THIS SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT made as of April 16, 2003. BETWEEN:
EXHIBIT 4.5
THIS SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT made as of April 16, 2003.
BETWEEN:
TRANSGLOBE ENERGY CORPORATION, a corporation incorporated under The Companies Act (British Columbia) (hereinafter referred to as the "Corporation")
OF THE FIRST PART
AND
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF CANADA, a trust company existing under the laws of Canada (hereinafter referred to as the "Rights Agent")
OF THE SECOND PART
WHEREAS the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the Corporation and all of its shareholders to adopt a shareholder protection rights plan;
AND WHEREAS in order to implement the adoption of a shareholder protection rights plan the Board of Directors has:
(a) | authorized the issuance
and distribution of one Right in respect of each Common Share outstanding
at the Record Time; and |
(b) | authorized the issuance
of one Right in respect of each Common Share issued after the Record Time
and prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time; |
AND WHEREAS each Right entitles the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase securities or other assets of the Corporation pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
AND WHEREAS the Corporation desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act on behalf of the Corporation and the holders of Rights, and the Rights Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates, the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION
1.1 | Certain Definitions | |
In this agreement, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Agreement"): | ||
(a) | "Acquiring Person"
means, subject to Section 1.5, any Person who is the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares; provided, however, that
the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include: |
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(i) | the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation; |
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(ii) | any Person who becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares as a
result of any one or any combination of: (A) Voting Share Reductions;
(B) Permitted Bid Acquisitions; (C) Exempt Acquisitions; or (D) Pro Rata
Acquisitions; provided that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares by reason of any one or
any combination of Voting Share Reductions, Permitted Bid Acquisitions,
Exempt Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions provided, if thereafter,
such Person, while such Person is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more
of the outstanding Voting Shares, becomes the Beneficial Owner of additional
Voting Shares which result in an increase of such Person's Beneficial
Ownership of Voting Shares by more than 1% of the number of such Voting
Shares outstanding as at the time of acquisition (other than pursuant
to one or any combination of Voting Share Reduction, Permitted Bid Acquisitions,
Exempt Acquisitions or Pro Rata Acquisitions), then, as of the date such
Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of such additional outstanding Voting
Shares, such Person shall be an "Acquiring Person"; or |
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(iii) | an underwriter or members
of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20%
or more of the outstanding Voting Shares in connection with a distribution
of securities pursuant to a prospectus or by way of private placement; |
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(b) | "Affiliate", when
used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, means a Person
that, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries),
controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified
Person; |
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(c) |
"Associate", when used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, means: | |
(i) | a spouse of such specified Person or
any Person of the same or opposite sex with whom such specified Person
is living in a conjugal relationship outside marriage or a child of such
specified Person; and |
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(ii) | any relative of such specified Person
or of a spouse or other Person mentioned in paragraph 1.1(c)(i), if that
relative has the same residence as such specified Person; |
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(d) | A Person shall be deemed
the "Beneficial Owner" of, and to have "Beneficial Ownership"
of, and to "Beneficially Own": |
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(i) | any securities as to which such Person,
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is the direct or indirect
owner at law or in equity; |
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(ii) | any securities as to which such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has the right to become
the owner at law or equity (within 60 days of the date of determination
of Beneficial Ownership and whether or not on condition or the occurrence
of any contingency) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, pledge or
understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and banking group or selling group members
with respect to a distribution of securities pursuant to a prospectus
or by way of private placement and other than pledges of securities in
the ordinary course of business); and |
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(iii) | any securities which are Beneficially
Owned within the meaning of paragraphs (i) or (ii) of this definition
by any other Person with which such Person is acting jointly or in concert; |
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provided, however, that
a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" or to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, or to "Beneficially Own", any
security: |
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(iv) | because either (A) the holder of such
security has agreed pursuant to a Permitted Lock-up Agreement to deposit
or tender such security to a Take-over Bid made by such Person, any of
such |
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Person's Affiliates or Associates or
any other Person referred to in paragraph (iii) of this definition or
(B) such security has been deposited or tendered pursuant to any Take-over
Bid made by such Person or by any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
or any other Person referred to in paragraph (iii) of this definition,
in either case until such deposited or tendered security has been unconditionally
accepted for payment or exchange or taken up and paid for, whichever shall
first occur; |
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(v) | because such Person, any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred
to in paragraph (iii) of this definition holds such security provided
that: |
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(A) | the ordinary business of
such Person (the "Investment Manager") includes the management
of investment funds for others (which others, for greater certainty, may
include and be limited to one or more employee benefit plans or pension
plans) and such security is held in the ordinary course of such business
in the performance of the duties of the Investment Manager for the account
of any other Person (the "Client"); |
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(B) | such Person (the "Trust
Company") is licensed to carry on the business of a trust company
under applicable law and, as such, acts as trustee or administrator or
in a similar capacity in relation to the estates of deceased or incompetent
Persons (each an "Estate Account") or in relation to other accounts
(each an "Other Account") and holds such security in the ordinary
course of such duties for the estate of any such deceased or incompetent
Person or for such other accounts; |
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(C) | such Person is a Crown agent
or agency (in this definition, the "Crown Agency"); |
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(D) | the Person is established
by statute for purposes that include, and the ordinary business or activity
of such Person (in this definition, a "Statutory Body") includes,
the management of investment funds for employee benefit plans, pension
plans, insurance plans of various public bodies and the Statutory Body
holds such security for the purposes of its activities as such; or |
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(E) | the person (in this definition,
an "Administrator") is the administrator or trustee of one or more
pension funds or plans (each, in this definition, a "Plan") registered
under the laws of Canada or any province thereof or the corresponding
laws of the jurisdiction by which such Plan is governed or is such a Plan
and the Administrator or Plan holds such security for the purposes of
its activities as such; but only if the Investment Manager, the Trust
Company, the Crown Agent, the Statutory Body, the Administrator of the
Plan, as the case may be, is not then making and has not announced a current
intention to make a Take-over Bid, other than an Offer to Acquire Common
Shares or other securities pursuant to a distribution by the Corporation
or by means of ordinary market transactions (including prearranged trades
entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person) executed
through the facilities of a stock exchange or an organized over-the-counter
market, alone or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person; |
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(vi) | because such Person: | ||
(A) | is a Client of the same Investment Manager
as another Person whose account the Investment Manager holds such security; |
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(B) | has an Estate Account or an Other Account
with the same Trust Company as another Person on whose account the Trust
Company holds such security; or |
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(C) | is a Plan with the same Administrator
as another Plan on whose account the Administrator holds such security, |
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(vii) | because such Person: | ||
(A) | is a Client of an Investment Manager
and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Investment Manager; |
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(B) | has an Estate Account or an Other Account
with a Trust Company and such security is owned at law or in equity by
the Trust Company; or |
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(C) | is a Plan and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Administrator of the Plan, | ||
(viii) | because such Person is the
registered holder of securities as a result of carrying on the business
of, or acting as nominee for, a securities depositary. |
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(e) | "Board of Directors"
means the board of directors of the Corporation or any duly constituted
and empowered committee thereof; |
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(f) | "Business Day" means
any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in Calgary are authorized or obligated by law to close; |
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(g) | "Canadian Dollar Equivalent"
of any amount which is expressed in United States dollars means, on any
date, the Canadian dollar equivalent of such amount determined by multiplying
such amount by the U.S. -Canadian Exchange Rate on such date; |
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(h) | "close of business"
on any given date means the time on such date (or, if such date is not
a Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which
the Toronto office of the principal transfer agent for the Common Shares
(or, after the Separation Time, the Toronto office of the Rights Agent)
is closed to the public; |
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(i) | "Common Shares" means
the common shares without par value in the capital of the Corporation
and any other shares in the capital of the Corporation into which such
shares may be subdivided, consolidated, reclassified or changed; provided,
however, that "common shares", when used with reference to any Person
other than the Corporation, shall mean the class or classes of shares
(or similar equity interest) with the greatest per share voting power
entitled to vote generally in the election of all directors of such other
Person; |
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(j) | "Competing Permitted
Bid" means a Take-over Bid made while another Permitted Bid is in
existence and that satisfies all of the provisions of a Permitted Bid
except that the condition set forth in subparagraph 1.1(ff)(ii)(A)(I)
may provide that the Voting Shares may be taken up or paid for on a date
which is not earlier than the later of 35 days after the date of the Take-over
Bid or the earliest date on which Voting Shares may be taken up or paid
for under any other Permitted Bid that is then in existence for the Voting
Shares; |
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(k) | "controlled": a corporation is "controlled" by another Person if: | ||
(i) | securities entitled to vote
in the election of directors carrying more than 50 percent of the votes
for the election of directors are held, directly or indirectly, by or
on behalf of the other Person; and |
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(ii) | the votes carried by such
securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board
of directors of such corporation, |
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and "control", "controls" and "controlling" shall be interpreted accordingly; | |||
(l) | "Co-Rights Agent" has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 4.1(a); |
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(m) | "Dividend Reinvestment
