SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 26, 2009 BETWEEN KINROSS GOLD CORPORATION AND COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES INC. AS RIGHTS AGENT
Exhibit 99.2
SHAREHOLDER
RIGHTS PLAN
AGREEMENT
DATED
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
BETWEEN
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
AND
COMPUTERSHARE
INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
AS
RIGHTS AGENT
PAGE NO. | |||||||
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION
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2 | ||||||
1.1
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Certain
Definitions
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2 | |||||
1.2
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Currency
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17 | |||||
1.3
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Headings
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17 | |||||
1.4
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Calculation of Number and
Percentage of Beneficial Ownership of Outstanding Voting Shares
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17 | |||||
1.5
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Acting Jointly or in
Concert
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17 | |||||
1.6
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Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles
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18 | |||||
ARTICLE 2 THE
RIGHTS
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18 | ||||||
2.1
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Legend on Common Share
Certificates
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18 | |||||
2.2
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Initial Exercise Price; Exercise
of Rights; Detachment of Rights
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19 | |||||
2.3
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Adjustments to Exercise Price;
Number of Rights
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22 | |||||
2.4
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Date on Which Exercise Is
Effective
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28 | |||||
2.5
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Execution, Authentication,
Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates
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28 | |||||
2.6
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Registration, Transfer and
Exchange
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29 | |||||
2.7
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Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and
Stolen Rights Certificates
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29 | |||||
2.8
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Persons Deemed Owners of
Rights
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30 | |||||
2.9
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Delivery and Cancellation of
Certificates
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31 | |||||
2.10
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Agreement of Rights
Holders
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31 | |||||
2.11
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Rights Certificate Holder Not
Deemed a Shareholder
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32 | |||||
ARTICLE 3 ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN | |||||||
TRANSACTIONS
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32 | ||||||
3.1
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Flip-in
Event
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32 | |||||
ARTICLE 4 THE RIGHTS
AGENT
|
34 | ||||||
4.1
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General
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34 | |||||
4.2
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Merger, Amalgamation or
Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
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35
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|||||
4.3
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Duties of Rights
Agent
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36 | |||||
4.4
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Change of Rights
Agent
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38 | |||||
ARTICLE 5
MISCELLANEOUS
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39 | ||||||
5.1
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Redemption and
Waiver
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39 |
5.2
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Expiration
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41
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5.3
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Issuance of New Rights
Certificates
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41
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5.4
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Supplements and
Amendments
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42
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5.5
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Fractional Rights and Fractional
Shares
|
44
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5.6
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Rights of
Action
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44
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5.7
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Regulatory
Approvals
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44
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5.8
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Declaration as to Non-Canadian
Holders
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44
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5.9
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Notices
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45
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5.10
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Costs of
Enforcement
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46
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5.11
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Successors
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46
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5.12
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Benefits of this
Agreement
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46
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5.13
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Governing
Law
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46
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5.14
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Severability
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47
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5.15
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Effective
Time
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47
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5.16
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Determinations and Actions by the
Board of Directors
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47
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5.17
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Time of the
Essence
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48
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5.18
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Execution in
Counterparts
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48
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MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT dated
February 26, 2009 between Kinross Gold Corporation (the “Corporation”), a
corporation incorporated under the laws of Ontario, and Computershare Investor
Services Inc., a company existing under the laws of Canada (the “Rights
Agent”);
WHEREAS the shareholder rights
plan between the Corporation and the Rights Agent, dated March 29, 2006, as
amended, expires March 29, 2009 and the board of
directors of the Corporation has determined that it is in the best interests of
the Corporation to adopt a new shareholder rights plan to ensure, to the extent
possible, that all shareholders of the Corporation are treated fairly in
connection with any take-over bid for the Corporation;
AND WHEREAS in order to
implement the adoption of a shareholder rights plan as established by this
Agreement, the board of directors of the Corporation:
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(a)
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authorized
the issuance, effective at the Effective Time (as hereinafter defined), of
one Right (as hereinafter defined) in respect of each Voting Share (as
hereinafter defined) outstanding at the Effective Time (the “Record
Time”); and
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(b)
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authorized
the issuance of one Right in respect of each Voting Share issued after the
Record Time and prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the
Expiration Time.
