SHAW COMMUNICATIONS INC. (an Alberta corporation) $300,000,000 6.15 % Senior Notes due 2016 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC.
(an Alberta corporation)
$300,000,000 6.15 % Senior Notes due 2016
Dated: As of April 25, 2006
Table of Contents
Section 1. |
Representations and Warranties | 4 | ||||
(a) |
Representations and Warranties by the Company. | 4 | ||||
(b) |
Officer's Certificates | 13 | ||||
Section 2. |
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing | 13 | ||||
(a) |
Securities. | 13 | ||||
(b) |
Payment. | 13 | ||||
(c) |
Denominations; Registration | 13 | ||||
(d) |
Appointment of Qualified Independent Underwriter | 13 | ||||
Section 3. |
Covenants of the Company. | 14 | ||||
(a) |
Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests | 14 | ||||
(b) |
Filing of Amendments | 14 | ||||
(c) |
Delivery of Filed Documents | 15 | ||||
(d) |
Delivery of Prospectuses | 15 | ||||
(e) |
Blue Sky Qualifications | 15 | ||||
(f) |
Rule 158 | 16 | ||||
(g) |
Use of Proceeds | 16 | ||||
(h) |
French Version of the Canadian Prospectus | 16 | ||||
Section 4. |
Payment of Expenses | 16 | ||||
(a) |
Expenses | 16 | ||||
(b) |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 17 | ||||
Section 5. |
Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations | 17 | ||||
(a) |
Effectiveness of Registration Statement | 17 | ||||
(b) |
Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Company | 18 | ||||
(c) |
Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company | 18 | ||||
(d) |
Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Underwriters | 18 | ||||
(e) |
Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters | 19 | ||||
(f) |
Opinion of Regulatory Counsel | 19 | ||||
(g) |
Officers' Certificate | 19 | ||||
(h) |
Accountants' Comfort Letter | 20 | ||||
(i) |
Bring-down Comfort Letter | 20 | ||||
(j) |
Maintenance of Rating | 20 | ||||
(k) |
Additional Documents | 20 | ||||
(l) |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 21 | ||||
Section 6. |
Indemnification | 21 | ||||
(a) |
Indemnification of Underwriters | 21 | ||||
(b) |
Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers | 22 | ||||
(c) |
Actions against Parties; Notification | 23 | ||||
(d) |
Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse | 24 | ||||
Section 7. |
Contribution | 24 | ||||
Section 8. |
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 25 | ||||
Section 9. |
Termination of Underwriting Agreement | 26 |
(a) |
Termination; General | 26 | ||||
(b) |
Liabilities | 26 | ||||
Section 10. |
Default by One or More of the Underwriters | 27 | ||||
Section 11. |
Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunities | 27 | ||||
Section 12. |
Notices | 28 | ||||
Section 13. |
Authority of Lead Underwriter | 28 | ||||
Section 14. |
Parties | 28 | ||||
Section 15. |
Governing Law and Time | 29 | ||||
Section 16. |
Effect of Headings | 29 | ||||
Section 17. |
Entire Agreement | 29 | ||||
Section 18. |
Counterparts | 29 | ||||
SCHEDULES |
||||||
Schedule A – List of Underwriters | Sch A-1 | |||||
Schedule B – Pricing Information | Sch B-1 | |||||
EXHIBITS |
||||||
Exhibit A — Form of Opinion of Canadian Counsel for the Company | A-1 | |||||
Exhibit B – Form of Opinion of U. S. Counsel for the Company | B-1 | |||||
Exhibit C – Form of Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Underwriters | C-1 | |||||
Exhibit D – Form of Opinion of Special Regulatory Counsel for the Company | D-1 |
April 25, 2006
Xxxx Communications Inc.
Xxxxx 000, 000-0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Xxxxx 000, 000-0xx Xxxxxx X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Attention: | Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Dear Sirs/Mesdames:
The undersigned, TD Securities Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc., and the Underwriters
listed in Schedule A (collectively, the “Underwriters” and individually an “Underwriter”)
understand that Xxxx Communications Inc. (the “Company”) proposes to raise funds by the creation
and issue of $300,000,000 principal amount of 6.15% Senior Notes due May 9, 2016 (the “Securities”)
on the terms set out in Schedule B. The Securities will be unsecured senior obligations and will
rank equally and rateably with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness
and are further described and will have the attributes substantially as outlined in the English and
French language versions of the Canadian Prospectus and as outlined in the Registration Statement
(as defined below) of the Company filed in respect of the issue and sale of the Securities. The
Securities are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated November 12, 2003, between the Company
and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a series
supplemental indenture dated as of the closing of the offering (collectively the “Indenture”).
Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters severally offer to
purchase from the Company at the Closing Time (as such term is hereinafter defined), and, by its
acceptance hereof, the Company agrees to issue and sell at such time to the Underwriters, all but
not less than all of the Securities in consideration for the Purchase Price (as defined in Schedule
B hereto) plus accrued interest, if any, from May 9, 2006 to the date of delivery of the
Securities.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase the Securities which will result
from the Company’s acceptance of this offer, and in consideration of the services rendered and to
be rendered by the Underwriters in connection therewith, including but not limited to: acting as
financial advisors to the Company; assisting in the preparation of the Canadian Prospectus, the
U.S. Prospectus and the Registration Statement and related documentation in order to qualify the
Securities for sale in Canada and register the sale of the Securities in the United States; selling
the Securities to the public both directly and through other dealers and brokers; and performing
administrative work in connection with the sale of the Securities, you agree to pay to TD
Securities Inc., or as it may direct, on behalf of the Underwriters, a fee of 1.0 per cent of the
aggregate principal amount of the Securities sold to institutions by Closing Time and 2.5 per cent
of the aggregate
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principal amount for all other sales (the “Underwriting Commission”) against receipt of the
Purchase Price for the Securities. 6 per cent of the Underwriting Commission will be paid to TD
Securities Inc. and 4 per cent of the Underwriting Commission will be paid to RBC Dominion
Securities Inc. with the remaining 90% per cent being divided among the Underwriters pro rata based
on the percentages noted in Schedule A hereof. The Underwriters agree that not fewer than 50% of
the aggregate principal amount of the Securities will be sold to institutions.
Payment of the Purchase Price for the Securities by the Underwriters will be made by wire
transfer to accounts designated by the Company at least one day in advance of Closing against
payment of the Underwriting Commission by the Company and delivery of the Securities in global,
fully registered form for deposit in the book-entry only system administered by The Canadian
Depository for Securities Limited (“CDS”) at the Closing Time at the office of counsel to the
Corporation in Calgary, Alberta.
