securities, and during such same period will advise the Underwriters,
promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the
Canadian Prospectus has been filed or receipted, when any amendment to the Registration Statement
has been filed or becomes effective or any amended Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus has been
filed with the Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities or the Commission, of the
issuance by the Reviewing Authority, any Qualifying Authority, any stock exchange or the
- 15 -
Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to
the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of
any request by the Reviewing Authority, any Qualifying Authority, any stock exchange or the
Commission for the amending of the Registration Statement, or amending or supplementing of the
Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus or for additional information relating to the
Securities; and, the Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any such
stop order or any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the
Securities or the suspension of any such qualification and, in the event of the issuance of any
such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to
the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly make every effort to obtain the
withdrawal of such order.
(b) Filing of Amendments
If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act or applicable Canadian Securities Law, any event occurs as a result of which the
Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus to
comply with Canadian Securities Law, the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, or the respective rules
thereunder, the Company promptly will (1) notify the Underwriters of such event, (2) prepare and
file with the Reviewing Authority, the Qualifying Authorities and the Commission, subject to the
first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 3, an amendment or supplement which will correct
such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3) supply any amended or supplemented
Canadian Prospectus, U.S. Prospectus and Registration Statement to the Underwriters in such
quantities as they may reasonably request.
(c) Delivery of Filed Documents
The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Underwriters and counsel for the
Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Canadian Prospectus, approved, signed and
certified as required by Canadian Securities Law and signed and conformed copies of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein and including a signed copy of the Company Form F-X) and signed
copies of all consents and certificates of experts.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses
The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (each as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter
- 16 -
has reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during
the period when the U.S. Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act,
such number of copies of the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (each as amended or
supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The delivery of the Canadian Prospectus
or U.S. Prospectus shall constitute the consent of the Company to the use of such prospectuses in
each province of Canada and in the United States, respectively.
(e) Blue Sky Qualifications
The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect
so long as reasonably required for the distribution of the Securities, such period not to exceed
one year; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any
general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in
securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in
respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each
jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements
and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in
effect so long as required for the sale of the Securities. The Company will also supply the
Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the
Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.
(f) Rule 158
The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order
to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for
the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a)
of the 1933 Act.
(g) Use of Proceeds
The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the
manner specified in the U.S. Prospectus and in the Canadian Prospectus under the captions “Use of
Proceeds” and “Capitalization”.
(h) French Version of the Canadian Prospectus
The Company shall cause its Canadian counsel to deliver an opinion concurrently with any
filing of the Canadian Prospectus to the effect that the French language version of the Canadian
Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, (except for the financial
information) is in all material respects a complete and accurate translation of the English
language version thereof, and such version is not susceptible of any materially different
interpretation with
- 17 -
respect to any material matter contained therein. The Company shall cause its
auditors to deliver an opinion concurrently with any filing of the Canadian Prospectus to the
effect that the French language version of the financial information in the Canadian Prospectus,
including financial information incorporated by reference therein, is in all material respects a
complete and accurate translation of the English language version thereof, and such version is not
susceptible of any materially different interpretation with respect to any material matter
contained therein.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses
(a) Expenses
The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Underwriting Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements and exhibits and the Form F-X) as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto, the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, the U.S.
Preliminary Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and any Supplementary Material and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and the cost of furnishing copies thereof to the Underwriters, (ii) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase,
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the
certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters including any stamp or transfer taxes in
connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities, (iv) the fees and disbursements
of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities
under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(d) hereof, including the
filing fees incident to any necessary filings under state securities laws and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such state filings, (vi) the
printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, U.S.
Preliminary Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of
the blue sky survey and any supplement thereto, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel
for the Underwriters relating to such preparation, (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture
and the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the
Securities, (x) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities, (xi) the fees and
expenses of the Independent Underwriter, and (xii) any fees and expenses payable in connection with
any roadshow or other marketing undertaking. Except as set out in section 4(a)(v) and 4(a)(vii),
section 4(b) and section 6, the Company shall not be responsible for the fees or disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
(b) Termination of Underwriting Agreement
If this Underwriting Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in accordance with the
provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for
all
- 18 -
of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters.
Section 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of
any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions
hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to
the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement
The Canadian Prospectus including all necessary amendments shall have been filed with the
Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities; the U.S. Prospectus including all necessary
amendments shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed
for filing; a Supplemented PREP Prospectus and a U.S. Supplemented Prospectus containing the PREP
Information shall be filed, respectively, with the Canadian Regulatory Authorities in accordance
with the PREP Procedures and with the Commission in accordance with General Instruction II.L. of
Form F-10; and at Closing Time: no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission; no order of the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority to
cease distribution of the Securities under the Canadian Prospectus as amended or supplemented has
been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or threatened; and all
requests for additional information on the part of the Commission or the Reviewing Authority or any
Qualifying Authority shall have been complied with.