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AND WHEREAS each Right
entitles the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase securities
of the Corporation pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in this Agreement;
AND WHEREAS the Corporation
desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act on behalf of the Corporation and the
holders of Rights, and the Rights Agent is willing to so act, in connection with
the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as
hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to in
this Agreement;
AND WHEREAS the board of
directors of the Corporation proposes that this Agreement be in place for a
period of nine years, subject to the Agreement being reconfirmed by the
Corporation’s shareholders every three years;
NOW THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and the respective covenants and agreements set
forth herein, and subject to such covenants and agreements, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
2
ARTICLE
1
INTERPRETATION
1.1
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Certain
Definitions
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For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
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(a)
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“Acquiring Person” means
any Person who is the Beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Voting Shares; provided, however, that the term “Acquiring Person” shall
not include:
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(i)
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the
Corporation or any Subsidiary of the
Corporation;
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(ii)
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any
Person who becomes the Beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Voting Shares as a result of one or any combination of (A) an acquisition
or redemption by the Corporation of Voting Shares which, by reducing the
number of Voting Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
Voting Shares Beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the
Voting Shares then outstanding, (B) Permitted Bid Acquisitions, (C) Pro
Rata Acquisitions, or (D) Exempt Acquisitions; provided, however, that if
a Person becomes the Beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding
Voting Shares by reason of one or any combination of the operation of
Paragraphs (A), (B), (C), or (D) above and such Person thereafter becomes
the Beneficial owner of more than 1% of the number of outstanding Voting
Shares (other than pursuant to one or more of any combination of
Paragraphs (A), (B), (C) or (D) above), as the case may be, then as of the
date such Person becomes the Beneficial owner of such additional Voting
Shares, as the case may be, such Person shall become an “Acquiring
Person”;
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(iii)
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for
a period of 10 calendar days after the Disqualification Date (as defined
below), any Person who becomes the Beneficial owner of 20% or more of the
outstanding Voting Shares as a result of such Person becoming disqualified
from relying on Section 1.1(f)(iii)(B) solely because such Person is
making or has announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid,
either alone or by acting jointly or in concert with any other
Person. For the purposes of this definition, “Disqualification
Date” means the first date of a public announcement of facts indicating
that any Person is making or has announced a current intention to make a
Take-over Bid;
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(iv)
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an
underwriter or member of a banking or selling group that becomes the
Beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares in
connection with a distribution of securities of the Corporation;
or
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3
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(v)
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a
Person (a “Grandfathered Person”) who is the Beneficial owner of more than
20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares determined as at the Record
Time, provided however, that this exception shall not be, and shall cease
to be, applicable to a Grandfathered Person in the event that such
Grandfathered Person shall, after the Record Time: (1) cease to own more
than 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares, or (2) become the
Beneficial owner of any additional Voting Shares that increases its
Beneficial ownership of Voting Shares, by more than 1% of the number of
Voting Shares, outstanding as at the Record Time, other than through an
acquisition pursuant to which a Person becomes a Beneficial Owner of
additional Voting Shares by reason of one or any combination of the
operation of Paragraphs 1.1(a)(ii)(A), (B), (C) or
(D).