The obligation of the Underwriters to purchase any Securities shall, in addition to being
subject to the other terms and conditions described herein, be conditional on the following steps
having been taken within the time frames described below (in each case, subject to terms and
conditions of this Agreement, including Section 3(a) hereof):
(a) | the Company shall file a preliminary short form prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein, in the English and French languages, as applicable, the “Canadian Preliminary Prospectus”) qualifying the distribution of the Securities with the Alberta Securities Commission (the “Reviewing Authority”) and the securities regulatory authorities in each of the other provinces of Canada (together with Alberta, the “Qualifying Provinces”) by no later than 12:00 p.m., on April 25, 2006, and shall obtain a decision document issued by the Reviewing Authority in its capacity as principal regulator pursuant to National Policy 43-201 — Mutual Reliance Review System For Prospectuses and Annual Information Forms and its related memorandum of understanding (collectively, the “MRRS”), evidencing that a receipt has been issued for the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus by the securities regulatory authorities in each of Qualifying Provinces (collectively, the “Canadian Regulatory Authorities”) dated April 25, 2006; | ||
(b) | the Company shall file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), in accordance with the provisions of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “1933 Act”) and the General Rules and Regulations thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form F-10 covering the offer and sale of the Securities under the 1933 Act, which includes the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus (with such additions and deletions as are permitted or required by Form F-10 and the applicable rules and regulations of the |
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Commission) (the “U.S. Preliminary Prospectus”) by 12:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on April 25, 2006; |
(c) | the Company shall file with the Commission an appointment for agent for service of process upon the Company on Form F-X in conjunction with the filing of the Registration Statement (the “Form F-X”); | ||
(d) | the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to resolve all comments on the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus that are received from the Canadian Regulatory Authorities (as well as any comments on the Registration Statement that are received from the Commission) as soon as possible after receipt of such comments and on a basis satisfactory to the Underwriters, acting reasonably; | ||
(e) | the Company shall issue a press release announcing the offering of the Securities immediately upon the execution of this Agreement and the filing of the Registration Statement; | ||
(f) | the Company shall file a final short form prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein, in the English and French languages, as applicable, the “Canadian Final Prospectus”) qualifying the distribution of the Securities with the Reviewing Authority and the other Canadian Regulatory Authorities, and shall obtain a decision document issued by the Reviewing Authority in its capacity as principal regulator, pursuant to the MRRS, evidencing that a receipt has been issued for the Canadian Final Prospectus by each of the Canadian Regulatory Authorities, as soon as practicable after comments on the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus are settled and, in any event, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2006; and | ||
(g) | the Company shall file with the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act, an amendment to the Registration Statement which includes the Canadian Final Prospectus (with such additions and deletions as are permitted or required by Form F-10 and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission) (the “U.S. Final Prospectus”) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2006. |
For greater certainty, the parties agree that if the Company fails to meet the deadlines
specified above for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, being unable to resolve
any comments on the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus from the Canadian Regulatory Authorities on a
basis satisfactory to the Underwriters, acting reasonably, within the time frames described above),
the Underwriters shall be entitled to exercise the termination rights provided for in Section 9
hereof.
The draft of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus presented to the Underwriters immediately
prior to the execution of this Agreement is referred to as the “Draft Canadian Prospectus”. The
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Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Final Prospectus are referred to herein
collectively as the “Canadian Prospectus”. The U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and the U.S. Final
Prospectus are referred to herein collectively as the “U.S. Prospectus”. Any amendment to the
Canadian Final Prospectus or the U.S. Final Prospectus, any amended or supplemental prospectus or
auxiliary material, information, evidence, return, report, application, statement or document that
may be filed by or on behalf of the Company under the securities laws, rules, regulations and
published policy statements applicable in the Qualifying Provinces (the “Canadian Securities Law”)
or with the Commission prior to the Closing Time (as hereinafter defined) and which is deemed to be
incorporated by reference into the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus, as applicable, prior to
the expiry of the period of distribution of the Securities is referred to herein collectively as
the “Supplementary Material.”
Section 1. Representations and Warranties
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Mutual Reliance Review System Decision Document; Effectiveness; No Stop Order.
The Company meets the general eligibility requirements for use of Form F-10 under the
1933 Act and is eligible to file a short form prospectus with the Reviewing Authority and
the Qualifying Authorities. Prior to the Closing Time, decision documents will have been
obtained from the Reviewing Authority pursuant to the MRRS in respect of the Canadian
Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the
distribution of the Securities has been issued by the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying
Authority and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying
Authority. As of the Closing Time, the Registration Statement will have become effective
under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement will have been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose will
have been instituted or will be pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by
the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
will have been complied with.
(ii) Compliance with U.S. and Canadian Securities Laws. (A) Each document filed or
to be filed with the Canadian Regulatory Authorities and incorporated by reference in the
Canadian Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the
requirements of Canadian Securities Laws as interpreted and applied by the Canadian
Regulatory Authorities and none of such documents contained or will contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (B) from the time
that the Reviewing Authority issues a final decision document pursuant to the MRRS for the
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Canadian Prospectus, no other document with respect to the Canadian Prospectus or the
Registration Statement, any amendment thereto or any document incorporated by reference
therein will be required to be filed or transmitted for filing with the Reviewing Authority
or any Qualifying Authority or the Commission by or on behalf of the Company; (C) the
information and statements contained in the Draft Canadian Prospectus constitute, full, true
and plain disclosure of all material facts related to the Company and the Securities, other
than information that is related solely to or derived from the pricing terms described in
this Agreement; (D) on the date each is filed, and at the Closing Time, the information and
statements contained in the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Final
Prospectus will constitute, full, true and plain disclosure of all material facts related to
the Company and the Securities; (E) on the date each is filed, and at the Closing Time, the
U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and U.S. Prospectus conformed, and will conform, to the Canadian
Preliminary Prospectus and Canadian Prospectus, respectively, except for such deletions
therefrom and additions thereto as are permitted or required by Form F-10 and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Commission; (F) each document, if any, filed or to be filed
pursuant to the 1934 Act and incorporated by reference in the U.S. Prospectus complied or
will comply when so filed in all material respects with the United States Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the applicable rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder; (G) the Registration Statement, when it becomes effective and
at the Closing Time, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; (H) when the Registration Statement becomes effective and at the
Closing Time, each of the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus will comply, in all
material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1939
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act
Regulations”) and; (I) neither the Canadian Prospectus nor the U.S. Prospectus at the time
each is filed and at the Closing Time will contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the
representations and warranties set forth in this Section 1(a)(ii) do not apply to statements
or omissions in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus
based upon information relating to an Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
such Underwriter expressly for use therein.
(iii) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who are reporting upon the
audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the
Canadian Prospectus, are the auditors of the Company and its subsidiaries and are
independent within the meaning of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) and securities
legislation of the Qualifying Provinces and are independent public accountants as required
by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
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(iv) Filings in Canada/U.S. Other than as contemplated in the fifth paragraph of
this agreement: there are no reports or information that in accordance with the requirements
of the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority must be made publicly available in
connection with the offering of the Securities that have not been made publicly available as
required; there are no documents required to be filed with the Reviewing Authority or any
Qualifying Authority or with any other Canadian securities regulatory authority in
connection with the Canadian Prospectus that have not been filed as required; and there are
no contracts, documents or other materials required to be described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or the U.S. Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement that are not described, referred to or filed as required.
(v) Financial Statements The financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Draft Canadian Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Canadian Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of
the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, respectively, at the dates indicated and for
the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“Canadian GAAP”) applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved and the consolidated financial statements of the
Company have been reconciled to generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) in accordance with item 18 of Form 20-F under the 1934 Act.
The supporting schedules, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated
therein.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Draft Canadian Prospectus (other than information that is
related solely to or derived from the pricing terms described in this Agreement), the
Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus and the Supplementary
Material, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change
in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs
or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B)
there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries which
are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
and (C) except for regular dividends on the Company’s Class A Participating Shares and Class
B Non-Voting Participating Shares in amounts per share that are consistent with past
practice (with such increases as have been publicly announced prior to the date hereof) or
in connection with the Corporation’s previously announced normal course issuer bid, there
has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on
any class of its capital stock.