(b) Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Company
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Fraser Xxxxxx Casgrain LLP, Canadian counsel of the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, acting reasonably, to the effect set forth
in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably
request. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada
applicable therein, on the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters, acting reasonably.
Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications Statutes (as defined
in Exhibit D) and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in
Section 5(f) or as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than Canadian federal laws or the laws of
the Province of Alberta except as aforesaid. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
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(c) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.C., United States counsel for the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, acting reasonably, to the effect set forth
in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably
request. Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications Statutes and
related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in Section 5(f) or as to
the laws of any jurisdiction other than U.S. federal laws or the laws of the State of New York. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of
officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d) Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Underwriters
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of XxXxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, Canadian counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to
the matters set forth in clauses (x), (xi), (xii) and (xv) inclusive. In giving such opinion such
counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the laws of
the Province of Alberta and Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein upon the
opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters. Such counsel may state that they express no
opinion as to the Communications Statutes and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxx referred to in Section 5(f). Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of
officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(e) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, United States counsel for the
Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may
rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of
New York and the federal laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to
the Underwriters. Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications
Statutes and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in Section
5(f). Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they
have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(f) Opinion of Regulatory Counsel
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, regulatory counsel of the Company, in form and substance
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satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters acting reasonably to the effect set forth in Exhibit D
hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) Officers’ Certificate
At Closing Time, there shall not have occurred, since the date hereof or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the U.S. Prospectus and in the Canadian Prospectus, any
Material Adverse Effect, and the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Chief
Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, or such other officers as may be acceptable to the
Underwriters, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such Material
Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct
with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the
Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed
or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending
the distribution of the Securities has been issued by the Commission or any securities commission
or securities regulatory authority in Canada and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the Commission or any securities commission or
securities regulatory authority in Canada.
(h) Accountants’ Comfort Letter
At the time of the execution of this Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriters shall have
received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’
“comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus.
(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter
At Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated
as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(j) Maintenance of Rating
At Closing Time, the Securities shall be rated at least Ba2 (stable trend) by Xxxxx’x
Investors Service Inc., BB+ (stable trend) by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of
XxXxxx-Xxxx, Inc., and BB (high) (stable trend) by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited and the
Company shall have delivered to the Underwriters a letter dated as of the Closing Time,
satisfactory to the Underwriters and its counsel, from each such rating agency, or other evidence
satisfactory to the Underwriters and its counsel, confirming that the Securities have such ratings;
and since the date
- 21 -
of this Underwriting Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in
the rating assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating agency”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it
has under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other
securities.
(k) Additional Documents
At Closing Time, and at each date of delivery, if any, the Company shall have furnished to the
Underwriters such further information, certificates and documents as the Underwriters may
reasonably request and counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents
and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of
any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein
contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters
and counsel for the Underwriters.
(l) Termination of Underwriting Agreement
If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required
to be fulfilled, this Underwriting Agreement and the obligations of the several Underwriters to
purchase the relevant Securities, may be terminated by the Underwriters by notice in writing to the
Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such date of delivery, as the case may be, and
such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 11 shall survive any such termination and remain in
full force and effect.
Section 6. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters
(i) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if
any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
A. against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Canadian Prospectus (or
any amendment thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact included in the U.S. Preliminary Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus, the
Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus or any Supplementary
- 22 -
Material (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
B. against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided
that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the
written consent of the Company; and
C. against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of one firm of counsel in each relevant jurisdiction chosen by TD
Securities Inc.), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to
the extent that any such expense is not paid under (A) or (B) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to (i) any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement (or
any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian
Prospectus (or any amendment thereto) and (ii) any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the
extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission in
any preliminary prospectus that is correct in the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus if the
person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense purchased any of the Securities
from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy of the Canadian Prospectus or U.S.
Prospectus, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person
and (A) the Company has complied with Section 3(c) of this Agreement, and (B) any untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission in any such preliminary prospectus has been
corrected in the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus in the reasonable view of the Underwriters
and (C) it shall be established that the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage
or expense was not sent or given a copy of the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus, at or prior
to the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities.
(ii) The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Independent Underwriter, its
affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act, and selling agents
and each person, if any, who controls the Independent Underwriter within the
- 23 -
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all loss,
liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, incurred as a result of the
Independent Underwriter’s participation as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the
meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the offering of the
Securities.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers
Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors,
each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement or the Canadian Prospectus, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described
in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)(i) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect
to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or the U.S.
Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus or any Supplementary Material (or any amendment thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such
preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus or any Supplementary
Material (or any amendment thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification
Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each
indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party
from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and
in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of
section 6(a) above. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a)(i) above, counsel
to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Underwriters, and, in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except
with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event
shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in
addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances; provided, that, if indemnity is
sought pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii), then, in addition to the fees and expenses of such counsel for
the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of not more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from its own
counsel and that of the other indemnified parties for the Independent Underwriter in its capacity
as a “qualified independent underwriter” and all persons, if any, who control the Independent
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
- 00 -
Xxxxxxx 00 xx xxx 0000 Xxx in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstance if, in the reasonable
judgment of the Independent Underwriter, there may exist a conflict of interest between the
Independent Underwriter and the other indemnified parties. Any such separate counsel for the
Independent Underwriter and such control persons of the Independent Underwriter shall be designated
in writing by the Independent Underwriter. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or
contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the
indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising
out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as
to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified
party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse
If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse
the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it
shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(i)(B) effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt
by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have
received written notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement
being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified
party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
Section 7. Contribution
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement or (ii) if the allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault
of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
- 25 -
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting
Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting commission received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the U.S. Prospectus, bear to the aggregate
initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
will not receive any additional benefits hereunder for serving as the Independent Underwriter in
connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section. The aggregate amount of
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to
above in this Section shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by
it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which
such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
- 26 -
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section are several in proportion to the principal amount of
Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Underwriting Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
Section 9. Termination of Underwriting Agreement
(a) Termination; General
The Underwriters may terminate this Underwriting Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any
time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this
Underwriting Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (in each case exclusive of
any amendment or supplement thereto), any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the
United States or Canada or in the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or
escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective
change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions or any law or
regulation, in each case the effect of which, in the opinion of the Underwriters, seriously
adversely affects or involves, or will seriously adversely affect or involve, the financial markets
or the business, operations or affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially
limited by the Commission, the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority, The Toronto Stock
Exchange or The New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or
the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market or The Toronto Stock Exchange has been
suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the
United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear Systems in Europe or with respect to The
Canadian Depository For Securities Limited in Canada, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by any United States federal, New York State or Canadian federal or provincial
authorities.
- 27 -
(b) Liabilities
If this Underwriting Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall
be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and
provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 11 shall survive such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
Section 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters
If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or date of delivery, if any, to
purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Underwriting
Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Underwriters shall have the right, within 24 hours
thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other
underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts
as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth. If, however, the Underwriters shall
not have completed such arrangements within such 24 hour period, then:
A. if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, each severally and not jointly, to purchase the
full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting
obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
B. if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal
amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Underwriting Agreement
shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Underwriting
Agreement, either the Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for
a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration
Statement, U.S. Prospectus or Canadian Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As
used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section.
Section 11. Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunities
By the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement, the Company (i) acknowledges
that it has, by separate written instrument, irrevocably designated and appointed CT Corporation
System, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, X.X.X. (or any successor) (together with any successor, the “Agent for Service”), as its authorized agent
upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this
Underwriting Agreement or
- 28 -
the Securities, that may be instituted in any federal or New York state
court in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York, or brought under federal or state
securities laws, and acknowledges that the Agent for Service has accepted such designation and has
provided written evidence of engagement of CT Corporation System acting as such, (ii) submits to
the jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit or proceeding, and (iii) agrees that service of
process upon the Agent for Service and written notice of said service to the Company (mailed or
delivered to its Chief Financial Officer at its principal office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada),
shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or
proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the execution and
filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such
designation and appointment of the Agent for Service in full force and effect so long as any of the
Securities shall be outstanding.
To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of
any court or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to
judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its
property, it hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under the
above-referenced documents, to the extent permitted by law.
The provisions of this Section 11 shall survive any termination of this Underwriting
Agreement, in whole or in part.
Section 12. Notices
All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to the Underwriters c/o TD Securities Inc., TD Bank Tower, 9th
Floor, 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xx. Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0, Xxxxxx, attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx (fax:
(000) 000-0000); and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 000-Xxxxx Xxxxxx X.X., Xxxxx
000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, X0X 0X0, Xxxxxx, attention of the Chief Financial Officer (fax:
(000) 000-0000).
Section 13. Authority of Lead Underwriter
The other Underwriters authorize TD Securities Inc. on their behalf to exercise all the
authority and discretion granted to the Underwriters under the Underwriting Agreement and to take
all such action as they may believe desirable in connection with the performance of the
Underwriting Agreement and the purchase, sale and distribution of the Securities, provided,
however, that TD Securities Inc. shall take no action pursuant to paragraph 6 or paragraph 7 of the
Underwriting Agreement without the consent of at least one of the other Underwriters; provided
further, that TD Securities Inc. shall not be under any liability whatsoever to any of the
other Underwriters except for want of good faith and for the obligations expressly assumed by
them in this Underwriting Agreement.