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(b)
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“Affiliate”, when used to
indicate a relationship with a specified company or corporation, shall
mean a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is a company or corporation controlled by, or
is under common control with, such a specified company or
corporation;
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(c)
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“Agreement” means this
shareholder rights plan agreement dated February 26, 2009
between the Corporation and the Rights Agent, as may be amended or
supplemented from time to time; “hereof”, “herein”, “hereto” and similar
expressions mean and refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular part of this Agreement;
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(d)
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“annual cash dividend”
means cash dividends paid in any fiscal year of the Corporation, to the
extent that such cash dividends do not exceed in the aggregate, the
greatest of:
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(i)
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200%
of the aggregate amount of cash dividends declared payable by the
Corporation on its Common Shares in its immediately preceding fiscal
year;
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(ii)
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300%
of the arithmetic mean of the aggregate amounts of the annual cash
dividends declared payable by the Corporation on its Common Shares in its
three immediately preceding fiscal years;
and
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(iii)
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100%
of the aggregate consolidated net Income of the Corporation, before
extraordinary items, for its immediately preceding fiscal
year;
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(e)
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“Associate” means, when
used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, a spouse of that
Person, any Person of the same or opposite sex with whom that Person is
living in a conjugal relationship outside marriage, a child of that
Person, or a relative of that Person who has the same residence as that
Person;
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4
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(f)
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A
Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial owner” of,
and to have “Beneficial
ownership” of, and to “Beneficially
own”,
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(i)
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any
securities as to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or
Associates is the owner at law or in
equity;
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(ii)
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any
securities as to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or
Associates has the right to become the owner at law or in equity (provided
that such right is exercisable within a period of 60 days, whether or not
on condition or the happening of any contingency or the making of any
payment) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, pledge or understanding,
whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and/or banking group members and/or selling group
members with respect to a distribution of securities and other than
pledges of securities in the ordinary course of business), or upon the
exercise of any conversion right, exchange right, share purchase right
(other than the Rights), warrant or option;
and
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(iii)
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any
securities which are Beneficially owned within the meaning of Sections
1.1(f)(i) or (ii) by any other Person with whom such Person is acting
jointly or in concert;
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provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial owner” of, or to have
“Beneficial ownership” of, or to “Beneficially own”, any security:
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(A)
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because
such security has been agreed to be deposited or tendered pursuant to a
Lock-up Agreement or is otherwise deposited or tendered pursuant to any
Take-over Bid made by such Person, made by any of such Person’s Affiliates
or Associates or made by any other Person referred to in Section
1.1(f)(iii), until the earlier of such deposited or tendered security
being taken up or paid for;
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(B)
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because
such Person, any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other
Person referred to in Section 1.1(f)(iii) holds such security provided
that,
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(1)
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the
ordinary business of any such Person (the “Investment Manager”) includes
the management of investment funds for others (which others, for greater
certainty, may include or be limited to one or more employee benefit plans
or pension plans) and such security is held by the Investment Manager in
the ordinary course of such business in the performance of such Investment
Manager’s duties for the account of any other Person (a “Client”),
including non-discretionary accounts held on behalf of a Client by a
dealer or broker registered under applicable
law;
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5
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(2)
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such
Person is (i) the manager or trustee (the “Manager”) of a mutual fund (a
“Mutual Fund”) that is registered or qualified to issue its securities to
investors under the securities laws of any province of Canada or the laws
of the United States and such security is held in the ordinary course of
business in the performance of the Manager's duties with respect to the
Mutual Fund, or (ii) a Mutual Fund;
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(3)
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such
Person (the “Trust Company”) is licensed to carry on the business of a
trust company under applicable laws and, as such, acts as trustee or
administrator or in a similar capacity in relation to the estates of
deceased or incompetent Persons (each an “Estate Account”) or in relation
to other accounts (each an “Other Account”) and holds such security in the
ordinary course of such duties for such Estate Accounts or for such Other
Accounts;
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(4)
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such
Person is established by statute for purposes that include, and the
ordinary business or activity of such Person (the “Statutory Body”)
includes, the management of investment funds for employee benefit plans,
pension plans, insurance plans or various public
bodies;
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(5)
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such
Person (the “Administrator”) is the administrator or trustee of one or
more pension funds, plans or related trusts (a “Plan”) or is a Plan
registered or qualified under the laws of Canada or any Province thereof
or the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or is a
Plan; or
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(6)
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such
Person is a Crown agent or agency;
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provided,
in any of the above cases, that the Investment Manager, the Manager, the Mutual
Fund, the Trust Company, the Statutory Body, the Administrator, the Plan, or the
Crown agent or agency, as the case may be, is not then making a Take-over Bid or
has not then announced an intention to make a Take-over Bid other than an Offer
to Acquire Voting Shares or other securities by means of a distribution by the
Corporation or by means of ordinary market transactions (including pre-arranged
trades entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person) executed
through the facilities of a stock exchange or organized over-the-counter market,
alone or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person;
6
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(C)