Acquisition" means an acquisition of Voting Shares pursuant to a Dividend
Reinvestment Plan; |
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(n) | "Dividend Reinvestment
Plan" means a regular dividend reinvestment or other plan of the Corporation
made available by the Corporation to holders of its securities where such
plan permits the holder to direct that some or all of: |
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(i) | dividends paid in respect of shares of any class of the Corporation; | ||
(ii) | proceeds of redemption of shares of the Corporation; | ||
(iii) | interest paid on evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation; or | ||
(iv) | optional cash payments; | ||
be applied to the purchase from the Corporation of Voting Shares; | |||
(o) | "Election to Exercise" has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 2.2(d); | ||
(p) | "Exempt Acquisition"
means a share acquisition (i) in respect of which the Board of Directors
has waived the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to the provisions of
subsection 5.1(d) or 5.1(e), (ii) which was made on or prior to the date
of this Agreement, or (iii) pursuant to an amalgamation, merger, plan
of arrangement or other statutory procedure having similar effect which
has been approved by the holders of Voting Shares by the requisite majority
or majorities of the holders of Voting Shares at a meeting of such holders
duly called and held for such purpose in accordance with the provisions
of The Companies Act (British Columbia), the by-laws of the Corporation
and any other applicable legal requirements; |
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(q) | "Exercise Price"
means the price at which a holder may purchase the securities issuable
upon exercise of one whole Right and, until adjustment thereof in accordance
with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price shall be equal to Fifty ($50.00)
dollars; |
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(r) | "Expansion Factor" has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 2.3(a); | ||
(s) | "Expiration Time" means the earlier of: | ||
(i) | the Termination Time; or | ||
(ii) | the close of business on
the first Business Day following the annual general meeting of the shareholders
of the Corporation held in 2008, unless at such meeting shareholders have
reconfirmed this Agreement for an additional period of time in which case
"Expiration Time" shall mean the end of such additional period of time,
and so on from time to time; |
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(t) | "Flip-in Event" means a transaction in or pursuant to which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person; | ||
(u) | "holder" has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.8; | ||
(v) | "Independent Shareholders" means holders of Voting Shares other than: | ||
(i) | any Acquiring Person; | ||
(ii) | any Offeror; | ||
(iii) | any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person or Offeror; |
Page 5 of 36
(iv) | any Person acting jointly or in concert with any Acquiring Person or any Offeror; and | |
(v) | any employee benefit plan, deferred
profit sharing plan, stock participation plan or trust for the benefit
of employees of the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation but
excluding in any event a plan or trust in respect of which the employee
directs the manner in which the Voting Shares are to be voted and directs
whether the Voting Shares be tendered to a Take-over Bid; |
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(w) | "Market Price" per
share of any securities on any date of determination shall mean the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such securities (determined as
described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and
including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date; provided, however,
that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in
Section 2.3 shall have caused the closing price in respect of any Trading
Day used to determine the Market Price not to be fully comparable with
the closing price on such date of determination or, if the date of determination
is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding Trading Day, each such
closing price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous
to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in order to make
it fully comparable with the closing price on such date of determination
or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately
preceding Trading Day. The closing price per share of any securities on
any date shall be: |
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(i) | the closing board lot sale price or,
if no such sale takes place on such date, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices, as reported by the principal Canadian stock exchange
on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading; or |
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(ii) | if for any reason none of such prices
is available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted
to trading on a Canadian stock exchange, the closing board lot sale price
or, if no such sale takes place on such date, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices, as reported by the principal national United States
securities exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to
trading; or |
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(iii) | if for any reason none of such prices
is available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted
to trading on a Canadian stock exchange or a national United States securities
exchange, the last quoted price, or if not so quoted, the average of the
high bid and low asked prices for each share of such securities in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by any reporting system then in use;
or |
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(iv) | if for any reason none of such prices
is available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted
to trading on a Canadian stock exchange or a national United States securities
exchange or quoted by any such reporting system, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the securities; |
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provided, however, that
if for any reason none of such prices is available on any such date, the
closing price per share of such securities on such date shall mean the
fair value per share of such securities on such date as determined by
a nationally or internationally recognized Canadian investment dealer
or investment banker with respect to the fair value per share of such
securities. The Market Price shall be expressed in Canadian dollars and,
if initially determined in respect of any day forming part of the 20 consecutive
Trading Day period in United States dollars, such amount shall be translated
into Canadian dollars at the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof on the
relevant Trading Day; |
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(x) | "1933 Securities Act"
means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date of
this Agreement or as the same may be amended, re-enacted or replaced by
any comparable or successor laws or regulations thereto; |
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(y) | "1934 Exchange Act"
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the United States,
as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, as in effect on
the date of this Agreement or as the same may be amended, re-enacted or
replaced by any comparable or successor laws or regulations thereto; |
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(z) | "Nominee" has the
meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 2.2(c); |
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(aa) | "Offer to Acquire" shall include: | ||
(i) | an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell, Voting Shares, and | ||
(ii) | an acceptance of an offer
to sell Voting Shares, whether or not such offer to sell has been solicited,or
any combination thereof, and the Person accepting an offer to sell shall
be deemed to be making an Offer to Acquire to the Person that made the
offer to sell; |
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(bb) | "Offeror" means a
Person who has announced an intention to make or who has made a Take-over
Bid (including a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid, but excluding
an Offer to Acquire made by a Investment Manager, Trust Company, Crown
Agency, Statutory Body, Administrator or Plan referred to clause 1.1(d)(v)
of the definition of Beneficial Owner pursuant to a distribution by the
Corporation or by means of ordinary market transactions (including pre-arranged
trades entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person)
in the circumstances contemplated in clause 1.1(d)(v)), but only so long
as the Take-over Bid so announced or made has not been withdrawn or terminated
or has not expired; |
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(cc) | "Offeror's Securities" means the Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by an Offeror on the date of an Offer to Acquire; | ||
(dd) | "ordinary course dividends"
means cash dividends paid in any fiscal year of the Corporation to the
extent that such cash dividends, in the aggregate, do not exceed the greatest
of: |
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(i) | 200% of the aggregate amount
of cash dividends declared payable by the Corporation on its Common Shares
in its immediately preceding fiscal year; |
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(ii) | 300% of the arithmetic mean
of the aggregate amounts of cash dividends declared payable by the Corporation
on its Common Shares in its three immediately preceding fiscal years;
and |
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(iii) | 100% of the aggregate consolidated
net income of the Corporation, before extraordinary items, for its immediately
preceding fiscal year; |
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(cc) | "Permitted Bid" means
a Take-over Bid made by an Offeror by way of a Take-over bid circular
which also complies with the following additional provisions: |
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(i) | the Take-over Bid is made
for all Voting Shares to all holders of record of Voting Shares wherever
resident as registered on the books of the Corporation, other than the
Offeror; |
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(ii) | the Take-over Bid contains,
and the take up and payment for securities tendered or deposited thereunder
shall be subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified provision that: |
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(A) | no Voting Shares will be taken up or paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid: | ||
(B) | prior to the close of business on the 60th day following the date of the Take-over Bid; and | ||
(C) | if less than 50% of the Voting Shares
held by Independent Shareholders have been deposited pursuant to the Take-over
Bid and not withdrawn; |
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(D) | Voting Shares may be deposited pursuant
to such Take-over Bid at any time during the period described in subparagraph
(ii)(A)(I) of this definition and that any Voting Shares deposited pursuant
to the Take-over Bid may be withdrawn until taken up and paid for; and |
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(E) | if the condition set forth
in subparagraph (ii)(A)(II) is satisfied, the Offeror will make a public
announcement of that fact and the Take-over Bid will remain open for deposits
and tenders of Voting Shares for not less than ten Business Days from
the date of such public announcement; |
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provided that if a Take-over
Bid constitutes a Competing Permitted Bid, the term "Permitted Bid" shall
also mean the Competing Permitted Bid; |
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(ff) | "Permitted Bid Acquisition"
means an acquisition made pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted
Bid; |
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(gg) | "Permitted Lock-up Agreement"
means an agreement between an Offeror and another Person (the "Locked-up
Person") whereby the Locked-up Person agrees to deposit or tender the
Voting Shares held by the Locked-up Person to the Offeror's Take-over
Bid that is a Permitted Bid (the "Lock-up Bid") whereby the agreement: |
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(i) | permits the Locked-up Person
to withdraw the Voting Shares from the agreement in order to tender or
deposit the Voting Shares to another Take-over Bid, or to support another
transaction, that provides for a consideration for each Voting Share that
is higher than the consideration contained in or proposed to be contained
in the Lock-up Bid and is made for at least the same number of Voting
Shares as the Lock-up Bid; or |
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(ii) | (A) permits the Locked-up
Person to withdraw the Voting Shares from the agreement in order to tender
or deposit the Voting Shares to another Take-over Bid, or to support another
transaction, that provides for a consideration for each Voting Share that
exceeds by as much as or more than a specified amount (the "Specified
Amount") the consideration for each Voting Share contained in or proposed
to be contained in the Lock-up Bid and is made for at least the same number
of Voting Shares as the Lock-up Bid and (B) does not by its terms provide
for a Specified Amount that is greater than 7% of the consideration for
each Voting Share contained in or proposed to be contained in the Lock-up
Bid; |
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and, for greater certainty,
the Lock-up Agreement may (1) contain a right of first refusal in favour