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(vii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is a
valid and subsisting corporation under the laws of the Province of Alberta, has the
corporate power and corporate capacity to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and to
enter into and perform its obligations under this Underwriting Agreement; and the Company is
duly qualified as an extra-provincial or foreign corporation to transact business and is in
good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(viii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each of Xxxx Cablesystems Limited, Xxxx
Cablesystems G.P., Videon Cablesystems Inc., Canadian Satellite Communications Inc., Star
Choice Communications Inc., Star Choice Television Network Incorporated and Star Choice
Satellite T.V. Inc. is a “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in
Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”);
such Subsidiaries are the only “significant subsidiaries” of the Company; and each of such
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is a valid and subsisting corporation in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described
in the U.S. Prospectus and Canadian Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign or
extra-provincial corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to
be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus,
all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly
authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company,
directly or indirectly free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any
Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder
of such Subsidiary.
(ix) Capitalization. The issued and outstanding capital of the Company is as set
forth in the Draft Canadian Prospectus (other than information that is related solely to or
derived from the pricing terms described in this Agreement), the U.S. Prospectus and the
Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances of
shares, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to
in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of
convertible securities or options referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus and subsequent purchases of shares pursuant to the Corporation’s previously
announced normal course issuer bid). The shares of issued and outstanding capital of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
none of the outstanding shares in the capital of the Company were issued in violation of the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
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(x) Authorization of Underwriting Agreement. This Underwriting Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xi) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the
Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations and, when duly
executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except
as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); no registration, filing or
recording of the Indenture under the laws of Canada or any province thereof is necessary in
order to preserve or protect the validity or enforceability of the Indenture or the
Securities issued thereunder .
(xii) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized
and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when
authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and
delivered against payment of the Purchase Price therefor as provided in this Underwriting
Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of,
the Indenture.
(xiii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The Securities and the
Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating
thereto contained in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and are in the form
contemplated by the Indenture, filed, or to be filed, with the Commission.
(xiv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of its constating documents or by-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in
any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease,
license or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and
Instruments”) except for such defaults that would not result individually or in the
aggregate in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein
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and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the
use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Draft Canadian
Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Use of
Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and under the
Indenture do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default or Repayment Event (as
defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults
or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result individually or in the aggregate in
a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of the constating documents or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations which violation
would result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any
event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of
indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the
repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company
or any of the subsidiaries.
(xv) Absence of Labour Dispute. No labour dispute with the employees of the Company
or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company
is not aware of any existing or imminent labour disturbance by the employees of any of its
or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in
either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting
the Company or any subsidiary individually or in the aggregate which is required to be
disclosed in the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, the Supplementary Material or the
Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to
materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder or thereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to
which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property
or assets is the subject which are not described in the Draft Canadian Prospectus, the U.S.
Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, the Supplementary Material and the Registration
Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company,
could not reasonably be expected to result individually or in the aggregate in a Material
Adverse Effect.
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(xvii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries
possess, license or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and
other rights to inventions, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), patents,
patent rights, licenses, copyrights, and other intellectual property (collectively,
“Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, and neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual
Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property
invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
therein, where such infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavourable decision,
ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the
Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Underwriting Agreement or for the due execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by
the Company, except (A) such as have already been obtained or as may be required under the
1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws and except for the
qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act and (B) such as have been obtained or may
be required under Canadian Securities Law.
(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess
such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively,
“Governmental Licenses”) issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission or other appropriate federal, provincial, territorial, state, local or foreign
regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to own, lease, license and use its properties and
assets and to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure to possess
Governmental Licenses would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its
subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental
Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have
a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and
effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such
Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse
Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses
which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavourable decision, ruling or
finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xx) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all
other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges,
liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as
(a) are described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or (b) do not, singly
or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with
the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries; and (i) all of the leases and subleases related to the business of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds
properties described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, are in full force
and effect, and (ii) neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any claim of
any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any
subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning
the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or
subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, in each case except where the failure
of such leases or subleases to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xxi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of
the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as
described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus will not be, an “investment
company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in
the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act").
(xxii) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Draft Canadian Prospectus,
the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, and except as
would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, provincial, local
or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or
any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or
administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation,
laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum
products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous
Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”) except where such violation would not have a
Material Adverse Effect, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits,
authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each
in compliance with their requirements except where the failure to have such permit,
authorization or approval would not have a Material Adverse Effect, (C) there are no pending
or, to its knowledge, threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits,
demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation,
investigations or proceedings relating to any
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Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries except where such actions,
suits, demands, claims, liens, noncompliance, violations, investigations or proceedings,
singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect and (D) there are no
events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for
clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries
relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws except where such events or
circumstances, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains disclosure controls and
procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act and as contemplated
by the certifications required under Form 52-109F1 and Form 52-109F2 under Multilateral
Instrument 52-109 — Certification of Disclosures in Issuer’s Annual and Interim Filings,
and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information
concerning the Company is made known, on a timely basis, to the individuals responsible for
the preparation of the Company’s filings with the Commission and the Qualifying Authorities.
The Company is not aware of (a) any significant deficiency and material weaknesses in the
design or operation of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined by
Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the 1934 Act and, in Canada, under 52-109) which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize
and report financial information or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls
over financial reporting;
(xxiv) Internal Controls. The Company maintains systems of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance
with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D)
the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; provided that
nothing contained in this subsection 1(a)(xxiv) shall be construed as a representation by
the Company that it has applied such procedures, made such investigations or otherwise
evaluated the effectiveness of its internal accounting controls as would be required if the
Company was subject to Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002; and
(xxv) SOX Compliance. The Company has complied in all material respects with the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as applicable to the Company as at the date hereof, and the
corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange, as applicable to the Company as
at the date hereof, and Canadian Securities Laws, and, to the knowledge of the Company, the
Company’s directors and executive officers, in their capacities as such, have complied in
all material respects with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as applicable to the Company as
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at the date hereof, and the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange and
Canadian Securities Laws.
(b) Officer’s Certificates
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to
the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty
by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
Section 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing
(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule B, the aggregate principal amount of
Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional
principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to
the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment of the Purchase Price for, and delivery of certificates for, the
Securities shall be made at the offices of Fraser Xxxxxx Casgrain LLP, 30th Floor, Fifth
Avenue Place, 237-4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P 4X7, or at such other place as
shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on May 9,
2006, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon
by the Underwriters and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Underwriters for the respective accounts
of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood
that each Underwriter has authorized TD Securities Inc., for its account, to accept delivery of,
receipt for, and make payment of the Purchase Price for, the Securities which it has agreed to
purchase. TD Securities Inc., individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but
shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by
any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not
relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(c) Denominations; Registration
Certificates for the Securities shall be registered in the name of “CDS & Co.” and in such
denominations as may be required by the Canadian Depository for Securities Limited, or as otherwise
may be requested in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time.
(d) Appointment of Qualified Independent Underwriter
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The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated as, and Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated hereby confirms its
agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter” within the
meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities in the United States. Xxxxxxx Lynch,
Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, solely in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter
and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “Independent Underwriter”.
Section 3. Covenants of the Company.
The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests
Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file the
Registration Statement, the Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement to any such document, unless the Company has furnished the Underwriters a copy for their
review prior to filing and will not file any such document to which the Underwriters object. The
Company will promptly file all reports required to be filed by it with the Reviewing Authority and
the Qualifying Authorities pursuant to Canadian Securities Law and with the Commission pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder for so long as the delivery of a prospectus
is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities, and during such same period
will advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any
amendment to the Canadian Prospectus has been filed or receipted, when any amendment to the
Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amended Canadian Prospectus or
U.S. Prospectus has been filed with the Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities or the
Commission, of the issuance by the Reviewing Authority, any Qualifying Authority, any stock
exchange or the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of
any prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Reviewing Authority, any Qualifying
Authority, any stock exchange or the Commission for the amending of the Registration Statement, or
amending or supplementing of the Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus or for additional
information relating to the Securities; and, the Company will make every reasonable effort to
prevent the issuance of any such stop order or any such order preventing or suspending the use of
any prospectus relating to the Securities or the suspension of any such qualification and, in the
event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use
of any prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly make
every effort to obtain the withdrawal of such order.