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because
such Person (1) is a Client of the same Investment Manager as another
Person on whose account the Investment Manager holds such security, (2)
has an Estate Account or an Other Account of the same Trust Company as
another Person on whose account the Trust Company holds such security or
(3) is a Plan with the same Administrator as another Plan on whose account
the Administrator holds such
security;
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(D)
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where
such Person (1) is a Client of an Investment Manager and such security is
owned at law or in equity by the Investment Manager, or (2) has an Estate
Account or an Other Account of a Trust Company and such security is owned
at law or in equity by the Trust Company or (3) is a Plan and such
security is owned at law or in equity by the Administrator of the Plan;
or
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(E)
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where
such Person is a registered holder of such security as a result of
carrying on the business of, or acting as a nominee of, a securities
depositary;
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(g)
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“Board of Directors”
means the board of directors of the Corporation or any duly constituted
and empowered committee thereof;
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(h)
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“Business Day” means any
day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in Toronto, Ontario are authorized or obligated by law to
close;
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(i)
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“Canadian Dollar
Equivalent” of any amount which is expressed in United States
Dollars means, on any date, the Canadian dollar equivalent of any such
amount determined by multiplying such amount by the U.S. - Canadian
Exchange Rate in effect on such
date;
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(j)
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“Canadian - U.S. Exchange
Rate” means, on any date, the inverse of the U.S. - Canadian
Exchange Rate in effect on such
date;
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(k)
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“close of business” on
any given date means the time on such date (or, if such date is not a
Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the
principal office in Toronto, Ontario of the transfer agent for the Common
Shares of the Corporation (or, after the Separation Time, the principal
transfer office in Toronto, Ontario of the Rights Agent) is closed to the
public;
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(l)
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“Common Shares” means
the common shares in the capital of the
Corporation;
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7
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(m)
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“Competing Permitted
Bid” means a Take-over Bid
that:
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(i)
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is
made after a Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the expiry of that
other Permitted Bid;
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(ii)
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satisfies
all components of the definition of a Permitted Bid other than the
requirements set out in Paragraph (ii)(A) of the definition of a Permitted
Bid; and
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(iii)
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contains,
and the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited is
subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified provision that no Voting Shares
will be taken up or paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid prior to the
close of business on a date that is no earlier than the later of: (A) 35
days after the date of the Take-over Bid; and (B) the 60th day after the
earliest date on which any other Permitted Bid that is then in existence
was made;
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(n)
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“controlled” - a Person
is “controlled” by another Person or two or more other Persons acting
jointly or in concert if:
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(i)
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securities
entitled to vote in the election of directors (including, for Persons
other than corporations, the administrators, managers, trustees or other
individuals performing similar functions in respect of any such Person)
carrying more than 50% of the votes for the election of directors are
held, directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of the other Person or two
or more Persons acting jointly or in concert;
and
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(ii)
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the
votes carried by such securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect,
appoint or designate a majority of the board of directors of such company
or corporation;
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and
“controls”, “controlling” and “under common control with” shall be interpreted
accordingly;
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(o)
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“Co-Rights Agents” has
the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
4.1(a);
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(p)
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“Disposition Date” has
the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
5.1(a);
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(q)
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“Dividend Reinvestment
Acquisition” means an acquisition of Voting Shares of any class
pursuant to a Dividend Reinvestment
Plan;
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(r)
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“Dividend Reinvestment
Plan” means a regular dividend reinvestment or other program plan
of the Corporation made available by the Corporation to holders of its
securities and/or to holders of securities of a Subsidiary of the
Corporation, where such program or plan permits the holder to direct that
some or all of:
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8
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(i)
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any
dividends paid in respect of shares of any class of the Corporation or a
Subsidiary;
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(ii)
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any
proceeds of redemption of shares of the Corporation or a
Subsidiary;
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(iii)
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any
interest paid on evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation or a
Subsidiary; or
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(iv)
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any
optional cash payments;
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be
applied to the purchase of Voting Shares;
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(s)
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“Effective Time” means
the earlier of:
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(i)
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12:01
a.m. on March 29, 2009;
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(ii)
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12:01
a.m. on the date that an Acquiring Person has become an Acquiring Person;
or
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(iii)
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12:01
a.m. on the date that an event occurs that would give rise to the
subsequent separation of rights pursuant to the definition of “separation
time” in section 1.1 and the procedure described in section 2.2 of the
shareholder rights plan agreement, dated March 29, 2006 as amended,
between the Corporation and the Rights Agent and, for this purpose,
disregarding the expiration time under that
agreement,
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provided,
however, that the Effective Time shall not be earlier than
March 16, 2009.