of the Offeror or (2) require a period of delay to give the Offeror an
opportunity to match or exceed the consideration offered in another Take-over
Bid or transaction or (3) contain other similar limitations on a Locked-up
Person's right to withdraw Voting Shares from the Lock-up Agreement and
not tender such Voting Shares to the Lock-up Bid, so long as the limitation
does not preclude the exercise by the Locked-up Person of the right to
withdraw Voting Shares in sufficient time to tender to the other Take-over
Bid or participate in the other transaction; and |
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(iii) | does not provide for the payment by the Locked-up Person, in the event that the Locked-up Person fails to deposit or tender Voting Shares to the Lock-up Bid or withdraws the Voting Shares in order to tender to another Take-over Bid or participate in another transaction, of any "break-up" fees, "top-up" fees, penalties, expense reimbursement or other amounts that exceed in the aggregate the greater of: | ||
(A) | the cash equivalent of 2.5% of the consideration
that the Locked-up Person would have received under the Lock-up Bid; and |
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(B) | 50% of the amount by which the consideration payable
to the Locked-up Person under another Take-over Bid or transaction exceeds
the consideration such Locked-up Person would have received under the
Lock-up Bid; and |
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(iv) | is disclosed to the public, including
the Corporation, by making copies thereof available not later than the
date on which the Lock-up Bid has been publicly announced (or, if the
Lock-up Bid has been publicly announced prior to the date on which the
Lock-up Agreement is entered into, not later than such date); |
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(hh) | "Person" shall include
any individual, firm, partnership, association, trust, trustee, executor,
administrator, legal personal representative, body corporate, corporation,
unincorporated organization, syndicate or other entity; |
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(ii) | "Pro Rata Acquisition"
means an acquisition by a Person of Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares
as a result of: a Dividend Reinvestment Acquisition; a stock dividend,
a stock split or other event pursuant to which a Person becomes Beneficial
Owner of Voting Shares on the same pro rata basis as all other holders
of Voting Shares; the acquisition or exercise by such Person of rights
to purchase Voting Shares distributed to such Person in the course of
a distribution to all holders of Voting Shares pursuant to a rights offering
or pursuant to a prospectus; or a distribution of Voting Shares or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for Voting Shares (and the conversion
or exchange of such convertible or exchangeable securities), made pursuant
to a prospectus or a distribution by way of a private placement; provided
that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of such
Voting Shares, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Voting
Shares, so offered than the Person's percentage of Voting Shares Beneficially
Owned immediately prior to such acquisition; |
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(jj) | "Record Time" means
5:00 p.m. (Calgary time) on May 29, 2003; |
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(kk) | "Redemption Price" has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 5.1(a); | ||
(ll) | "Right" means a right
to purchase a Common Share, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in this Agreement; |
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(mm) | "Rights Certificate"
has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 2.2(c) and shall be in
substantially the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement; |
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(nn) | "Rights Register" has the meaning ascribed thereto in subsection 2.6(a); | ||
(oo) | "Securities Act (Alberta)"
shall mean the Securities Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. S-4, as amended,
and the regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date of this Agreement
or as the same may be amended, re-enacted or replaced by any comparable
or successor laws or regulations thereto; |
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(pp) | "Securities Act (Ontario)"
shall mean the Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as amended,
and the regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date of this Agreement
or as the same may be amended, re-enacted or replaced by any comparable
or successor laws or regulations thereto; |
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(qq) | "Separation Time"
means the close of business on the tenth Trading Day after the earlier
of: |
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(i) | the Stock Acquisition Date; and | ||
(ii) | the date of the commencement
of or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than
the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation) to commence a Take-over
Bid (other than a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid); |
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or such later time as may be determined by the Board of Directors, provided that: | |||
(A) | if any Take-over Bid referred to in
paragraph (ii) of this definition expires, or is cancelled, terminated
or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time, such Take-over Bid
shall be deemed, for the purposes of this definition, never to have been
made; and |
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(B) | if the Board of Directors determines
pursuant to subsection 5.1(d) or (e) to waive the application of Section
3.1 to a Flip-in Event, the Separation Time in respect of such Flip-in
Event shall be deemed never to have occurred; |
Page 9 of 36
(rr) | "Stock Acquisition Date"
means the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this
definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant
to the provisions of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Section
101 of the Securities Act (Ontario) or Section 13(d) of the 1934
Exchange Act) by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person indicating
that a Person has become an Acquiring Person; |
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(ss) | "Subsidiary": a corporation shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary of another corporation if: | ||
(i) | it is controlled by: | ||
(A) | that other; or | ||
(B) | that other and one or more corporations
each of which is controlled by that other; or |
||
(C) | two or more corporations each of which is controlled by that other; or | ||
(ii) | it is a Subsidiary of a corporation that is that other's Subsidiary; |
||
(tt) | "Take-over Bid" means
an Offer to Acquire Voting Shares or other securities if, assuming the
Voting Shares or other securities subject to the Offer to Acquire are
acquired at the date of the Offer to Acquire by the Person making the
Offer to Acquire, such Voting Shares (including all Voting Shares that
may be acquired upon exercise of all rights of conversion, exchange or
purchase attaching to the other securities) together with the Offeror's
Securities would constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of the outstanding
Voting Shares at the date of the Offer to Acquire; |
||
(uu) | "Termination Time"
means the time at which the right to exercise Rights shall terminate pursuant
to Section 5.1; |
||
(vv) | "The Companies Act
(British Columbia)" means The Companies Act (British
Columbia), as amended from time to time, and the regulations made thereunder,
as in effect on the date of this Agreement or as the same may be amended,
re-enacted or replaced by any comparable or successor laws or regulations
thereto; |
||
(ww) | "Trading Day", when
used with respect to any securities, means a day on which the principal
Canadian stock exchange or U.S. securities exchange on which such securities
are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business
or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any Canadian
stock exchange or U.S. securities exchange, a Business Day; |
||
(xx) | "U.S. - Canadian Exchange Rate" means, on any date: | ||
(i) | if on such date the Bank
of Canada sets an average noon spot rate of exchange for the conversion
of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such rate, and |
||
(ii) | in any other case, the rate
for such date for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian
dollars which is calculated in the manner which shall be determined by
the Board of Directors from time to time acting in good faith; |
||
(yy) | "U.S. Dollar Equivalent"
of any amount which is expressed in Canadian dollars means, on any date,
the United States dollar equivalent of such amount determined by multiplying
such amount by the Canadian-U.S. Exchange Rate in effect on such date; |
||
(zz) | "Voting Shares" means the Common Shares and any other shares of capital stock or voting interests of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of all directors; and |
Page 10 of 36
(aaa) |
"Voting Share Reduction" means an acquisition
or redemption by the Corporation or a Subsidiary of the Corporation of
Voting Shares which, by reducing the number of Voting Shares outstanding
or which may be voted, increases the proportionate number of Voting Shares
Beneficially Owned by any Person. |
||
1.2 | Currency | ||
All sums of money which are referred to in this Agreement are expressed in lawful money of Canada, unless otherwise specified. |
|||
1.3 | Headings | ||
The division of this Agreement
into Articles, Sections, subsections, paragraphs and subparagraphs and
the insertion of headings, subheadings and a table of contents are for
convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction or
interpretation of this Agreement. |
|||
1.4 | References to Agreement | ||
References to "this Agreement",
"hereto", "herein", "hereby", "hereunder", "hereof" and similar expressions
refer to this Agreement, as amended or supplemented from time to time,
and not to any particular Article, Section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph
or other provision hereof and include any and every instrument supplemental
or ancillary hereto. Unless the context otherwise requires, references
in this Agreement to an Article, Section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph
or Exhibit by number, letter or otherwise refer to the Article, Section,
subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or Exhibit, respectively, bearing
that designation in this Agreement. |
|||
1.5 | Grandfathered Person | ||
For the purposes of determining
whether a Person is an Acquiring Person and interpreting the definition
of "Acquiring Person", a Person shall not be and shall not be deemed to
be an Acquiring Person if such Person (a "Grandfathered Person"): |
|||
(a) | is the Beneficial Owner
of more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares determined as at the
Record Time; or |
||
(b) | becomes the Beneficial Owner
of more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares after the Record Time
and such Person's Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares does not exceed
the number of Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person immediately
prior to the Record Time by more than 1% of the issued and outstanding
Voting Shares as at the Record Time, |
||
provided, however, that
this exception shall not be, and shall cease to be, applicable to a Grandfathered
Person in the event that such Grandfathered Person shall after the Record
Time become the Beneficial Owner of additional Voting Shares constituting
more than 1% of the outstanding Voting Shares otherwise than pursuant
to one or more Permitted Bid Acquisitions, Exempt Acquisitions, Pro Rata
Acquisitions or the issuance or exercise of stock options granted by the
Corporation, if applicable to such Person, provided further, however,
that such Grandfathered Person shall not become an Acquiring Person as
a result of one or more Voting Share Reductions; and provided further
that, if this exception shall cease to be applicable to a Grandfathered
Person as aforesaid, such a Grandfathered Person shall be and shall be
deemed to be an Acquiring Person as at and from the time that this exception
shall not be so applicable. |
|||
1.6 | Calculation of Number
and Percentage of Beneficial Ownership of Outstanding Voting Shares |
||
For purposes of this Agreement: |
Page 11 of 36
(a) | in determining the percentage of outstanding
Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by any Person, unissued Voting Shares
as to which such Person is deemed the Beneficial Owner shall be deemed
outstanding; and |
(b) |
the percentage of outstanding Voting
Shares Beneficially Owned by any Person shall be and be deemed be the
product determined by the formula: |
100 | x | A | ||
B | ||||
where: | ||||
A = | the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to the outstanding | |||
Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person; and | ||||
B = | the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to all outstanding | |||
Voting Shares. | ||||
1.7 | Acting Jointly or in Concert | |||
For purposes of this Agreement, a Person
is acting jointly or in concert with every other Person who is a party
to any agreement, commitment or understanding, whether formal or informal
and whether or not in writing, with the first mentioned Person for the
purpose of acquiring or offering to acquire Voting Shares (other than
pursuant to an agreement contemplated by paragraph 1.1(d)(iv) hereof,
or customary agreements with and between underwriters and/or banking group
and/or selling group members with respect to a distribution of securities
pursuant to a prospectus or by way of private placement and other than
pursuant to pledges of securities in the ordinary course of business).