- 29 -
Section 14. Parties
This Underwriting Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this Underwriting Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or
corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the
controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and
legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Underwriting Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Underwriting Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and
officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other
person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be
a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
Section 15. Governing Law and Time
THIS PURCHASE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
PROVINCE OF ALBERTA AND THE FEDERAL LAWS OF CANADA APPLICABLE THEREIN (WITHOUT REFERENCE TO
ALBERTA’S CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS). EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF
DAY REFER TO EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
Section 16. Effect of Headings
The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 17. Entire Agreement
The terms and conditions of this Underwriting Agreement supersede any previous verbal or
written agreement between the Underwriters and the Company with respect to the subject matter
hereof.
Section 18. Counterparts
This Underwriting Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be
an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same
instrument.
- 30 -
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding and agreed to by you, please
signify your acceptance on the accompanying duplicate of this letter and return the same to
us, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the
Underwriters.
TD SECURITIES INC.
|
RBC DOMINION SECURITIES INC. | |||||
(signed) “Xxxxxx Xxxxxx”
|
(signed) “Xxxxx Xxxxx” | |||||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||||
Title: Managing Director
|
Title: Managing Director | |||||
CIBC WORLD MARKETS INC.
|
XXXXXXX XXXXX CANADA INC. | |||||
(signed) “Xxx More”
|
(signed) “Xxxx Xxxxxx” | |||||
Name: Xxx More
|
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: Managing Director
|
Title: Director | |||||
NATIONAL BANK FINANCIAL INC.
|
SCOTIA CAPITAL INC. | |||||
(signed) “Xxxxx Xxxxxxx”
|
(signed) “Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx” | |||||
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Title: Managing Director
|
Title: Director |
- 31 -
The undersigned hereby executes this Underwriting Agreement in its capacity as “qualified
independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect to the offering and sale of
the Securities in the United States.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED |
(signed) “Xxxx Xxxxxx” |
||||
Title: Director |
- 32 -
The foregoing is in accordance with our understanding and is accepted and agreed as of this
9th day of November, 2005.
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC. |
||
By: |
||
(signed) “Xxxxx Xxxxxx” |
||
Title: Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer |
||
By: |
||
(signed) “Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx” |
||
Title: President |
SCHEDULE A
Principal | ||||
Name of Underwriter | Amount of Securities | |||
TD Securities Inc. |
$ | 180,000,000 | ||
RBC Dominion Securities Inc. |
135,000,000 | |||
CIBC World Markets Inc. |
33,750,000 | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Canada Inc. |
33,750,000 | |||
National Bank Financial Inc. |
33,750,000 | |||
Scotia Capital Inc. |
33,750,000 | |||
Total |
$ | 450,000,000 | ||
SCHEDULE B
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC.
$450,000,000 6.1% Senior Notes due 2012
1. The initial public offering price of the Securities shall be 99.389% of the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance.
2. The purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) to be paid by the Underwriters for the Securities
shall be 99.389% of the principal amount thereof against payment of the Underwriting Commission.
3. The interest rate on the Securities shall be 6.10% per annum.
4. The Securities will mature on November 16, 2012.
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF
CANADIAN COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
CANADIAN COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly amalgamated and is a valid and subsisting corporation under
the laws of the Province of Alberta.
(ii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the U.S. Prospectus and
the Canadian Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Underwriting Agreement.
(iii) The Canadian Prospectus in both the French language and English language, the US
Prospectus and the Registration Statement have been duly approved and authorized by and on
behalf of the Company and they have been duly executed pursuant to such authorizations by
and on behalf of the Company and its board of directors.
(iv) The Company is extra-provincially registered to transact business in each jurisdiction
in Canada in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to
be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) The issued and outstanding share capital of the Company is as set forth in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans
referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise
of convertible securities or options referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus or purchased pursuant to the Company’s normal course issuer bid); the issued and
outstanding shares in the capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares in the
share capital of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar
rights conferred on any securityholder of the Company by its constating documents or the
laws of Alberta.
(vi) Each of Xxxx Cablesystems Limited, Xxxx Cablesystems G.P., Videon Cablesystems Inc.,
Canadian Satellite Communications Inc., Star Choice Communications Inc., Star Choice
Television Network Incorporated and Star Choice Satellite T.V. Inc. (the
- 2 -
“Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is a valid and subsisting corporation or partnership under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has the requisite power and capacity to
own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and is extra-provincially registered to transact
business in each jurisdiction in Canada in which such registration is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure to register would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise
disclosed in the Registration Statement, (A) all of the issued and outstanding shares in
the capital of each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued and
is fully paid and non-assessable, and (B) to the best of such counsel’s knowledge all of the
issued and outstanding share capital of, or partnership interest in, as applicable, each
Significant Subsidiary is registered in the name of the Company or one of its direct or
indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries and is free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares in the capital of
any Significant Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights
conferred on any securityholder of such Significant Subsidiary by its constating documents
or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.