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(t)
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“Election to Exercise”
has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
2.2(d);
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(u)
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“Exempt Acquisition”
means a share acquisition in respect of which the Board of Directors has
waived the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to the provisions of
Sections 5.1(a), (b) or (e);
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(v)
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“Exercise Price” means,
as of any date, the price at which a holder may purchase the securities
issuable upon exercise of one whole Right which, until adjustment thereof
in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be
$90;
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(w)
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“Expansion Factor” has
the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
2.3(a);
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9
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(x)
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“Expiration Time” means
the close of business on that date which is the earliest date of
termination of this Agreement as provided for in Section 5.15 or, if this
Agreement is confirmed and subsequently reconfirmed pursuant to Section
5.15 at the third and sixth annual meetings following the Corporation’s
annual and special meeting of shareholders in 2009, the close of business
on the ninth anniversary of the date on which the Effective Time
occurs;
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(y)
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“Flip-in Event” means a
transaction in or pursuant to which any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person;
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(z)
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“holder” has the meaning
ascribed thereto in Section 2.8;
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(aa)
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“Independent Shareholders”
means holders of any Voting Shares, other than (i) any Acquiring
Person, (ii) any Offeror (other than any Person who pursuant to Section
1.1(f) is not deemed to Beneficially own the Voting Shares held by such
Person), (iii) any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person or
Offeror, (iv) any Person acting jointly or in concert with any Acquiring
Person or Offeror, and (v) any employee benefit plan, stock purchase plan,
deferred profit sharing plan and any similar plan or trust for the benefit
of employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary of the Corporation, unless
the beneficiaries of the plan or trust direct the manner in which the
Voting Shares are to be voted or withheld from voting or direct whether
the Voting Shares are to be tendered to a Take-over
Bid;
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(bb)
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“Lock-up Agreement”
means an agreement between a Person and one or more holders of Voting
Shares (each a “Locked-up Person”) the terms of which are publicly
disclosed and a copy of which agreement is made available to the public
(including the Corporation) not later than (i) the date the Lock-up Bid
(as defined below) is publicly announced or, (ii) if the Lock-up Bid has
been made prior to the date on which such agreement is entered into then
as soon as possible after it is entered into and in any event not later
than the date following the date of such agreement, pursuant to which each
Locked-up Person agrees to deposit or tender Voting Shares to a Take-over
Bid (the “Lock-up Bid”) to be made or made by the Person or any of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person referred to in
Section 1.1(f)(iii) and which
provides:
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(i)
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that
any agreement to deposit or tender to, or to not withdraw Voting Shares
from, the Lock-up Bid is terminable at the option of the Locked-up Person
in order to tender or deposit such Voting Shares to another Take-over Bid
or support another transaction:
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(A)
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where
the price or value per Voting Shares offered under such other Take-over
Bid or transaction is higher than the price or value per Voting Share
offered under the Lock-up Agreement;
or
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10
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(B)
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if:
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(1)
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the
price or value per Voting Share offered under the other Take-over Bid or
transaction exceeds the price or value per Voting Share offered or
proposed to be offered under the Lock-up Bid by as much or more than a
specified amount (the “Specified Amount”) and the Specified Amount is not
greater than 7% of the price or value per Voting Share that is offered or
proposed to be offered under the Lock-up Bid;
or
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(2)
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the
number of Voting Shares to be purchased under the other Take-over Bid or
transaction exceeds the number of Voting Shares offered to be purchased
under the Lock-up Bid by as much or more than a specified number of Voting
Shares (the “Specified Number of Shares”) and the Specified Number of