|
||||
1.8 | Generally Accepted Accounting Principles | |||
Wherever in this Agreement reference
is made to generally accepted accounting principles, such reference shall
be deemed to be the recommendations at the relevant time of the Canadian
Institute of Chartered Accountants, or any successor institute, applicable
on a consolidated basis (unless otherwise specifically provided herein
to be applicable on an unconsolidated basis) as at the date on which a
calculation is made or required to be made in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles. Where the character or amount of any asset
or liability or item of revenue or expense is required to be determined,
or any consolidation or other accounting computation is required to be
made for the purpose of this Agreement or any document, such determination
or calculation shall, to the extent applicable and except as otherwise
specified herein or as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties, be
made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied
on a consistent basis. |
||||
ARTICLE 2 THE RIGHTS |
||||
2.1 | Legend on Common Share Certificates | |||
Certificates representing Common Shares
issued after the Record Time but prior to the earlier of the Separation
Time and the Expiration Time shall evidence, in addition to the Common
Shares, one Right for each Common Share evidenced thereby and shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend: |
Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred to below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement made as of April 16, 2003 (the "Rights Agreement"), between TransGlobe Energy Corporation (the "Corporation") and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as rights agent, as amended from time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which may be inspected during normal business hours at the
Page 12 of 36
principal office of the Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set out in the Rights Agreement, the Rights may be amended, redeemed, may expire, may become null and void or may be evidenced by separate certificates and no longer evidenced by this certificate. The Corporation will mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this certificate without charge as soon as practicable after the receipt of a written request therefor.
Certificates representing Common Shares that are issued and outstanding at the Record Time shall also evidence one Right for each Common Share evidenced thereby, notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time.
2.2 | Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights | |
(a) | Subject to adjustment as
herein set forth, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, from and
after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, to purchase,
for the Exercise Price, one Common Share. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, any Rights held by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries
shall be void. |
|
(b) | Until the Separation Time: | |
(i) | the Rights shall not be exercisable and no Right may be exercised; and | |
(ii) | each Right will be evidenced by the
certificate for the associated Common Share and will be transferable only
together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, such associated
Common Share. |
|
(c) | From and after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time: | |
(i) | the Rights shall be exercisable; and | |
(ii) | the registration and transfer of the Rights shall be separate from and independent of Common Shares. | |
Promptly following the Separation Time, the Corporation will prepare and the Rights Agent will mail or arrange to be mailed to each holder of record of Rights as of the Separation Time (other than an Acquiring Person and, in respect of any Rights Beneficially Owned by such Acquiring Person which are not held of record by such Acquiring Person, the holder of record of such Rights (a "Nominee")), at such holder's address as shown by the records of the Corporation (the Corporation hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent for this purpose): | ||
(A) | a rights certificate ("Rights Certificate")
representing the number of Rights held by such holder at the Separation
Time and having such markers of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation
may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any law, rule, regulation
or judicial or administrative order or with any rule or regulation of
any self-regulatory organization, stock exchange or quotation system on
which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded, or to conform
to usage; and |
|
(B) | a disclosure statement describing the Rights; | |
provided that a Nominee
shall be sent the materials provided for in paragraphs (A) and (B) above
in respect of all Common Shares held of record by it which are not Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person. In order for the Corporation to determine
whether any Person is holding Voting Shares which are Beneficially Owned
by another Person, the Corporation may require such first-mentioned Person
to furnish such information and documentation as the Corporation deems
necessary or appropriate to make such determination. |
Page 13 of 36
(d) | Rights may be exercised
in whole or in part on any Business Day after the Separation Time and
prior to the Expiration Time by submitting to the Rights Agent at its
principal office in the city of Toronto the Rights Certificate evidencing
such Rights together with: |
|
(i) | an election to exercise such Rights
(an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the form attached to the
Rights Certificate duly completed and executed by the holder or his executors
or administrators or other personal representatives or his or their legal
attorney duly appointed by an instrument in writing in form and executed
in a manner satisfactory to the Rights Agent; and |
|
(ii) | payment by certified cheque, banker's
draft or money order payable to the order of the Rights Agent, of a sum
equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Rights being exercised
and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or charge which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery
of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for
Common Shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being
exercised. |
|
(e) | Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, which is accompanied by a completed Election to Exercise that does not indicate that such Right is null and void as provided by subsection 3.1(b) and payment as set forth in subsection 2.2(d), the Rights Agent (unless otherwise instructed by the Corporation if the Corporation is of the opinion that the Rights cannot be exercised in accordance with this Agreement) will thereupon promptly: |
|
(i) | requisition from the transfer agent
for the Common Shares certificates representing the number of such Common
Shares to be purchased (the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizing
its transfer agent to comply with all such requisitions), |
|
(ii) | after receipt of such certificate, deliver
the same to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder, |
|
(iii) | when appropriate, requisition from the
Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing fractional
Common Shares, |
|
(iv) | when appropriate, after receipt of such
cash, deliver the same to or to the order of the registered holder of
the Rights Certificate, and |
|
(v) | tender to the Corporation all payments received on exercise of the Rights. | |
(f) | If the holder of any Rights
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining
unexercised (subject to Section 5.5) will be issued by the Rights Agent
to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns. |
|
(g) | The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will: |
|
(i) | take all such action as may be necessary
and within its power to ensure that all securities delivered upon exercise
of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
securities (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly
authorized, executed, issued and delivered as fully paid and non-assessable; |
|
(ii) | take all such action as may be necessary
and within its power to comply with any applicable requirements of The
Companies Act (British Columbia), the Securities Act (British
Columbia), the Securities Act (Ontario) and any other applicable
laws in connection with the issuance and delivery of the Rights, the Rights
Certificates and the issuance of any securities upon exercise of Rights; |
|
Page 14 of 36
(iii) | use reasonable effects to
cause all securities issued upon exercise of Rights to be listed on the
stock exchanges on which the Common Shares were traded immediately prior
to the Stock Acquisition Date; |
|
(iv) | cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued classes of securities,
the number of securities that, as provided in this Agreement, will from
time to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights; |
|
(v) | pay when due and payable
any and all Canadian and, if applicable, United States, federal, provincial
and state transfer taxes and charges (not including any income or capital
taxes of the holder or exercising holder or any liability of the Corporation
to withhold tax) which may be payable in respect of the original issuance
or delivery of the Rights Certificates or certificates for Common Shares,
provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any transfer
tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved
in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or
delivery of certificates for securities in a name other than that of the
holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised; and |
|
(vi) | after the Separation Time
not take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time
such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will
diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights. |
|
2.3 | Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights | |
The Exercise Price, the
number and kind of securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 2.3. |
||
(a) | If the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time: | |
(i) | declare or pay a dividend on its Common
Shares payable in Common Shares (or other securities exchangeable for
or convertible into or giving a right to acquire Common Shares) other
than pursuant to any optional stock dividend program; |
|
(ii) | subdivide or change the outstanding Common Shares into a greater number of Common Shares; | |
(iii) | combine or change the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares; or | |
(iv) | issue any Common Shares (or other securities
exchangeable for or convertible into or giving a right to acquire Common
Shares) in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for existing Common Shares; |
|
except as otherwise provided
in this Section 2.3, the Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding,
or, if the payment or effective date therefor shall occur after the Separation
Time, the securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights shall be adjusted
as of the payment or effective date such that: |
(A) | if the Exercise Price and number of Rights outstanding are to be adjusted; | |||
(I) |
the Exercise Price in effect
after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise Price in effect immediately
prior to such adjustment divided by the number of Common Shares (or other
capital stock) (the "Expansion Factor") that a holder of one Common Share
immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision, change, combination or
issuance would hold thereafter as a result thereof; and |
|||
(II) |
each Right held prior to
such adjustment will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion
Factor; |
Page 15 of 36
and the adjusted number of Rights will
be deemed to be distributed among the Common Shares with respect to which
the original Rights were associated (if they remain outstanding) and the
shares issued in respect of such dividend, subdivision, change, combination
or issuance, so that each such Common Share (or other capital stock) will
have exactly one Right associated with it; and |
|||
(B) | if the securities purchasable upon exercise
of Rights are to be adjusted, the securities purchasable upon exercise
of each Right after such adjustment will be the securities that a holder
of the securities purchasable upon exercise of one Right immediately prior
to such dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance would hold
thereafter as a result thereof. |
||
If after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time the Corporation shall issue any securities other than Common Shares in a transaction of a type described in paragraphs 2.3(a)(i) or (iv), such securities shall be treated herein as nearly equivalent to Common Shares as may be practicable and appropriate under the circumstances and the Corporation and the Rights Agent agree to amend this Agreement in order to effect such treatment. | |||
(b) | If the Corporation shall
at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time fix
a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders
of Common Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar
days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares
(or securities convertible into or exchangeable for or carrying a right
to purchase Common Shares) at a price per Common Share (or, if a security
convertible into or exchangeable for or carrying a right to purchase or
subscribe for Common Shares having a conversion, exchange or exercise
price, including the price required to be paid to purchase such convertible
or exchangeable security or right per share) less than the Market Price
per Common Share on such record date, the Exercise Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be adjusted to that price determined by multiplying
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by
a fraction: |
||
(i) | the numerator of which shall
be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of Common Shares that the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion, exchange or exercise price of the convertible or exchangeable
securities or rights so to be offered, including the price required to
be paid to purchase such convertible or exchangeable securities or rights)
would purchase at such Market Price per Common Share; and |
||
(ii) | the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so to be offered are initially convertible, exchangeable or exercisable). | ||
If such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. |
|||
For purposes of this Agreement,
the granting of the right to purchase Common Shares (whether from treasury
shares or otherwise) pursuant to any dividend or interest reinvestment
plan and/or any Common Share purchase plan providing for the reinvestment
of dividends or interest payable on securities of the Corporation and/or
the investment of periodic optional payments and/or employee benefit,
stock option or similar plans (so long as such right to purchase is in
no case evidenced by the delivery of rights or warrants) shall not be
deemed to constitute an issue of rights or warrants by the Corporation;
provided, however, that, in the case of any Dividend Reinvestment Plan,
the right to purchase Common Shares is at a |
Page 16 of 36
price per share of not less
than 90 percent of the current market price per share (determined as provided
in such plans) of the Common Shares. |
||
(c) | If the Corporation shall
at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time fix
a record date for a distribution to all holders of Common Shares (including
any such distribution made in connection with a merger or amalgamation
in which the Corporation is the continuing corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness, cash (other than an ordinary course dividend or a dividend
referred to in paragraph 2.3(a)(i)), assets or rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in subsection 2.3(b)), the Exercise Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction: |
|
(i) | the numerator of which shall be the
Market Price per Common Share on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall
be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights), on a per share
basis, of the portion of the cash, assets, evidences of indebtedness,
rights, options or warrants so to be distributed; and |
|
(ii) | the denominator of which shall be such Market Price per Common Share. | |
Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event
that such a distribution is not so made, the Exercise Price shall be adjusted
to be the Exercise Price which would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed. |
||
(d) | Each adjustment made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be made as of | |
(i) | the payment or effective date for the
applicable dividend, subdivision, change, combination or issuance, in
the case of an adjustment made pursuant to subsection (a) above; and |
|
(ii) | the record date for the applicable distribution,
in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) above,
subject to readjustment to reverse the same if such distribution shall
not be made. |
|
(e) | Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, no adjustment in the Exercise Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least
one percent in the Exercise Price; provided, however, that any adjustments
which by reason of this subsection 2.3(e) are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 2.3 shall be made to the nearest cent
or to the nearest hundredth of a share. Notwithstanding the first sentence
of this subsection 2.3(e), any adjustment required by this Section 2.3
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date
of the transaction which mandates such adjustment and (ii) the Termination
Date. Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price is made pursuant to
this Section 2.3, the Corporation shall: |
|
(i) | promptly prepare a certificate setting
forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for
such adjustment, |
|
(ii) | promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights, and issue a press release advising of the relevant adjustment. | |
(f) | If the Corporation shall
at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time issue
any shares of capital stock (other than Common Shares), or rights or warrants
to subscribe for or purchase any such capital stock, or securities convertible
into or exchangeable for any such capital stock, in a transaction referred
to in paragraph (a)(i) or (a)(iv) above, if the Board of Directors acting
in good faith determines that the adjustments contemplated by subsections
(a), (b) and (c) above in connection with such transaction will not appropriately
protect the interests of the holders of Rights, the Board of Directors
may determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price, number of
Rights and/or securities purchasable upon exercise of |
|
Page 17 of 36
Rights would be appropriate
and, notwithstanding subsections (a), (b) and (c) above, but subject to
the prior consent of the holders of Common Shares or Rights obtained in
accordance with section 5.4, such adjustments, rather than the adjustments
contemplated by subsections (a), (b) and (c) above, shall be made. The
Corporation and the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement as appropriate
to provide for such adjustments. |
|||
(g) | Each Right originally issued
by the Corporation subsequent to any adjustment made to the Exercise Price
hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise
Price, the number of Common Shares purchasable from time to time hereunder
upon exercise of a Right, all subject to further adjustment as provided
herein. |
||
(h) | Irrespective of any adjustment
or change in the Exercise Price or the number of Common Shares issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and
thereafter issued may continue to express the Exercise Price per Common
Share and the number of Common Shares which were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder. |
||
(i) | In any case in which this
Section 2.3 shall require that an adjustment in the Exercise Price be
made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Corporation
may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to
the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number of
Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable
upon such exercise over and above the number of Common Shares and other
securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise on
the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder an appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment. |
||
(j) | Notwithstanding anything
in this Section 2.3 to the contrary, the Corporation shall be entitled
to make such reductions in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments
expressly required by this Section 2.3, as and to the extent that the
Board of Directors shall in good faith determine to be advisable in order
that an (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Common Shares, (ii) issuance
wholly or in part for cash or Common Shares or securities that by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, (iii) stock
dividends or (iv) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
in this Section 2.3, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its
Common Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders. |
||
(k) | The Corporation covenants
and agrees that, after the Separation Time, it will not, except as permitted
by Section 5.1 or Section 5.4, take (or permit any Subsidiary of the Corporation
to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. |
||
(l) | If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 2.3 and Section 3.1,
the adjustment provided for in this Section 2.3 shall be in addition to
and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
3.1. |
||
(m) | If the Corporation shall
at any time after the Record Time and prior to the earlier of the Separation
Time and the Expiration Time issue any Common Shares otherwise than in
a transaction referred to in subsection 2.3(a) each such Common Share
so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which
Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such share. |
||
2.4 | Date on Which Exercise is Effective | ||
Each Person in whose name
any certificate for Common Shares or other securities, property or assets,
if applicable, is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes
be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Shares or
other securities, property or assets, if applicable, represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered (together with
a duly completed Election to Exercise) and payment of the Exercise Price
for such Rights (and any applicable |
Page 18 of 36
transfer taxes and other
governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the Common Share transfer books of the Corporation are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of
such Common Shares or other securities, property or assets on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which
the Common Share transfer books of the Corporation are open. |
||
2.5 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates | |
(a) | The Rights Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by any two of its Chairman,
President, Vice Presidents, Secretary or Assistant Secretary. The signature
of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile.
Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals
who were at any time the proper officers of the Corporation shall bind
the Corporation notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have
ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery
of such Rights Certificates. |
|
(b) | Promptly after the Corporation
learns of the Separation Time, the Corporation will notify the Rights
Agent in writing of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates
executed by the Corporation to the Rights Agent for countersignature,
and disclosure statements describing the Rights, and the Rights Agent
shall countersign (manually or by facsimile signature in a manner satisfactory
to the Corporation) and send such Rights Certificates to the holders of
the Rights pursuant to subsection 2.2(c). No Rights Certificate shall
be valid for any purpose until countersigned by the Rights Agent as aforesaid. |
|
(c) | Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature thereof. | |
2.6 | Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange | |
(a) | After the Separation Time,
the Corporation will cause to be kept a register (the "Rights Register")
in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the Corporation will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights.
The Rights Agent is hereby appointed registrar for the Rights (the "Rights
Registrar") for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the
Corporation and registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein provided
and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. If the Rights Agent
shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the
right to examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times. |
|
(b) | After the Separation Time
and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for registration of transfer
or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject to the provisions of
subsections 2.6(d) and 3.1(b), the Corporation will execute, and the Rights
Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated
transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's instructions,
one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number
of Rights as did the Rights Certificates so surrendered. |
|
(c) | All Rights issued upon any
registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be the
valid obligations of the Corporation, and such Rights shall be entitled
to the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon
such registration of transfer or exchange. |
|
(d) | Every Rights Certificate
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed,
or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory
to the Corporation or the Rights Agent, as the case may be, duly executed
by the holder thereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing.