(vii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and the Underwriting
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, subject to the customary qualifications on enforceability.
(viii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Indenture and the Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to the customary qualifications on enforceability.
(ix) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under the Securities and the Securities are in the form contemplated
by the Indenture, and the Securities have been duly authorized, executed, issued and
delivered by the Company and constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the customary
qualifications on enforceability.
(x) The Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Canadian Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus.
(xi) Mutual Reliance Review System Decision Documents dated November 2, 2005 and November 8,
2005 have been obtained in respect of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and
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Canadian Prospectus, respectively, from the Reviewing Authority, on its behalf and on behalf of the
Qualifying Authorities, the Canadian Supplemented Prospectus was filed with the Reviewing
Authority and the Qualifying Authorities and all necessary documents have been filed, all
necessary proceedings have been taken and all necessary authorizations, approvals, permits,
consents and orders have been obtained under the securities laws of the Province of Alberta
and the other Qualifying Provinces to permit the Securities to be issued, offered, sold and
delivered in Canada through investment dealers or brokers who are registered under
applicable legislation of each of the Qualifying Provinces and who have complied with the
relevant provisions of such applicable legislation and the terms of such registration and in
the United States, provided the applicable laws of the United States are complied with, and
no other consent, approval, authorization, license, order, registration, qualification or
decree of or with any government, governmental instrumentality, authority or agency or court
of Canada or of the Province of Alberta is necessary or required in connection with the due
authorization, execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or for
the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities in the United States, provided
the applicable laws of the United States are complied with.
(xii) The Company is a “reporting issuer” or equivalent under the securities laws of the
Province of Alberta and each of the other Qualifying Provinces which recognize such concept
and is not, to the knowledge of such counsel, in default of any requirement under such
securities laws.
(xiii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no Canadian statutes or
regulations (excluding any Canadian statutes specifically relating to the regulation of
either or both of the Canadian wireless and telecommunications industries and the orders,
rules, regulations and directions promulgated pursuant to such statutes, including any
statutes or regulations of any province specifically relating to the regulation of either or
both of the Canadian wireless and telecommunications industries and the orders, rules,
regulations and directions promulgated thereunder, about which no opinion is expressed) that
are required to be described or referred to in the Canadian Prospectus that are not
described or referred to therein as required, and the descriptions thereof or references
thereto are correct in all material respects.
(xiv) All descriptions in the Canadian Prospectus of contracts and other documents to which
the Company or its Canadian subsidiaries are a party are accurate in all material respects;
to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, after reasonable investigation, there are no
franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other
information or instruments that in accordance with the requirements of the Reviewing
Authority must be made publicly available in connection with the offering of the Securities
that have not been made publicly available as required; there are no other
documents required to be filed with the Reviewing Authority or any other Qualifying
Authority in connection with the Canadian Base Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus that
have not been filed as required.
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(xv) The information in the Registration Statement under “Part II, Indemnification”, has
been reviewed by such counsel and is correct in all material respects; and the opinion of
such counsel in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the captions “Certain
Income Tax Information — Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations” and
“Eligibility for Investment” is confirmed.
(xvi) The form and terms of the Securities have been duly authorized, approved and adopted
by the Company and comply with the provisions of the Indenture, with any applicable
requirements of the constating documents and by-laws of the Company and with the
requirements of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) relating thereto.
(xvii) The Company has complied with all conditions precedent to the issue of the Securities
set forth in the Indenture and all applicable legislation in respect thereof.
(xviii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge based on such counsel’s review and except as
disclosed in the Canadian Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is
in violation of its constating documents or by-laws and no material default by the Company
or any subsidiary exists individually or in the aggregate in the due performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is
described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian
Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xix) There is not pending in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton
Judicial Districts) or the Federal Court of Canada, or, to the best of such counsel’s
knowledge, pending or threatened elsewhere any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or
investigation, to which the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party, or to which
the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is subject, before or brought by
any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which individually or in the
aggregate might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and to the
best of such counsel’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, to which any subsidiary of the Company (other than a
Significant Subsidiary) is a party, or to which the property of any subsidiary of the
Company (other than a Significant Subsidiary) is subject, before or brought by any court or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement or the
Indenture or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder.