(b) Filing of Amendments
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If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act or applicable Canadian Securities Law, any event occurs as a result of which the
Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Canadian Prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus to
comply with Canadian Securities Law, the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, or the respective rules
thereunder, the Company promptly will (1) notify the Underwriters of such event, (2) prepare and
file with the Reviewing Authority, the Qualifying Authorities and the Commission, subject to the
first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 3, an amendment or supplement which will correct
such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3) supply any amended or supplemented
Canadian Prospectus, U.S. Prospectus and Registration Statement to the Underwriters in such
quantities as they may reasonably request.
(c) Delivery of Filed Documents
The Company will deliver to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge,
signed copies of the Canadian Prospectus, approved, signed and certified as required by Canadian
Securities Law and signed and conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed
and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference
therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and including
a signed copy of the Company Form F-X) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of
experts.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses
The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (each as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter has
reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during
the period when the U.S. Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act,
such number of copies of the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (each as amended or
supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The delivery of the Canadian Prospectus
or U.S. Prospectus shall constitute the consent of the Company to the use of such prospectuses in
each province of Canada and in the United States, respectively.
(e) Blue Sky Qualifications
The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so
long as reasonably required for the distribution of the Securities, such period not to exceed one
year; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of
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process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in
which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as
may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect so long
as required for the sale of the Securities. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with
such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Securities for
investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.
(f) Rule 158
The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order
to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for
the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a)
of the 1933 Act.
(g) Use of Proceeds
The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the
manner specified in the Draft Canadian Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and in the Canadian
Prospectus under the captions “Use of Proceeds” and “Capitalization”.
(h) French Version of the Canadian Prospectus
The Company shall cause its Canadian counsel to deliver an opinion concurrently with any
filing of the Canadian Prospectus to the effect that the French language version of the Canadian
Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, (except for the financial
information) is in all material respects a complete and accurate translation of the English
language version thereof, and such version is not susceptible of any materially different
interpretation with respect to any material matter contained therein. The Company shall cause its
auditors to deliver an opinion concurrently with any filing of the Canadian Prospectus to the
effect that the French language version of the financial information in the Canadian Prospectus,
including financial information incorporated by reference therein, is in all material respects a
complete and accurate translation of the English language version thereof, and such version is not
susceptible of any materially different interpretation with respect to any material matter
contained therein.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses
(a) Expenses
The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Underwriting Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements and exhibits and the Form F-X) as originally filed
and of each amendment thereto, the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, the
U.S.
- 17 -
Preliminary Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and any Supplementary Material and any amendments
or supplements thereto, and the cost of furnishing copies thereof to the Underwriters, (ii) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase,
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the
certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters including any stamp or transfer taxes in
connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities, (iv) the fees and disbursements
of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities
under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(d) hereof, including the
filing fees incident to any necessary filings under state securities laws and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such state filings, (vi) the
printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, U.S.
Preliminary Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of
the blue sky survey and any supplement thereto, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel
for the Underwriters relating to such preparation, (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture
and the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the
Securities, (x) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities, (xi) the fees and
expenses of the Independent Underwriter, and (xii) any fees and expenses payable in connection with
any roadshow or other marketing undertaking. Except as set out in section 4(a)(v) and 4(a)(vii),
section 4(b) and section 6, the Company shall not be responsible for the fees or disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
(b) Termination of Underwriting Agreement
If this Underwriting Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in accordance with the
provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for
all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters.
Section 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of
any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions
hereof, to the filing by the Company of various documents contemplated by the fifth paragraph of
this Agreement, to the performance by the Company of its other covenants and obligations hereunder,
and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement
The Canadian Prospectus including all necessary amendments shall have been filed with the
Reviewing Authority and the Qualifying Authorities and the Reviewing Authority shall have issued
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decision documents pursuant to the MRRS evidencing that a receipt has been issued for each of the
Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and Canadian Final Prospectus by the Canadian Regulatory
Authorities; the Registration Statement including all necessary amendments shall have been filed
with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for filing and the Registration
Statement shall have become effective; and at Closing Time: no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that
purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no order of the Reviewing
Authority or any Qualifying Authority to cease distribution of the Securities under the Canadian
Prospectus as amended or supplemented has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have
been instituted or threatened; and all requests for additional information on the part of the
Commission or the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority shall have been complied with.
(b) Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Company
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favourable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Fraser Xxxxxx Casgrain LLP, Canadian counsel of the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, acting reasonably, to the effect set forth
in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably
request. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada
applicable therein, on the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters, acting reasonably.
Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications Statutes (as defined
in Exhibit D) and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in
Section 5(f) or as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than Canadian federal laws or the laws of
the Province of Alberta except as aforesaid. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(c) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favourable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.C., United States counsel for the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, acting reasonably, to the effect set forth
in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably
request. Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications Statutes and
related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in Section 5(f) or as to
the laws of any jurisdiction other than U.S. federal laws or the laws of the State of New York.
Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have
relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d) Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Underwriters
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At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favourable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of XxXxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, Canadian counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to
the matters set forth in clauses (x), (xi), (xii) and (xv) inclusive. In giving such opinion such
counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the laws of
the Province of Alberta and Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein upon the
opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters. Such counsel may state that they express no
opinion as to the Communications Statutes and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxx referred to in Section 5(f). Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of
officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(e) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favourable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, United States counsel for the
Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may
rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of
New York and the federal laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to
the Underwriters. Such counsel may state that they express no opinion as to the Communications
Statutes and related matters covered by the opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx referred to in Section
5(f). Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they
have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(f) Opinion of Regulatory Counsel
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favourable opinion, dated as of
the Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, regulatory counsel of the Company, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters acting reasonably to the effect set forth in Exhibit D
hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) Officers’ Certificate
At Closing Time, there shall not have occurred, since the date hereof or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the U.S. Prospectus and in the Canadian Prospectus, any
Material Adverse Effect, and the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Chief
Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the Chief Financial
Officer of the Company, or such other officers as may be acceptable to the Underwriters, dated as
of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the
representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and
effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior
to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been
- 20 -
issued and no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending the distribution of the
Securities has been issued by the Commission or any securities commission or securities regulatory
authority in Canada and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are
contemplated by the Commission or any securities commission or securities regulatory authority in
Canada.
(h) Accountants’ Comfort Letter
At the time of the filing of the Canadian Final Prospectus, the Underwriters shall have
received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’
“comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus.
(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter
At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter,
dated as of the Closing Time to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter
furnished pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to
shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(j) Maintenance of Rating
At Closing Time, the Securities shall be rated at least Ba2 (stable trend) by Xxxxx’x
Investors Service Inc., BB+ (stable trend) by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of
XxXxxx-Xxxx, Inc., and BB (high) (positive trend) by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited and the
Company shall have delivered to the Underwriters a letter dated as of the Closing Time,
satisfactory to the Underwriters and its counsel, from each such rating agency, or other evidence
satisfactory to the Underwriters and its counsel, confirming that the Securities have such ratings;
and since the date of this Underwriting Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in
the rating assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating agency”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it
has under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other
securities.
(k) No Objection
The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. shall have confirmed that it has not
raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and
arrangements
(l) Additional Documents
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At Closing Time, and at each date of delivery, if any, the Company shall have furnished to the
Underwriters such further information, certificates and documents as the Underwriters may
reasonably request and counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents
and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of
any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein
contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters
and counsel for the Underwriters.