As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this
Section 2.6, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation
thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the
Rights Agent) connected therewith. |
Page 19 of 36
2.7 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates | |
(a) | If any mutilated Rights
Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration
Time, the Corporation shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign
and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the
same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered. |
|
(b) |
If there shall be delivered to the Corporation and the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time: | |
(i) | evidence to their reasonable satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate; and | |
(ii) | such security or indemnity as may be
reasonably required by each of them in their sole discretion to save each
of them and any of their agents harmless, |
|
then, in the absence of
notice to the Corporation or the Rights Agent that such Rights Certificate
has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Corporation shall
execute and upon the Corporation's request the Rights Agent shall countersign
and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate,
a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the
Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen. |
||
(c) | As a condition to the issuance
of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Corporation
may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected
therewith. |
|
(d) | Every new Rights Certificate
issued pursuant to this Section 2.7 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or
stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence the contractual obligation of
the Corporation, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate
shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all
the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and
all other Rights duly issued by the Corporation. |
|
2.8 | Persons Deemed Owners | |
The Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and the Rights evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever. As used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "holder" of any Rights shall mean the registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Shares). | ||
2.9 | Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates | |
All Rights Certificates
surrendered upon exercise or for redemption, registration of transfer
or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Rights
Agent, be delivered to the Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly
cancelled by the Rights Agent. The Corporation may at any time deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation any Rights Certificates previously
countersigned and delivered hereunder which the Corporation may have acquired
in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates so delivered shall
be promptly cancelled by the Rights Agent. No Rights Certificate shall
be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights Certificates
cancelled as provided in this Section 2.9, except as expressly permitted
by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall destroy all cancelled Rights
Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the Corporation
on request. |
||
2.10 | Agreement of Rights Holders | |
Every holder of Rights,
by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of Rights: |
Page 20 of 36
(a) | to be bound by and subject
to the provisions of this Agreement, as amended from time to time in accordance
with the terms hereof, in respect of all Rights held; |
|
(b) | that, prior to the Separation
Time, each Right will be transferable only together with, and will be
transferred by a transfer of, the associated Common Share; |
|
(c) | that after the Separation
Time, the Rights Certificate will be transferable only upon registration
of the transfer on the Rights Register as provided herein; |
|
(d) | that, prior to due presentment
of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated
Common Share certificate) for registration of transfer, the Corporation,
the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent
may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate)
is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced
thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on such
Rights Certificate or the associated Common Share certificate made by
anyone other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; |
|
(e) | that such holder of Rights
has waived his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided herein); |
|
(f) | that, in accordance with
the provisions of Section 5.4, without the approval of any holder of Rights
or Voting Shares and upon the sole authority of the Board of Directors
acting in good faith, this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from
time to time pursuant to and as provided herein; and |
|
(g) | that notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Corporation nor the Rights
Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or any other Person
as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this
Agreement by reasons of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other
order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or
by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission,
or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted
by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance
of such obligation. |
|
2.11 | Rights Certificate Holder not Deemed a Shareholder | |
No holder, as such, of any
Rights or Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose whatsoever the holder of any Common Share
or any other share or security of the Corporation which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed or
deemed or confer upon the holder of any Right or Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights, titles, benefits or privileges of a holder of
Common Shares or any other shares or securities of the Corporation or
any right to vote at any meeting of shareholders of the Corporation whether
for the election of directors or otherwise or upon any matter submitted
to holders of shares of the Corporation at any meeting thereof, or to
give or withhold consent to any action of the Corporation, or to receive
notice of any meeting or other action affecting any holder of Common Shares
or any other shares or securities of the Corporation except as expressly
provided herein, or to receive dividends, distributions or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
shall have been duly exercised in accordance with the terms and provisions
hereof. |
||
ARTICLE 3 |
||
3.1 | Flip-in Event | |
(a) | Subject to subsections 3.1(b),
5.1(d) and 5.1(e), if prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Event occurs,
each Right shall constitute, effective at the close of business on the
tenth Trading Day after the Stock Acquisition Date, the right to purchase
from the Corporation, upon payment of the Exercise Price and |
Page 21 of 36
otherwise exercising such
Right in accordance with the terms hereof, that number of Common Shares
having an aggregate Market Price on the date of consummation or occurrence
of such Flip-in Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount
in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such Right to be appropriately adjusted
in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section
2.3 in event that after the Stock Acquisition Date an event of a type
analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 has occurred). |
||
(b) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any Flip-in Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially Owned on or after the earlier of the Separation Time and the Stock Acquisition Date by: |
|
(i) | an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly or in
concert with an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person); or |
|
(ii) | a transferee of Rights, direct or indirect,
of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or of any Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes
a transferee in a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined
is part of a plan, arrangement or scheme of an Acquiring Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly
or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
an Acquiring Person), that has the purpose or effect of avoiding paragraph
3.1(b)(i); |
|
shall become null and void
without any further action, and any holder of such Rights (including any
transferee of, or other successor to, such Rights, whether directly or
indirectly) shall not have any right whatsoever to exercise such Rights
under any provision of this Agreement and shall not have thereafter any
right whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise. The holder of any Rights represented by
a Rights Certificate which is submitted to the Rights Agent upon exercise
or for registration of transfer or exchange which does not contain the
necessary certifications set forth in the Rights Certificate establishing
that such Rights are not void under this subsection 3.1(b) shall be deemed
to be an Acquiring Person for the purposes of this subsection 3.1(b) and
such Rights shall become null and void. |
||
(c) | Any Rights Certificate that
represents Rights Beneficially Owned by a Person described in either paragraph
3.1(b)(i) or (ii) or transferred to any Nominee of any such Person, and
any Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence,
shall contain the following legend: |
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate were Beneficially Owned by a Person who was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or a Person acting jointly or in concert with any of them. This Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby are void in the circumstances specified in subsection 3.1(b) of the Rights Agreement.
provided that the Rights
Agent shall not be under any responsibility to ascertain the existence
of facts that would require the imposition of such legend but shall be
required to impose such legend only if instructed to do so in writing
by the Corporation or if a holder fails to certify upon transfer or exchange
in the space provided on the Rights Certificate that such holder is not
a Person described in either paragraph 3.1(b)(i) or (ii). |
||
(d) | From and after the Separation
Time, the Corporation shall do all such acts and things as shall be necessary
and within its power to ensure compliance with the provisions of this
Section 3.1, including without limitation, all such acts and things as
may be required to satisfy the requirements of The Companies Act (British
Columbia) and the Securities Act (British Columbia) and any other
applicable laws in respect of the issue of Common Shares upon the exercise
of Rights in accordance with this Agreement. |
Page 22 of 36
3.2 | Fiduciary Duties of the Board of Directors of the Corporation | |
For clarification it is understood that nothing contained in this Article 3 shall be considered to affect the obligations of the Board of Directors to exercise its fiduciary duties. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors shall not be entitled to recommend that holders of the Voting Shares reject or accept any Take-over Bid or take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, defence or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or alternative Take-over Bids or other proposals to the shareholders of the Corporation with respect to any Take-over Bid or otherwise that the Board of Directors believes is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its fiduciary duties). |
||
ARTICLE 4 THE RIGHTS AGENT |
||
4.1 | General | |
(a) | The Corporation hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights
Agents ("Co-Rights Agents") as it may deem necessary or desirable, subject
to the approval of the Rights Agent. In the event the Corporation appoints
one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agents
and the Co-Rights Agents shall be as the Corporation may determine with
the approval of the Rights Agent and the Co-Rights Agent. The Corporation
agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights
Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements
incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable
fees and disbursements of any expert retained by the Rights Agent. The
Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, its officers, directors,
employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss,
liability, costs, claims, actions, damages or expenses, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or wilful default on the part of the Rights Agent,
for anything done or suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection
with the acceptance, execution and administration of this Agreement and
the performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses
of defending against any claim of liability, which right to indemnification
will survive the termination of this Agreement or the resignation or removal
of the Rights Agent. |
|
(b) | The Rights Agent shall be
protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action
taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its acceptance, execution
and administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any certificate
for Voting Shares or Common Shares, or any Rights Certificate or certificate
for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified
or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons. |
|
(c) | The Corporation shall inform
the Rights Agent in a reasonably timely manner of events which may materially
affect the administration of this Agreement by the Rights Agent and at
any time upon request, shall provide to the Rights Agent an incumbency
certificate with respect to the then current directors of the Corporation,
provided that failure to inform the Rights Agent of any such event, or
any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of any action taken
hereunder in relation to such events. |
|
4.2 | Merger or Amalgamation or Change of Name of Rights Agent | |
(a) | Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or amalgamated or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, amalgamation, statutory arrangement or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder or stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties | |
Page 23 of 36
hereto, provided that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 4.4. In case at the time each successor
Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any of the
Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and
in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor
Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates will have
the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
||
(b) | If at any time the name
of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates
so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificate
shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such
Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and
in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided
in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
|
4.3 | Duties of Rights Agent | |
The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound: |
||
(a) | the Rights Agent may retain
and consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Corporation)
and the opinion of such counsel will be full and complete authorization
and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion; the Rights
Agent may also, with the approval of the Corporation (such approval not
to be unreasonably withheld), consult with such other experts as the Rights
Agent shall consider necessary or appropriate to properly carry out the
duties and obligations imposed under this Agreement and the Rights Agent
shall be entitled to act and rely in good faith on the advice of any such
expert; |
|
(b) | whenever in the performance
of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent deems it necessary
or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Corporation
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate
signed by a Person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of
the Board, the President or any Vice President, the Secretary or Assistant
Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate will be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action
taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement
in reliance upon such certificate; |
|