(xx) The Canadian Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial data
included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion), when filed complied as to form in all material respects with the
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applicable requirements of National Instrument 44-101 — Short Form Prospectus Distributions,
Companion Policy 44-101CP, National Instrument 44-103 — Post-Receipt Pricing and Company
Policy 44-103CP of the Canadian Securities Administrators and complied with the securities
laws, rules and regulations of the Province of Alberta as interpreted and applied by the
Reviewing Authority (except where exemptive relief has been obtained from the Reviewing
Authority) except that such counsel need not, for the purposes of the opinion expressed in
this paragraph, assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Prospectus.
(xxi) The documents incorporated by reference in the Canadian Prospectus as amended or
supplemented (other than the financial statements and other financial data included or
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), when they were filed with the Reviewing Authority and Qualifying Authorities,
appear on their face to have been appropriately responsive in all material respects to the
formal requirements of the securities laws, rules and regulations of the Province of Alberta
as interpreted and applied by the Reviewing Authority and Qualifying Authorities under
published policy statements.
(xxii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no order having the effect of ceasing or
suspending the distribution of the Securities has been issued by the Reviewing Authority or
any Qualifying Authority and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are
pending or contemplated.
(xxiii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and the Securities and the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the U.S. Prospectus, the
Canadian Prospectus and the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Securities and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption of “Use of Proceeds” ) and
compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Securities, this Underwriting
Agreement and the Indenture do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of
notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a) of this Underwriting Agreement) under, or result
in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or
assets of the Company or any Canadian subsidiary under any contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument listed
in a schedule to such opinion (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
articles or by-laws of the Company or any Canadian subsidiary, or any applicable Canadian
federal or Province of Alberta law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or
decree known to such Counsel of any government, governmental instrumentality, or court,
domestic or foreign, having
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jurisdiction over the Company or the Canadian subsidiaries or any of their properties, assets or operations.
(xxiv) All laws of the Province of Québec relating to the use of the French language (other
than those relating to verbal communications) will be complied with in respect of the
documents to be delivered to purchasers in Québec in connection with the sale of the
Securities to purchasers in Québec if such purchasers receive:
A. copies of the French and English language versions of the Canadian Prospectus
delivered at the same time or copies of the French language version only and forms
of confirmation in the French language or in bilingual form; or
B. an English language version of the Canadian Prospectus only and forms of
confirmation in the English language only if such delivery is made to physical
persons who have expressly requested, in writing, such documents in the English
language.
(i) The laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein
permit an action to be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Province of
Alberta on any final and conclusive judgment in personam of any federal or state court
located in the State of New York (a “New York Court”) against the Corporation, which
judgment is subsisting and unsatisfied for a sum certain with respect to the enforceability
of the Indenture and the notes that is not impeachable as void or voidable under the
internal laws of the State of New York if (i) the New York Court rendering such judgment had
jurisdiction over the judgment debtor, as recognized by the courts of the Province of
Alberta (and submission by the Corporation in the Indenture to the jurisdiction of the New
York Court will be sufficient for that purpose with respect to the notes); (ii) such
judgment was not obtained by fraud or in a manner contrary to natural justice and the
enforcement thereof would not be inconsistent with public policy, as such terms are
understood under the laws of the Province of Alberta or contrary to any order made by the
Attorney General of Canada under the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada) or by
the Competition Tribunal under the Competition Act (Canada); (iii) the enforcement of such
judgment would not be contrary to the laws of general application limiting the enforcement
of creditors’ rights including bankruptcy, reorganization, winding up, moratorium and
similar laws and does not constitute, directly or indirectly, the enforcement of foreign
revenue, expropriatory or penal laws in the Province of Alberta; (iv) no new admissible
evidence relevant to the action or new right or defense is discovered prior to the rendering
of judgment by the court in the Province of Alberta; (v) interest payable on the notes is not characterized by a court in the Province of Alberta as
interest payable as a criminal rate within the meaning of section 347 of the Criminal Code
(Canada); and (vi) the action to enforce such judgment is commenced within the appropriate
limitation period; except that, under the Currency Act (Canada), any court in the Province
of Xxxxxxx xxx only give judgment in Canadian dollars; and under the
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laws of Alberta, the appropriate date for such conversion when the action is on a foreign judgment may be other
than the date of payment of the judgment.
Such opinion shall additionally state that such counsel has participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, and the Supplementary
Material in connection with the offering of the Securities, if any, and in conferences with
officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent chartered
accountants for the Company, and the Underwriters, at which the contents of the Registration
Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and related matters were discussed and
have reviewed the documents incorporated by reference in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus and, although such counsel have not independently verified or checked and are not
passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Canadian Prospectus except as set forth in paragraphs (i), (iv) and
(xiv) above, on the basis of such participation no facts have come to their attention which lead
them to believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for the
financial statements and other financial data included or incorporated therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which such counsel need not comment), at the time the Canadian Prospectus was
filed, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (b)
that the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus and such Supplementary Material or any
amendment or supplement thereto (except for the financial statements and other financial data
included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need not comment),
at the time the Canadian Prospectus was filed with the Reviewing Authority and at the time the U.S.