(m) Termination of Underwriting Agreement
If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required
to be fulfilled, this Underwriting Agreement and the obligations of the several Underwriters to
purchase the relevant Securities, may be terminated by the Underwriters by notice in writing to the
Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such date of delivery, as the case may be, and
such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 11 shall survive any such termination and remain in
full force and effect.
Section 6. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters
The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any,
who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred,
arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in the Registration Statement or the Canadian Prospectus (or any amendment thereto) or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in the U.S. Preliminary
Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, the Canadian
Prospectus or any Supplementary Material (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred,
to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
of any
- 22 -
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of one firm of counsel in each relevant jurisdiction chosen jointly by TD
Securities Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc.), reasonably incurred in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any
such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the
extent that any such expense is not paid under (A) or (B) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to (i) any loss, liability, claim,
damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by the Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or
any preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus (or any amendment
thereto) and (ii) any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission in any preliminary prospectus
that is correct in the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus if the person asserting any such
loss, liability, claim, damage or expense purchased any of the Securities from such Underwriter but
was not sent or given a copy of the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person and (A) the Company has complied
with Section 3(c) of this Agreement, and (B) any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission in any such preliminary prospectus has been corrected in the Canadian
Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus in the reasonable view of the Underwriters and (C) it shall be
established that the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense was not
sent or given a copy of the Canadian Prospectus or U.S. Prospectus, at or prior to the written
confirmation of the sale of the Securities.
The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Independent Underwriter, its
affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act, and selling agents and each
person, if any, who controls the Independent Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever, as incurred, incurred as a result of the Independent Underwriter’s
participation as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the
Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the
offering of the Securities.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers
- 23 -
Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors,
each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement or the Canadian Prospectus, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described
in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)(i) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect
to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or the U.S.
Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus or any Supplementary Material (or any amendment thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such
preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus or any Supplementary
Material (or any amendment thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification
Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each
indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party
from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and
in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of
section 6(a) above. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a)(i) above, counsel
to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Underwriters, and, in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the
consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any
local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any
one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the
same general allegations or circumstances; provided, that, if indemnity is sought pursuant to
Section 6(a)(ii), then, in addition to the fees and expenses of such counsel for the indemnified
parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more
than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from its own counsel and that of the
other indemnified parties for the Independent Underwriter in its capacity as a “qualified
independent underwriter” and all persons, if any, who control the Independent Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act in connection with any one
action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstance if, in the reasonable judgment of the Independent Underwriter,
there may exist a conflict of interest between the Independent Underwriter and the other
indemnified parties. Any such separate counsel for the Independent Underwriter and such control
persons of the Independent Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Independent
Underwriter. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
- 24 -
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which
indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether
or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement,
compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf
of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse
If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse
the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it
shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(i)(B) effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt
by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have
received written notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement
being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified
party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
Section 7. Contribution
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement or (ii) if the allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault
of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting
Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from
the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company and the total underwriting commission received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth on the cover of the U.S. Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
- 25 -
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
will not receive any additional benefits hereunder for serving as the Independent Underwriter in
connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section. The aggregate amount of
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to
above in this Section shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by
it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which
such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to
this Section are several in proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite
their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery
- 26 -
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Underwriting Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
Section 9. Termination of Underwriting Agreement
(a) Termination; General
The Underwriters may terminate this Underwriting Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any
time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this
Underwriting Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (in each case exclusive of
any amendment or supplement thereto), any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the
United States or Canada or in the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or
escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective
change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions or any law or
regulation, in each case the effect of which, in the opinion of the Underwriters, seriously
adversely affects or involves, or will seriously adversely affect or involve, the financial markets
or the business, operations or affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially
limited by the Commission, the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority, The Toronto Stock
Exchange or The New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or
the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market or The Toronto Stock Exchange has been
suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the Reviewing Authority or any Qualifying Authority, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the
United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear Systems in Europe or with respect to The
Canadian Depository For Securities Limited in Canada, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by any United States federal, New York State or Canadian federal or provincial
authorities.
(b) Liabilities
If this Underwriting Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall
be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and
provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 11 shall survive such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
- 27 -
Section 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters
If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or date of delivery, if any, to
purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Underwriting
Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Underwriters shall have the right, within 24 hours
thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other
underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts
as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth. If, however, the Underwriters shall
not have completed such arrangements within such 24 hour period, then:
A. if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, each severally and not jointly, to purchase the
full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting
obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
B. if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal
amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Underwriting Agreement
shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Underwriting
Agreement, either the Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for
a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration
Statement, U.S. Prospectus or Canadian Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As
used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section.
Section 11. Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunities
By the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement, the Company (i) acknowledges
that it has, by separate written instrument, irrevocably designated and appointed CT Corporation
System, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, X.X.X. (or any successor) (together with any
successor, the “Agent for Service”), as its authorized agent upon which process may be served in
any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Underwriting Agreement or the Securities,
that may be instituted in any federal or New York state court in the Borough of Manhattan in The
City of New York, or brought under federal or state securities laws, and acknowledges that the
Agent for Service has accepted such designation and has provided written evidence of engagement of
CT Corporation System acting as such, (ii) submits to the jurisdiction of any such court in any
such suit or proceeding, and (iii) agrees that service of process upon the Agent for Service and
written notice of said service to the Company (mailed or delivered to its Chief
- 28 -
Financial Officer at its principal office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada), shall be deemed in
every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding. The
Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and
all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and
appointment of the Agent for Service in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities
shall be outstanding.
To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of
any court or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to
judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its
property, it hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under the
above-referenced documents, to the extent permitted by law.
The provisions of this Section 11 shall survive any termination of this Underwriting
Agreement, in whole or in part.
Section 12. Notices
All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to the Underwriters c/o TD Securities Inc., TD Bank Tower, 8th
Floor, 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xx. Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0, Xxxxxx, attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx (fax:
(000) 000-0000) and RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Royal Bank Plaza, South Tower, 000 Xxx Xxxxxx,
0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0 Attention: Xxx Xxxxxxx (fax: (000) 000-0000); and notices to
the Company shall be directed to it at 000-Xxxxx Xxxxxx X.X., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx,
X0X 0X0, Xxxxxx, attention of the Chief Financial Officer (fax: (000) 000-0000).
Section 13. Authority of Lead Underwriters
The other Underwriters authorize TD Securities Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc., on their
behalf to exercise all the authority and discretion granted to the Underwriters under the
Underwriting Agreement and to take all such action as they may believe desirable in connection with
the performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the purchase, sale and distribution of the
Securities, provided, however, that TD Securities Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. shall take
no action pursuant to paragraph 6 or paragraph 7 of the Underwriting Agreement without the consent
of at least one of the other Underwriters; provided further, that TD Securities Inc. and RBC
Dominion Securities Inc. shall not be under any liability whatsoever to any of the other
Underwriters except for want of good faith and for the obligations expressly assumed by them in
this Underwriting Agreement.
Section 14. Parties
This Underwriting Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this Underwriting Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or
- 29 -
corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and
the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs
and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of
this Underwriting Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Underwriting Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and
officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other
person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be
a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
Section 15. Governing Law and Time
THIS PURCHASE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
PROVINCE OF ALBERTA AND THE FEDERAL LAWS OF CANADA APPLICABLE THEREIN (WITHOUT REFERENCE TO
ALBERTA’S CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS). EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF
DAY REFER TO EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
Section 16. Effect of Headings
The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 17. Entire Agreement
The terms and conditions of this Underwriting Agreement supersede any previous verbal or
written agreement between the Underwriters and the Company with respect to the subject matter
hereof.