(c) | the Rights Agent will be liable hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith or wilful default; | |
(d) | the Rights Agent will not
be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals
contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for Voting Shares or
Common Shares or the Rights Certificates (except its countersignature
thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and
recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only; |
|
(e) | the Rights Agent will not
be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement
or the authorization, execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization,
execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Common Share certificate or Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for
any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or condition contained in
this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible
for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights
becoming void pursuant to subsection 3.1(b)) or any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 2.3 or be responsible for the manner,
method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence
of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to
the exercise of Rights after receipt |
Page 24 of 36
of the certificate contemplated
by Section 2.3 describing any such adjustment); nor will it by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization
of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
or as to whether any Common Shares will, when issued, be duly and validly
authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and non-assessable; |
||
(f) | the Corporation agrees that
it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed,
executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts,
instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions
of this Agreement; |
|
(g) | the Rights Agent is hereby
authorized and directed to accept written instructions with respect to
the performance of its duties hereunder from any person believed by the
Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, President, a Vice President,
the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
the Corporation, and to apply to such individual for advice or instructions
in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action
taken or suffered by it in good faith in reliance upon instructions of
any such individual; |
|
(h) | the Rights Agent and any
shareholder or stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights
Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Shares, Rights or other securities
of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction
in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money
to the Corporation or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were
not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the
Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or
for any other legal entity; and |
|
(i) | the Rights Agent may execute and exercise
any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder
either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights
Agent will not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect
or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Corporation
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided
reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment
thereof. |
|
4.4 | Change of Rights Agent | |
The Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 60 days' notice (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Corporation) in writing delivered or mailed to the Corporation and to each transfer agent of Common Shares by registered or certified mail and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. If the Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation will appoint a successor to the Right Agent. If the Corporation fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent then the resigning Rights Agent (at the Corporation's expense) or the holder of any Rights may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province thereof authorized to carry on the business of a trust company. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but upon payment of its outstanding fees and expenses the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Corporation will file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and give notice thereof to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of |
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Page 25 of 36
the resignation or removal
of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent,
as the case may be. |
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ARTICLE 5 MISCELLANEOUS |
||
5.1 | Redemption and Waiver | |
(a) | The Board of Directors acting
in good faith may, at its option, at any time prior to the occurrence
of a Flip-in Event, elect to redeem all but not less than all of the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.00001 per Right appropriately
adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for
in Section 2.3 if an event of the type analogous to any of the events
described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred (such redemption price being
herein referred to as the "Redemption Price"). |
|
(b) | If the Board of Directors
elects or is deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights, the right to
exercise the Rights will thereupon, without further action and without
notice, terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price. |
|
(c) | Within 10 days after the
Board of Directors electing or having been deemed to have elected to redeem
the Rights, the Corporation shall give notice of redemption to the holders
of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will
be made. The Corporation may not redeem, acquire or purchase for value
any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set
forth in this Section 5.1 or other than in connection with the purchase
of Common Shares prior to the Separation Time. |
|
(d) | The Board of Directors may,
until a Flip-in Event shall occur, upon written notice delivered to the
Rights Agent, determine to waive the application of Section 3.1 to such
particular Flip-in Event; provided that if the Board of Directors waives
the application of Section 3.1 to a particular Flip-in Event that may
occur by reason of a Take-over Bid made to all holders of record of Voting
Shares, the Board of Directors shall be deemed to have waived the application
of Section 3.1 to any future Flip-in Event in respect of any other Take-over
Bid made to all holders of record of Voting Shares prior to the expiry
of the Take-over Bid in respect of which the waiver is, or is deemed to
have been granted under this subsection 5.1(d). |
|
(e) | The Board of Directors may
waive the application of Section 3.1 in respect of the occurrence of any
Flip-in Event if the Board of Directors has determined within eight Trading
Days following a Stock Acquisition Date that a Person became an Acquiring
Person by inadvertence and without any intention to become, or knowledge
that it would become, an Acquiring Person under this Agreement and, in
the event that such a waiver is granted by the Board of Directors, such
Stock Acquisition Date shall be deemed not to have occurred. Any such
waiver pursuant to subsection 5.1(e) must be on the condition that such
Person, within 10 days after the foregoing determination by the Board
of Directors or such earlier or later date as the Board of Directors may
determine (the "Disposition Date"), has reduced its Beneficial ownership
of Voting Shares such that the Person is no longer an Acquiring Person.
If the Person remains an Acquiring Person at the close of business on
the Disposition Date, the Disposition Date shall be deemed to be the date
of occurrence of a further Stock Acquisition Date and Section 3.1 shall
apply thereto. |
|
(f) | If a Person makes a Permitted
Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid pursuant to which more than 50 per cent
of the then outstanding Voting Shares (other than those Voting Shares
Beneficially Owned by the Persons making the Permitted Bid or the Competing
Permitted Bid, at the date of the Permitted Bid or the Competing Permitted
Bid) are taken up and paid for by such Person, then the Board of Directors
shall, immediately upon the consummation of such acquisition, without
further formality, be deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights at the
Redemption Price on the expiry date of the Permitted Bid or Competing
Permitted Bid, as the case may be. |
|
(g) | Where a Take-over Bid that
is not a Permitted Bid Acquisition is withdrawn or otherwise terminated
after the Separation Time has occurred and prior to the occurrence of
a Flip-in Event, the Board of Directors may elect to redeem all the outstanding
Rights at the Redemption Price. |
Page 26 of 36
(h) | Upon the Rights being redeemed
pursuant to subsection 5.1(g), all the provisions of this Agreement shall
continue to apply as if the Separation Time had not occurred and Rights
Certificates representing the number of Rights held by each holder of
record of Common Shares as of the Separation Time had not been mailed
to each such holder and for all purposes of this Agreement the Separation
Time shall be deemed not to have occurred. |
|
5.2 | Expiration | |
No Person shall have any
rights whatsoever pursuant to or arising out of this Agreement or in respect
of any Right after the Expiration Time, except the Rights Agent as specified
in subsections 4.1(a) and (b). |
||
5.3 | Issuance of New Rights Certificates | |
Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Corporation
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the number or kind or class of shares purchasable
upon exercise of Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement. |
||
5.4 | Supplements and Amendments | |
(a) | Without the approval of
any holders of Voting Shares or Rights, the Corporation may make amendments
or supplements to this Agreement to correct any clerical or typographical
error or which are required to maintain the validity of the Agreement
as a result of any change in any applicable legislation, regulations or
rules thereunder. The Corporation may in addition supplement or amend
this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights or Voting
Shares in order to make any changes which the Board of Directors acting
in good faith may deem necessary or desirable. Notwithstanding anything
in this Section 5.4 to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall
be made to the provisions of Article 4 except with the written concurrence
of the Rights Agent to such change, supplement or amendment. |
(b) | Subject to subsection 5.4(a),
the Corporation may, with the prior consent of the holders of Shares obtained
as set forth below, at any time before the Separation Time, amend, vary,
rescind, supplement any of the provisions of this Agreement and the Rights
(whether or not such action would materially adversely affect the interests
of the holders of Rights generally). Such consent shall be deemed to have
been given if the action requiring such approval is approved by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast by Independent Shareholders represented
in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting. |
(c) | The Corporation may, with the prior consent of the holders of Rights obtained as set forth below, at any time after the Stock Acquisition Date amend, vary or rescind any of the provisions of this Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally),provided that no such amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to the provisions of Article 4 except with the written concurrence of the Rights Agent thereto. Such consent shall be deemed to have been given if such amendment, variation or deletion is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to vote at a meeting of the holders and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect thereof. Any such amendment shall be effective from the date of the resolution of the Board of Directors adopting such amendment, until it is confirmed or rejected or until it ceases to be effective (as described in the next sentence) and, where such amendment is confirmed, it continues in effect in the form so confirmed. If such amendment is rejected by the shareholders or the holders of Rights or is not submitted to the shareholders or holders of Rights as required, then such amendment shall cease to be effective from and after the termination of the meeting at which it was rejected or to which it should have been but was not submitted (being a meeting of the holders of Rights to be called for on a date not later than immediately following the next meeting of shareholders of the Corporation) or from and after the date of the meeting of holders of Rights that should have been but was not held, and no subsequent resolution of the Board of Directors to |
Page 27 of 36
amend this Agreement to
substantially the same effect shall be effective until confirmed by the
shareholders or holders of Rights, as the case may be. |
||
(d) | Any approval of the holders
of Rights shall be deemed to have been given if the action requiring such
approval is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders of Rights
present or represented and entitled to vote at a meeting of the holders
of Rights and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect thereof.
For the purposes hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights which
are void pursuant to the provisions hereof) shall be entitled to one vote,
and the procedures for the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting
shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation's
by-laws and The Companies Act (British Columbia) with respect to
meetings of shareholders of the Corporation. |
|
(e) | Any amendments or supplements
made by the Corporation to this Agreement pursuant to Subsection 5.4(a)
(other than an amendment or supplement to correct any clerical or typographical
error or which are required to maintain the validity of the Agreement
as a result of any change in any applicable legislation, regulations or
rules thereunder) after this Agreement has been ratified and approved
by the holders of Shares in accordance with the requirements of The Toronto
Stock Exchange shall: |
|
(i) | if made before the Separation Time,
be submitted to the Shareholders of the Corporation at the next meeting
of Shareholders and the Shareholders may, by the majority referred to
in subsection 5.4(b) confirm or reject such amendment; |
|
(ii) | if made after the Separation Time, be
submitted to the holders of Rights at a meeting to be called for on a
date not later than immediately following the next meeting of Shareholders
of the Corporation and the holders of Rights may, by resolution passed
by the majority referred to in Subsection 5.4(d) confirm or reject such
amendment. |
|
(iii) | Any such amendment shall be effective
from the date of the resolution of the Board of Directors adopting such
amendment, until it is confirmed or rejected or until it ceases to be
effective (as described in the next sentence) and, where such amendment
is confirmed, it continues in effect in the form so confirmed. If such
amendment is rejected by the Shareholders or the holders of Rights or
is not submitted to the Shareholders or holders of Rights as required,
then such amendment shall cease to be effective from and after the termination
of the meeting at which it was rejected or to which it should have been
but was not submitted or from and after the date of the meeting of holders
of Rights that should have been but was not held, and no subsequent resolution
of the Board of Directors to amend this Agreement to substantially the
same effect shall be effective until confirmed by the Shareholders or
holders of Rights as the case may be. |
|
(f) | The Corporation shall be
required to provide the Rights Agent with notice in writing of any such
amendment, variation or rescission to this Agreement and/or the Rights
as referred to in this Section 5.4 within five days of effecting such
amendment, variation or rescission. |
|
5.5 | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | |
(a) | The Corporation shall not
be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates
which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there
shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with
regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of a whole
Right determined on the date on which such fractional Right would otherwise
be issuable. |
|
(b) | The Corporation shall not
be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares.