Prospectus was issued, at the time any such Supplementary Material filed before the Closing Time
was filed with the Reviewing Authority, or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada
applicable therein upon the opinions of local counsel, who shall be of counsel satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, in which case the opinion shall state that they believe the
Underwriters and they are entitled to so rely. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
opinion involves factual matters, but not legal conclusions, they have relied, to the extent they
deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials;
provided that such certificates have been delivered to the Underwriters. Such opinion shall not
state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any
treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions.
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF UNITED STATES COUNSEL
FOR THE COMPANY TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
FOR THE COMPANY TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, authorization, consent, approval, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of or with any U.S. federal court or governmental authority, or
agency, other than as have been made or obtained under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations and except for the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, is
necessary or required in connection with the due execution and delivery of this Underwriting
Agreement or the Indenture or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the
Securities.
(ii) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
(iii) The description in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption
“Certain Income Tax Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations”
is correct in all material respects.
(iv) Without such counsel making any accounting or mathematical determination, as to which
such counsel may rely on the Company, the execution, delivery and performance of this
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities
and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the U.S. Prospectus
under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations
under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, result in a breach of, or default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(xiv) of the Underwriting Agreement) under or
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties
or assets of the Company pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument listed in a schedule
to such opinion (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), or any applicable law, statute,
rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to such counsel, of any government,
governmental instrumentality, regulatory or administrative agency, authority or commission
or court in the United States, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties, assets or operations.
(v) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of
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Proceeds” in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus will not be, an “investment
company”, as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act.
(vi) The Registration Statement and the Company Form F-X at the time the Registration
Statement became effective and the U.S. Prospectus as of the pricing date, appeared on their
face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not express any
view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial data and financial
projections included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the
exhibits to the Registration Statement.
Such opinion shall also state the date that the Registration Statement became effective
pursuant to Rule 467(a) under the 1933 Act; the Company Form F-X and the Trustee Form F-X were each
filed with the Commission prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and, if
applicable, the filing of the prospectus supplement constituting part of the U.S. Prospectus
pursuant to General Instruction II.L of Form F-10 was made in the manner and within the time period
required by said General Instruction II.L. Such counsel shall also state that they have been
advised by the Commission that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and, to the best of their knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or are contemplated under the Act.
Such opinion shall additionally state that such counsel has participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus in connection with the offering of the
Securities, if any, and in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company,
representatives of the independent chartered accountants for the Company, and the Underwriters, at
which the contents of the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus and related matters were
discussed and, although such counsel has not independently verified any factual information and is
not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of the statements contained in the U.S. Prospectus other than paragraph (iii), above, on the basis
of such participation nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that would cause such counsel to
believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for the financial
statements and other financial data included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel need not comment), at the time the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto became effective, and as of the pricing date, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or (b) that the U.S. Prospectus (except for the financial
statements and other financial data included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel need not comment), at the time the U.S. Prospectus was issued, or at the Closing
Time, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
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In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United
States applicable therein, upon opinions of local counsel, who shall be of counsel satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, in which case the opinion shall state that they believe the
Underwriters and they are entitled to so rely. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
opinion involves factual matters (but not as to legal conclusions), they have relied, to the extent
they deem proper, upon certificates of responsible officers of the company and certificates of
public officials; provided that such certificates have been delivered to the Underwriters. Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject
to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions, including, without
limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF UNITED STATES COUNSEL
FOR THE UNDERWRITERS TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)
FOR THE UNDERWRITERS TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)
(i) Based upon such counsel’s review of those laws, rules and regulations of the State of
New York and the federal laws, rules and regulations of the United States of America which
in each case in its experience are normally applicable to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement (other than the United States federal securities
laws, state securities or blue sky laws, antifraud laws and the rules and regulations of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), but without its having made any special
investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation (“Applicable
Laws”), no consent approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing,
qualification or registration with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or
governmental body of the State of New York or the United States of America having
jurisdiction over the Company under Applicable Laws which has not been obtained or taken and
is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required in connection
with, the execution or delivery of the Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture by the
Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby.