Section 18. Counterparts
This Underwriting Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be
an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same
instrument.
- 30 -
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding and agreed to by you, please
signify your acceptance on the accompanying duplicate of this letter and return the same to
us, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the
Underwriters.
TD SECURITIES INC. | RBC DOMINION SECURITIES INC. | |||||
“Xxxxxx Xxxxxx” | “Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx” | |||||
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx | Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
Managing Director | Title: | Managing Director | |||
CIBC WORLD MARKETS INC. | SCOTIA CAPITAL INC. | |||||
“Xxxxx X. Xx” | “Xxx Xxxxxx” | |||||
Name:
|
Xxxxx X. Xx | Name: | Xxx Xxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
Managing Director | Title: | Managing Director | |||
XXXXXXX XXXXX CANADA INC. | NATIONAL BANK FINANCIAL INC. | |||||
“M. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx” | “Xxxxx Rusheleau” | |||||
Name:
|
M. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | Name: | Xxxxx Rusheleau | |||
Title:
|
Managing Director | Title: | Managing Director | |||
GMP SECURITIES L.P. | ||||||
“Xxxx X. Xxx” | ||||||
Name:
|
Xxxx X. Xxx | |||||
Title:
|
Vice Chairman, Investment Banking |
- 31 -
The undersigned hereby executes this Underwriting Agreement in its capacity as “qualified
independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect to the offering and sale of
the Securities in the United States.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX | ||||||
INCORPORATED | ||||||
“M. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx” | ||||||
Name:
|
M. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||||
Title:
|
Managing Director |
- 32 -
The foregoing is in accordance with our understanding and is accepted and agreed as of this
25th day of April, 2006.
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC.
|
||
By: |
||
“Xxxxx Xxxxxx” |
||
Authorized Signatory |
||
By: |
||
“Xxx Xxxx” |
||
Authorized Signatory |
SCHEDULE A
Principal | ||||
Name of Underwriter | Amount of Securities | |||
TD Securities Inc. |
$ | 84,000,000 | ||
RBC Dominion Securities Inc. |
84,000,000 | |||
CIBC World Markets Inc. |
36,000,000 | |||
Scotia Capital Inc. |
36,000,000 | |||
National Bank Financial Inc. |
21,000,000 | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Canada Inc. |
21,000,000 | |||
GMP Securities L.P. |
18,000,000 | |||
Total |
$ | 300,000,000 | ||
SCHEDULE B
XXXX COMMUNICATIONS INC.
$300,000,000 6.15% Senior Notes due 2016
1. The initial public offering price of the Securities shall be an amount determined by the
Underwriters, plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance.
2. The purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) to be paid by the Underwriters for the Securities
shall be 98.059% of the principal amount thereof against delivery of the Securities and payment of
the Underwriting Commission.
3. The interest rate on the Securities shall be 6.15% per annum.
4. The Securities will mature on May 9, 2016.
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF
CANADIAN COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
CANADIAN COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly amalgamated and is a valid and subsisting corporation under
the laws of the Province of Alberta.
(ii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the U.S. Prospectus and
the Canadian Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Underwriting Agreement.
(iii) The Canadian Prospectus in both the French language and English language, the US
Prospectus and the Registration Statement have been duly approved and authorized by and on
behalf of the Company and they have been duly executed pursuant to such authorizations by
and on behalf of the Company and its board of directors.
(iv) The Company is extra-provincially registered to transact business in each jurisdiction
in Canada in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to
be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) The issued and outstanding share capital of the Company is as set forth in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans
referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise
of convertible securities or options referred to in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus or purchased pursuant to the Company’s normal course issuer bid); the issued and
outstanding shares in the capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares in the
share capital of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar
rights conferred on any securityholder of the Company by its constating documents or the
laws of Alberta.
(vi) Each of Xxxx Cablesystems Limited, Xxxx Cablesystems G.P., Videon Cablesystems Inc.,
Canadian Satellite Communications Inc., Star Choice Communications Inc., Star Choice
Television Network Incorporated and Star Choice Satellite T.V. Inc. (the
-2-
“Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is a valid and
subsisting corporation or partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation or organization, has the requisite power and capacity to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the U.S. Prospectus and
the Canadian Prospectus and is extra-provincially registered to transact business in each
jurisdiction in Canada in which such registration is required, whether by reason of the
ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to
register would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in
the Canadian Prospectus, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge (A) all of the issued and
outstanding shares in the capital of each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized
and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable, and (B) all of the issued and
outstanding share capital of, or partnership interest in, as applicable, each Significant
Subsidiary is registered in the name of the Company or one of its direct or indirect
wholly-owned subsidiaries and is free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge,
lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares in the capital of any
Significant Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights
conferred on any securityholder of such Significant Subsidiary by its constating documents
or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation.
(vii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and the Underwriting
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, subject to the customary qualifications on enforceability.
(viii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and corporate capacity to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Indenture and the Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to the customary qualifications on enforceability.
(ix) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under the Securities and the Securities are in the form contemplated
by the Indenture, and the Securities have been duly authorized, executed, issued and
delivered by the Company and constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the customary
qualifications on enforceability.
(x) The Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Canadian Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus.
(xi) Decision Documents pursuant to the MRRS have been obtained in respect of the Canadian
Preliminary Prospectus and Canadian Final Prospectus, respectively, from the
-3-
Reviewing Authority, on its behalf and on behalf of the Qualifying Authorities, and all
necessary documents have been filed, all necessary proceedings have been taken and all
necessary authorizations, approvals, permits, consents and orders have been obtained under
the securities laws of the Province of Alberta and the other Qualifying Provinces to permit
the Securities to be issued, offered, sold and delivered in Canada through investment
dealers or brokers who are registered under applicable legislation of each of the Qualifying
Provinces and who have complied with the relevant provisions of such applicable legislation
and the terms of such registration and in the United States, provided the applicable laws of
the United States are complied with, and no other consent, approval, authorization, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of or with any government, governmental
instrumentality, authority or agency or court of Canada or of the Province of Alberta is
necessary or required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of
this Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery
of the Securities in the United States, provided the applicable laws of the United States
are complied with.
(xii) The Company is a “reporting issuer” or equivalent under the securities laws of the
Province of Alberta and each of the other Qualifying Provinces which recognize such concept
and is not, to the knowledge of such counsel, in default of any requirement under such
securities laws.
(xiii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no Canadian statutes or
regulations (excluding the Communications Statutes and any other Canadian statutes
specifically relating to the regulation of either or both of the Canadian broadcasting and
telecommunications industries and the orders, rules, regulations and directions promulgated
pursuant to such statutes, including any statutes or regulations of any province
specifically relating to the regulation of either or both of the Canadian broadcasting and
telecommunications industries and the orders, rules, regulations and directions promulgated
thereunder, about which no opinion is expressed) that are required to be described or
referred to in the Canadian Prospectus that are not described or referred to therein as
required, and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xiv) All descriptions in the Canadian Prospectus of contracts and other documents to which
the Company or its Canadian subsidiaries are a party are accurate in all material respects;
to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, after reasonable investigation, other than the
Third Supplemental Indenture there are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan
agreements, notes, leases or other information or instruments that in accordance with the
requirements of the Reviewing Authority must be made publicly available in connection with
the offering of the Securities that have not been made publicly available as required; there
are no other documents required to be filed with the Reviewing Authority or any other
Qualifying Authority in connection with the Canadian Prospectus that have not been filed as
required other than the Third Supplemental Indenture.