Fractions of Common Shares may, at the election of the Corporation, be
evidenced by scrip certificates or in lieu of issuing fractional Common
Shares, the Corporation shall pay to the registered holders of Rights
Certificates, at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided,
an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of one
Common Share at the date of such exercise. |
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(c) | The Rights Agent shall have
no obligation to make any payments in lieu of issuing fractions of Rights
or Common Shares pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b), respectively, unless
and until the Corporation shall have provided to the Rights Agent the
amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing such fractional Rights or
Common Shares, as the case may be. |
|
5.6 | Rights of Action | |
Subject to the terms of
this Agreement, all rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other
than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested in
the respective registered holders of the Rights; and any registered holder
of any Rights, without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the registered
holder of any other Rights, may, on such holder's own behalf and for such
holder's own benefit and the benefit of other holders of Rights, enforce,
and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against
the Corporation to enforce such holder's right to exercise such holder's
Rights in the manner provided in such holder's Rights Certificate and
in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available
to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders
of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this
Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations
under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of
the obligations of any person subject to, this Agreement. |
||
5.7 | Regulatory Approvals | |
Any obligation of the Corporation
or action or event contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to
the receipt of any requisite approval or consent from any governmental
or regulatory authority, and, without limitation, necessary approval of
the Toronto Stock Exchange shall be obtained, such as to the issuance
of Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights under subsection 2.2(d).
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, any amendment to this
Agreement will be subject to the prior written consent of the Toronto
Stock Exchange. |
||
5.8 | Unlawful Distributions | |
If in the opinion of the
Board of Directors (who may rely upon the advice of counsel) any action
or event contemplated by this Agreement would require compliance by the
Corporation with the securities laws or comparable legislation of a jurisdiction
outside Canada or the United States, the Board of Directors acting in
good faith shall take such actions as it may deem appropriate to ensure
that such compliance is not required, including, without limitation, establishing
procedures for the issuance to a Canadian or the United States resident
trustee of Rights or securities issuable on exercise of Rights, the holding
thereof in trust for the Persons entitled thereto (but reserving to the
trustee or to the trustee and the Corporation, as the Corporation may
determine, absolute investment discretion with respect thereto) and the
sale thereof and remittance of proceeds of such sale, if any, to the Persons
entitled thereto. In no event shall the Corporation or the Rights Agent
be required to issue or deliver Rights or securities issuable on exercise
of Rights to Persons who are citizens, residents or nationals of any jurisdiction
other than Canada or the United States, in which such issue or delivery
would be unlawful without registration of the relevant Persons or securities
for such purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the
issuance or delivery of the Rights or securities issuable on exercise
of Rights to Persons who are citizens, residents or nationals of any such
jurisdiction in which such issue or delivery would be so unlawful, such
Rights or securities shall be issued and delivered to such Persons to
the extent the same may be so issued and delivered in reliance upon applicable
exemptions from registration requirements in such jurisdictions. |
||
5.9 | Notices | |
Any notice or demand authorized
or required by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent
or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Corporation shall be sufficiently
given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent)
as follows: |
Page 29 of 36
TransGlobe Energy Corporation
2900, 000 – 0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Any such notice or demand shall be deemed to have been received if delivered, on the date of delivery, or if sent by prepaid first class mail, on the fifth Business Day after mailing thereof, except in the case of interruption of regular mail service, in which case such notice shall be delivered.
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
Computershare Trust Company of Canada
Xxxxx 000, 000 – 0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Manager of Stock and Bond Transfer Department
Any such notice or demand shall be deemed to have been received if delivered, on the date of delivery, or if sent by prepaid first class mail, on the fifth Business Day after mailing thereof, except in the case of interruption of regular mail service, in which case such notice shall be delivered.
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on the register of the Corporation for its Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. In the event of any interruption of mail service, such notice required or permitted to be given hereunder will be deemed to be sufficiently given by advertisement of such notice in daily newspapers published in each of the cities of Calgary and Toronto.
5.10 | Costs of Enforcement |
The Corporation agrees that if the Corporation or any other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon exercise of Rights fails to fulfil any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the Corporation or such Person will reimburse the holder of any Rights for the costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions to enforce his rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
5.11 | Successors |
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
5.12 | Benefits of this Agreement |
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
Page 30 of 36
5.13 | Governing Law |
This Agreement and each Right issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the Province of Alberta and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such province applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such province.
5.14 | Severability |
If any Section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or other provision hereof or the application hereof to any circumstances or any right hereunder shall, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, such Section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or other provision or such right shall be ineffective only as to such jurisdiction and to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability in such jurisdiction without invalidating or rendering unenforceable or ineffective the remaining Sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs and other provisions hereof or rights hereunder in such jurisdiction or the application of such Section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or other provision or rights hereunder in any other jurisdiction or to circumstances other than those as to which it is specifically held invalid or unenforceable.
5.15 | Effective Date |
This Agreement is effective and in full force and effect in accordance with its terms from the date hereof.
5.16 | Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors |
All actions, calculations and determinations (including, for purposes of Clause (ii) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall: (i) be final, conclusive and binding on the Corporation, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties; and (ii) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
5.17 | Time of the Essence |
Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement.
5.18 | Execution in Counterparts |
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
5.19 | Language |
Les parties aux présentes ont exigé que la présente convention ainsi que tous les documents et avis qui s'y rattachent et/ou que en découlent soient redigés en langue anglaise. The parties hereto have required that this Agreement and all documents and notices related thereto and/or resulting therefrom be drawn up in English.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
TRANSGLOBE ENERGY CORPORATION | |
By: ___________________________________________ | |
By: ___________________________________________ | |
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY OF | |
CANADA | |
By: ___________________________________________ | |
By: ___________________________________________ |
Page 31 of 36
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. | _______________________ Rights |
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO TERMINATION ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION 3.1(b) OF THE SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR TRANSFEREES OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ITS AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY PERSON ACTING JOINTLY OR IN CONCERT WITH ANY OF THEM MAY BECOME VOID.
Rights Certificate
This certifies that _______________________________________ , or its registered assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Protection Rights Plan Agreement dated as of the 16th day of April, 2003 (the "Rights Agreement") between TransGlobe Energy Corporation, a corporation incorporated under The Companies Act (British Columbia) (the "Corporation") and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, a trust company, as rights agent (the "Rights Agent") (which term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Corporation at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the Expiration Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), one fully paid common share of the Corporation (a "Common Share") at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate together with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed and submitted to the Rights Agent at its principal office in the city of Toronto. Until adjustment thereof in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price is Fifty ($50.00) dollars.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, each Right evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase or receive securities of an entity other than the Corporation, assets, debt, equity or other securities or property or assets of the Corporation, or more or less than one Common Share (or a combination thereof), all as provided in the Rights Agreement.
The Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part thereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Rights Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Corporation and are available upon written request.
The Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at any of the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and the date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights now exercised. No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made as provided in the Rights Agreement.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of $0.00001 per Right, subject to adjustment in certain events, under certain circumstances at its option.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Shares or of any other securities which may at any time be issuable upon the
Page 32 of 36
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
The Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation and its corporate seal.
DATE: ____________________________ | TRANSGLOBE ENERGY CORPORATION |
By: ___________________________________________ | |
By: ___________________________________________ |
Countersigned:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY
OF CANADA
By: ___________________________________________
Authorized Signature
Page 33 of 36
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificates)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ (please print name and address of transferee)
the Rights represented by this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________________ attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Corporation, with full power of substitution.
DATE: ____________________________ | ______________________________________________ |
Signature |
Signature Guarantee: | (Signature must correspond
to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever) |
Note: Signature must be guaranteed by a major Canadian trust company, a Schedule I Canadian chartered bank, or a member of a recognized Medallion Guarantee program.
___________________________________________________________________________________
(To be completed by the assignor if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and Common Shares, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting jointly or in concert therewith. Capitalized terms shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Rights Agreement.
Signature
_________________________________________
(please print name of Signatory)
Page 34 of 36
(To be attached to each Rights Certificate)
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
TO:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________________________________
whole Rights represented by the Rights Certificate to purchase the Common Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such shares be issued in the name of:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Address
______________________________________________________________________
Social Insurance, Social Security or Other Taxpayer Identification Number
DATE: ____________________________ | ______________________________________________ |
Signature |
Signature Guarantee: | (Signature must correspond
to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever) |
Note: Signature must be guaranteed by a major Canadian trust company, a Schedule I Canadian chartered bank, or a member of a recognized Medallion Guarantee program.
__________________________________________________________________
(To be completed by exercisor if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and Common Shares, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any Person acting jointly or in concert therewith. Capitalized terms shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Rights Agreement.
Signature
_________________________________________
(please print name of Signatory)
Page 35 of 36
NOTICE
In the event the Certificate set forth above in the applicable Forms of Assignment or Election is not completed, the Corporation will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof and, in the case of an Assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificates issued in exchange for this Rights Certificate. Capitalized terms shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Rights Agreement.
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