Shares is not greater than 7% of the number of Voting Shares offered to be
purchased under the Lock-up Bid, at a price or value per Voting Share, as
applicable, that is not less than the price or value per Voting Share
offered under the Lock-up Bid;
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and
the agreement may contain a right of first refusal or require a period of
delay to give such Person an opportunity to match a higher
price or value in another Take-over Bid or transaction or other similar
limitation on a Locked-up Person’s right to withdraw Voting Shares from
the agreement, so long as the limitation does not preclude the exercise by
the Locked-up Person of the right to withdraw Voting Shares during the
period of the other Take-over Bid or transaction;
and
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(ii)
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no
“break-up” fees, “top-up” fees, penalties, expenses or other amounts that
exceed in the aggregate the greater
of:
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(A)
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the
cash equivalent of 2.5% of the price or value payable under the Lock-up
Bid to a Locked-up Person; and
|
|
(B)
|
50%
of the amount by which the price or value payable under another Take-over
Bid or transaction to a Locked-up Person exceeds the price or value of the
consideration that such Locked-up Person would have received under the
Lock-up Bid,
|
shall be
payable by a Locked-up Person pursuant to the agreement in the event a Locked-up
Person fails to deposit or tender Voting Shares to the Lock-up Bid or withdraws
Voting Shares previously tendered thereto in order to tender to another
Take-over Bid or support another transaction;
11
|
(cc)
|
“Market Price” per share
of any securities on any date of determination means the average of the
daily closing sale prices per security of such class of securities
(determined as described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days
through and including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date;
provided, however, that if an event of a type analogous to any of the
events described in Section 2.3 hereof shall have caused the closing sale
prices used to determine the Market Price on any Trading Days not to be
fully comparable with the closing sale price on such date of determination
or, if the date of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately
preceding Trading Day, each such closing sale price so used shall be
appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment
provided for in Section 2.3 hereof in order to make it fully comparable
with the closing sale price on such date of determination or, if the date
of determination is not a Trading Day, on the immediately preceding
Trading Day. The closing sale price per security of any
securities on any date shall be:
|
|
(i)
|
the
closing board lot sale price per security or, if such price is not
available, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, for each of
such securities as reported by the principal Canadian securities exchange
(as determined by volume of trading) on which such securities are listed
or admitted to trading or, if for any reason neither of such prices is
available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted to
trading on a Canadian securities
exchange, the closing board lot sale price per security or, if such price
is not available, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, for
each security as reported by the principal United States securities
exchange (as determined by the volume of trading) on which such securities
are listed or admitted for trading;
|
|
(ii)
|
if
for any reason none of such prices is available on such date or the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a Canadian securities
exchange or a United States securities exchange, the last sale price or,
in case no sale takes place on such date, the average of the high bid and
low asked prices for each of such securities in the over-the-counter
market, as quoted by any reporting system then in use;
or
|
|
(iii)
|
if
for any reason none of such prices is available on such day or the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a Canadian securities
exchange or a United States securities exchange or quoted by any such
reporting system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
securities;
|
12
provided,
however, that if on any such date none of such prices is available, the closing
sale price per security of such securities on such date shall mean the fair
value per security of the securities on such date as determined by a nationally
or internationally recognized investment dealer or investment banker and
provided further that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events
described in Section 2.3 hereof shall have caused any price used to determine
the Market Price on any Trading Day not to be fully comparable with the price as
so determined on the Trading Day immediately preceding such date of
determination, each such price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in a
manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 hereof
in order to make it fully comparable with the price on the Trading Day
immediately preceding such date of determination. The Market Price
shall be expressed in Canadian dollars and, if initially determined in respect
of any day forming part of the 20 consecutive Trading Day period in question in
United States dollars, such amount shall be translated into Canadian dollars on
such date at the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof.