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(xv) The information in the Registration Statement under “Part II, Indemnification”, has
been reviewed by such counsel and is correct in all material respects; and the opinion of
such counsel in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the captions “Certain
Income Tax Information — Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations” and
“Eligibility for Investment” is confirmed.
(xvi) The form and terms of the Securities have been duly authorized, approved and adopted
by the Company and comply with the provisions of the Indenture, with any applicable
requirements of the constating documents and by-laws of the Company and with the
requirements of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) relating thereto.
(xvii) The Company has complied with all conditions precedent to the issue of the Securities
set forth in the Indenture and all applicable legislation in respect thereof.
(xviii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge based on such counsel’s review and except as
disclosed in the Canadian Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is
in violation of its constating documents or by-laws and no material default by the Company
or any subsidiary exists individually or in the aggregate in the due performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is
described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian
Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xix) There is not pending in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton
Judicial Districts) or the Federal Court of Canada, or, to the best of such counsel’s
knowledge, pending or threatened elsewhere any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, or
investigation, to which the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party, or to which
the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is subject, before or brought by
any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which individually or in the
aggregate might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and to the
best of such counsel’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, or investigation, to which any subsidiary of the Company (other than a
Significant Subsidiary) is a party, or to which the property of any subsidiary of the
Company (other than a Significant Subsidiary) is subject, before or brought by any court or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder.
(xx) The Canadian Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial data
included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion), when filed complied as to form in all material respects with the
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applicable requirements of National Instrument 44-101 — Short Form Prospectus Distributions
and Companion Policy 44-101CP of the Canadian Securities Administrators and complied with
the securities laws, rules and regulations of the Province of Alberta as interpreted and
applied by the Reviewing Authority (except where exemptive relief has been obtained from the
Reviewing Authority) except that such counsel need not, for the purposes of the opinion
expressed in this paragraph, assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Prospectus.
(xxi) The documents incorporated by reference in the Canadian Prospectus as amended or
supplemented (other than the financial statements and other financial data included or
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), when they were filed with the Reviewing Authority and Qualifying Authorities,
appear on their face to have been appropriately responsive in all material respects to the
formal requirements of the securities laws, rules and regulations of the Province of Alberta
as interpreted and applied by the Reviewing Authority and Qualifying Authorities under
published policy statements.
(xxii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no order having the effect of ceasing or
suspending the distribution of the Securities has been issued by the Reviewing Authority or
any Qualifying Authority and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are
pending or contemplated.
(xxiii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and the Securities and the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the U.S. Prospectus, the
Canadian Prospectus and the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Securities and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the U.S.
Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption of “Use of Proceeds” ) and
compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Securities, this Underwriting
Agreement and the Indenture do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of
notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a) of this Underwriting Agreement) under, or result
in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or
assets of the Company or any Canadian subsidiary under any contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument listed
in a schedule to such opinion (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens,
charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the articles or by-laws of the Company or any
Canadian subsidiary, or any applicable Canadian federal or Province of Alberta law, statute,
rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree known to such Counsel of any government,
governmental instrumentality, or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or the Canadian subsidiaries or any of their properties, assets or operations.
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(xxiv) All laws of the Province of Québec relating to the use of the French language (other
than those relating to verbal communications) will be complied with in respect of the
documents to be delivered to purchasers in Québec in connection with the sale of the
Securities to purchasers in Québec if such purchasers receive:
A. copies of the French and English language versions of the Canadian Prospectus
delivered at the same time or copies of the French language version only and forms
of confirmation in the French language or in bilingual form; or
B. an English language version of the Canadian Prospectus only and forms of
confirmation in the English language only if such delivery is made to physical
persons who have expressly requested, in writing, such documents in the English
language.
(xxv) The laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein
permit an action to be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Province of
Alberta on any final and conclusive judgment in personam of any federal or state court
located in the State of New York (a “New York Court”) against the Corporation, which
judgment is subsisting and unsatisfied for a sum certain with respect to the enforceability
of the Indenture and the notes that is not impeachable as void or voidable under the
internal laws of the State of New York if (i) the New York Court rendering such judgment had
jurisdiction over the judgment debtor, as recognized by the courts of the Province of
Alberta (and submission by the Corporation in the Indenture to the jurisdiction of the New
York Court will be sufficient for that purpose with respect to the notes); (ii) such
judgment was not obtained by fraud or in a manner contrary to natural justice and the
enforcement thereof would not be inconsistent with public policy, as such terms are
understood under the laws of the Province of Alberta or contrary to any order made by the
Attorney General of Canada under the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada) or by
the Competition Tribunal under the Competition Act (Canada); (iii) the enforcement of such
judgment would not be contrary to the laws of general application limiting the enforcement
of creditors’ rights including bankruptcy, reorganization, winding up, moratorium and
similar laws and does not constitute, directly or indirectly, the enforcement of foreign
revenue, expropriatory or penal laws in the Province of Alberta; (iv) no new admissible
evidence relevant to the action or new right or defense is discovered prior to the rendering
of judgment by the court in the Province of Alberta; (v) interest payable on the notes is
not characterized by a court in the Province of Alberta as interest payable as a criminal
rate within the meaning of section 347 of the Criminal Code (Canada); and (vi) the action to
enforce such judgment is commenced within the appropriate limitation period; except that,
under the Currency Act (Canada), any court in the Province of Xxxxxxx xxx only give judgment
in Canadian dollars; and under the laws of Alberta, the appropriate date for such conversion
when the action is on a foreign judgment may be other than the date of payment of the
judgment.
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Such opinion shall additionally state that such counsel has participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus, the Canadian Prospectus, and the Supplementary
Material in connection with the offering of the Securities, if any, and in conferences with
officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent chartered
accountants for the Company, and the Underwriters, at which the contents of the Registration
Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus and related matters were discussed and
have reviewed the documents incorporated by reference in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian
Prospectus and, although such counsel have not independently verified or checked and are not
passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Canadian Prospectus except as set forth in paragraphs (i), (v) and (xv)
above, on the basis of such participation no facts have come to their attention which lead them to
believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for the financial
statements and other financial data included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel need not comment), at the time the Canadian Final Prospectus was filed,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (b) that the U.S.
Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus and such Supplementary Material or any amendment or
supplement thereto (except for the financial statements and other financial data included or
incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need not comment), at the time
the Canadian Final Prospectus was filed with the Reviewing Authority and at the time the U.S.
Prospectus was issued, at the time any such Supplementary Material filed before the Closing Time
was filed with the Reviewing Authority, or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada
applicable therein upon the opinions of local counsel, who shall be of counsel satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, in which case the opinion shall state that they believe the
Underwriters and they are entitled to so rely. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
opinion involves factual matters, but not legal conclusions, they have relied, to the extent they
deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials;
provided that such certificates have been delivered to the Underwriters. Such opinion shall not
state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any treatise,
written policy or other document relating to legal opinions.
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF UNITED STATES COUNSEL
FOR THE COMPANY TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
FOR THE COMPANY TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, authorization, consent, approval, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of or with any U.S. federal court or governmental authority, or
agency, other than as have been made or obtained under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations and except for the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, is
necessary or required in connection with the due execution and delivery of this Underwriting
Agreement or the Indenture or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the
Securities.
(ii) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
(iii) The description in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus under the caption
“Certain Income Tax Considerations — Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations” is
correct in all material respects.