(ii) The statements in the U.S. Prospectus under the caption “Certain Income Tax
Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”, “Description of the
Securities” and “Underwriting”, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain
provisions of the laws, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
Such counsel shall also provide a letter which shall state that such counsel has participated
in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of Canadian
and U.S. counsel to the Company, representatives of the independent chartered accountants for the
Company, and the Underwriters and the Underwriters’ Canadian Counsel, at which conferences the
contents of the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus and related matters were discussed
and although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for, the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the U.S. Prospectus, except as set forth in paragraph (ii) above, and
have made no independent check or verification thereof, on the basis of the foregoing, such counsel
will confirm that (i) the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus, as of the pricing date,
appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements
of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not
express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial data and financial projections included or incorporated by reference therein
or excluded therefrom or the exhibits to the Registration
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Statement; and (ii) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement,
as of the pricing date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that the U.S. Prospectus, as of the date of the prospectus supplement filed with the
Commission pursuant to General Instruction II.L of Form F-10 and as of the Closing Time contained
or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to
the financial statements, schedules and other financial data and financial projections included or
incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the exhibits to the Registration
Statement).
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXXXX & XXXXXX
SPECIAL REGULATORY COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(f)
SPECIAL REGULATORY COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(f)
(i) Such counsel does not know of any Canadian statutes relating specifically to the
regulation of either or both of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries,
including any statutes of any province specifically relating to the regulation of either or
both of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries, that, in their
judgment, are material to the operation of the businesses of the Company as described in the
U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus other than the Broadcasting Act (Canada), the
Telecommunications Act (Canada), the Radiocommunication Act (Canada) and the Copyright Act
(Canada) (the “Communications Statutes”).
(ii) To their knowledge, (i) each of the Company, Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. and
Star Choice Television Network Incorporated currently holds in good standing all permits,
licences, franchises, and approvals of governmental authorities and agencies required
pursuant to the Communications Statutes and the orders, rules, regulations and directions
promulgated pursuant to such statutes and the legal or other proceedings by or before any
Canadian court or judicial or administrative board or tribunal or other governmental
proceedings by or before any Canadian governmental body with respect to the regulation of
the Canadian broadcasting or telecommunications industries pursuant to the Communications
Statutes (the “Communications Regulations”) that are necessary to conduct their respective
businesses as described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (except where the
failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected, in our judgment,
to have a materially adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (ii) no revocation or limitation of any such
permit, licence, franchise or approval is pending or threatened, (iii) each of the Company,
Cancom and Star Choice is not in default or in violation of any such permit, licence,
franchise or approval (except where such default would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be expected, in our judgment, to have a Material Adverse Effect), and (iv) the
authorization, issuance and delivery of the Securities and the compliance by the Company
with the terms of the Indenture do not, and assuming there has been no material change in
circumstances, will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any of such permits, licences, franchises and
approvals.
(iii) Except as disclosed in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, to their
knowledge, there is no threatened or pending change in the Communications Statutes which
could have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the compliance by the Company with
its obligations under, this Underwriting Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture, and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein do not and, assuming there
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has been no material change in existing circumstances as of the date hereof, will not result in
any violation of, and do not and, assuming there has been no material change in existing
circumstances will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or
both, would constitute a default or permit acceleration) under, or result in the creation or
imposition of, any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company
under (i) any of the Communications Regulations, or (ii) to their knowledge, any judgment,
order or decree of any government, governmental, regulatory or administrative agency,
authority, commission or instrumentality or court having jurisdiction, pursuant to
Communications Statutes.
(v) All material aspects of the regulation of the Canadian broadcasting and
telecommunications businesses of the Company described in the U.S. Prospectus and the
Canadian Prospectus are subject to the exclusive constitutional jurisdiction of the
Parliament of Canada and hence are governed by the laws of Canada.
(vi) No consent, approval, permit, authorization, filing, recording, license, exemption,
order, registration, qualification or other requirement under the Communications Statutes or
any order, rule or regulation thereunder known to them and applicable to the Company, Cancom
or Star Choice is required for the sale of the Securities, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance by and enforcement against the Company of any
of the Securities and the Indenture.
(vii) To their knowledge, the statements which relate to
(a) the Communications Regulations,
(b) governmental franchises and licences issued to the Company,
Cancom and Star Choice pursuant to the Communications Regulations or otherwise
issued to the Company, Cancom or Star Choice in connection with the regulation
of the Canadian broadcasting or telecommunications industries, and
(c) legal or other proceedings by or before any court or judicial
or administrative board or tribunal or other governmental proceedings with
respect to the regulation of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications
industries
in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus fairly summarize the matters described
therein.
Whenever an opinion set forth above with respect to the existence or absence of facts is
qualified by the phrase “to the best of our knowledge” or “to such counsel’s knowledge”, it is
intended to indicate that during the course of such counsel’s representation of the Company
and, as a result of receiving and reviewing the certificates of the officers of the Company, no
information has come to the attention of such counsel that has given such counsel actual knowledge
of the existence or absence of such facts.