(iv) Without such counsel making any accounting or mathematical determination, as to which
such counsel may rely on the Company, the execution, delivery and performance of this
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated in this Underwriting Agreement, the
Indenture and the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities
and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the U.S. Prospectus
under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations
under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, result in a breach of, or default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(xiv) of the Underwriting Agreement) under or
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties
or assets of the Company pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument listed in a schedule
to such opinion (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), or any applicable law, statute,
rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to such counsel, of any government,
governmental instrumentality, regulatory or administrative agency, authority or commission
or court in the United States, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties, assets or operations.
(v) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of
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Proceeds” in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus will not be, an “investment
company”, as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act.
(vi) The Registration Statement and the Company Form F-X at the time the Registration
Statement became effective and the U.S. Prospectus as of its date, appeared on their face to
be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as
to the financial statements, schedules and other financial data and financial projections
included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the exhibits to the
Registration Statement.
Such opinion shall also state the date that the Registration Statement became effective
pursuant to Rule 467(a) under the 1933 Act; the Company Form F-X and the Trustee Form F-X were each
filed with the Commission prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. Such counsel
shall also state that they have been advised by the Commission that no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and, to the best of their knowledge, no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated under the Act.
Such opinion shall additionally state that such counsel has participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus in connection with the offering of the
Securities, if any, and in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company,
representatives of the independent chartered accountants for the Company, and the Underwriters, at
which the contents of the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus and related matters were
discussed and, although such counsel has not independently verified any factual information and is
not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of the statements contained in the U.S. Prospectus other than paragraph (iii), above, on the basis
of such participation nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that would cause such counsel to
believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for the financial
statements and other financial data included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel need not comment), at the time the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or (b) that the U.S. Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial
data included or incorporated therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need not
comment), as of its date and as of the Closing Time, contained or contains an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United
States applicable therein, upon opinions of local counsel, who shall be of counsel satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, in which case the opinion shall state that they believe the
Underwriters and they
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are entitled to so rely. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves
factual matters (but not as to legal conclusions), they have relied, to the extent they deem
proper, upon certificates of responsible officers of the company and certificates of public
officials; provided that such certificates have been delivered to the Underwriters. Such opinion
shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any
treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions, including, without
limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF UNITED STATES COUNSEL
FOR THE UNDERWRITERS TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)
FOR THE UNDERWRITERS TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)
(i) Based upon such counsel’s review of those laws, rules and regulations of the State of
New York and the federal laws, rules and regulations of the United States of America which
in each case in its experience are normally applicable to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement (other than the United States federal securities
laws, state securities or blue sky laws, antifraud laws and the rules and regulations of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), but without its having made any special
investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation (“Applicable
Laws”), no consent approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing,
qualification or registration with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or
governmental body of the State of New York or the United States of America having
jurisdiction over the Company under Applicable Laws which has not been obtained or taken and
is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required in connection
with, the execution or delivery of the Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture by the
Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby.
Such counsel shall also provide a letter which shall state that such counsel has participated
in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of Canadian
and U.S. counsel to the Company, representatives of the independent chartered accountants for the
Company, and the Underwriters and the Underwriters’ Canadian Counsel, at which conferences the
contents of the Registration Statement and the U.S. Prospectus and related matters were discussed
and although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for, the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the U.S. Prospectus, except as set forth in paragraph (ii) above, and
have made no independent check or verification thereof, on the basis of the foregoing, such counsel
will confirm that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective and the U.S.
Prospectus, as of its date, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material
respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations (except that in each case
such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other
financial data and financial projections included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded
therefrom or the exhibits to the Registration Statement; and (ii) no facts have come to such
counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at
the time it became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that the U.S. Prospectus, as of its date and as of the Closing Time, contained or
contains an untrue statement of a material fact
-2-
or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that in
each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and
other financial data and financial projections included or incorporated by reference therein or
excluded therefrom or the exhibits to the Registration Statement).
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXXXX & XXXXXX
SPECIAL REGULATORY COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(f)
SPECIAL REGULATORY COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(f)
(i) Such counsel does not know of any Canadian statutes relating specifically to the
regulation of either or both of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries,
including any statutes of any province specifically relating to the regulation of either or
both of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries, that, in their
judgment, are material to the operation of the businesses of the Company as described in the
U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus other than the Broadcasting Act (Canada), the
Telecommunications Act (Canada), the Radiocommunication Act (Canada) and the Copyright Act
(Canada) (the “Communications Statutes”).
(ii) To their knowledge, (i) each of the Company, Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. and
Star Choice Television Network Incorporated currently holds in good standing all permits,
licences, franchises, and approvals of governmental authorities and agencies required
pursuant to the Communications Statutes and the orders, rules, regulations and directions
promulgated pursuant to such statutes and the legal or other proceedings by or before any
Canadian court or judicial or administrative board or tribunal or other governmental
proceedings by or before any Canadian governmental body with respect to the regulation of
the Canadian broadcasting or telecommunications industries pursuant to the Communications
Statutes (the “Communications Regulations”) that are necessary to conduct their respective
businesses as described in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus (except where the
failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected, in our judgment,
to have a materially adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (ii) no revocation or limitation of any such
permit, licence, franchise or approval is pending or threatened, (iii) each of the Company,
Cancom and Star Choice is not in default or in violation of any such permit, licence,
franchise or approval (except where such default would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be expected, in our judgment, to have a Material Adverse Effect), and (iv) the
authorization, issuance and delivery of the Securities and the compliance by the Company
with the terms of the Indenture do not, and assuming there has been no material change in
circumstances, will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any of such permits, licences, franchises and
approvals.
(iii) Except as disclosed in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus, to their
knowledge, there is no threatened or pending change in the Communications Statutes which
could have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(iv) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the compliance by the Company with
its obligations under, this Underwriting Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture, and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein do not and, assuming there has
been no material change in existing circumstances as of the date hereof, will not result in
any violation of, and do not and, assuming there has been no material change in existing
circumstances will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or
both, would constitute a default or permit acceleration) under, or result in the creation or
imposition of, any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company
under (i) any of the Communications Regulations, or (ii) to their knowledge, any judgment,
order or decree of any government, governmental, regulatory or administrative agency,
authority, commission or instrumentality or court having jurisdiction, pursuant to
Communications Statutes.
(v) All material aspects of the regulation of the Canadian broadcasting and
telecommunications businesses of the Company described in the U.S. Prospectus and the
Canadian Prospectus are subject to the exclusive constitutional jurisdiction of the
Parliament of Canada and hence are governed by the laws of Canada.
(vi) No consent, approval, permit, authorization, filing, recording, license, exemption,
order, registration, qualification or other requirement under the Communications Statutes or
any order, rule or regulation thereunder known to them and applicable to the Company, Cancom
or Star Choice is required for the sale of the Securities, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance by and enforcement against the Company of any
of the Securities and the Indenture.
(vii) To their knowledge, the statements which relate to
(a) | the Communications Regulations, | ||
(b) | governmental franchises and licences issued to the Company, Cancom and Star Choice pursuant to the Communications Regulations or otherwise issued to the Company, Cancom or Star Choice in connection with the regulation of the Canadian broadcasting or telecommunications industries, and | ||
(c) | legal or other proceedings by or before any court or judicial or administrative board or tribunal or other governmental proceedings with respect to the regulation of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries |
in the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus fairly summarize the matters described
therein.
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Whenever an opinion set forth above with respect to the existence or absence of facts is
qualified by the phrase “to the best of our knowledge” or “to such counsel’s knowledge”, it is
intended to indicate that during the course of such counsel’s representation of the Company and, as
a result of receiving and reviewing the certificates of the officers of the Company, no information
has come to the attention of such counsel that has given such counsel actual knowledge of the
existence or absence of such facts.