|
(dd)
|
“MI 62-104” means Multilateral Instrument 62-104
– Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and any comparable or successor
laws, instruments or rules thereto;
|
|
(ee)
|
“Nominee” has the
meaning ascribed thereto in Section
2.2(c);
|
|
(ff)
|
“OBCA” means the Business
Corporations Act (Ontario), R.S.O., 1990, c. B-16, as
amended, and the regulations made thereunder and any comparable or
successor laws or regulations
thereto;
|
|
(gg)
|
“Offer to Acquire”
includes:
|
|
(i)
|
an
offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Voting Shares of
any class or classes, and
|
|
(ii)
|
an
acceptance of an offer to sell Voting Shares of any class or classes,
whether or not such offer to sell has been
solicited,
|
or any
combination thereof, and the Person accepting an offer to sell shall be deemed
to be making an Offer to Acquire to the Person that made the offer to
sell;
|
(hh)
|
“Offeror” means a Person
who has announced, and has not withdrawn, an intention to make or who has
made, and has not withdrawn, a Take-over Bid, other than a Person who has
completed a Permitted Bid, a Competing Permitted Bid or an Exempt
Acquisition;
|
13
|
(ii)
|
“Offeror’s Securities”
means Voting Shares Beneficially owned by an Offeror on the date of the
Offer to Acquire;
|
|
(jj)
|
“Permitted Bid” means a
Take-over Bid made by an Offeror that is made by means of a Take-over Bid
circular and which also complies with the following additional
provisions:
|
|
(i)
|
the
Take-over Bid is made to all holders of Voting Shares as registered on the
books of the Corporation, other than the
Offeror;
|
|
(ii)
|
the
Take-over Bid contains, and the take-up and payment for securities
tendered or deposited is subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified
condition that no Voting Shares will be taken up and paid for pursuant to
the Take-over Bid (A) prior to the close of business on a date which is
not less than 60 days following the date of the Take-over Bid and (B)
unless at such date more than 50% of the Voting Shares held by Independent
Shareholders shall have been deposited or tendered pursuant to the
Take-over Bid and not withdrawn;
|
|
(iii)
|
unless
the Take-over Bid is withdrawn, the Take-over Bid contains an irrevocable
and unqualified provision that Voting Shares may be deposited pursuant to
such Take-over Bid at any time during the period described in Section
1.1(jj)(ii)(A) and that any Voting Shares deposited pursuant to the
Take-over Bid may be withdrawn until taken up and paid for;
and
|
|
(iv)
|
unless
the Take-over Bid is withdrawn, the Take-over Bid contains an irrevocable
and unqualified provision that in the event that the deposit condition set
forth in Section Section 1.1(jj)(ii)(B) is satisfied the Offeror will make
a public announcement of that fact and the Take-over Bid will remain open
for deposits and tenders of Voting Shares for not less than 10 Business
Days from the date of such public
announcement;
|
|
(kk)
|
“Permitted Bid
Acquisition” means an acquisition of Voting Shares of any class
made pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted
Bid;
|
|
(ll)
|
“Person” includes an
individual, firm, association, trustee, executor, administrator, legal or
personal representative, body corporate, company, corporation, trust,
partnership, joint venture syndicate or other form of unincorporated
association, a government and its agencies or instrumentalities, any
entity or group whether or not having legal personality, any successor (by
merger, statutory amalgamation or otherwise) and any of the foregoing
acting in any derivative, representative or fiduciary
capacity;
|
14
|
(mm)
|
“Pro Rata Acquisition”
means an acquisition of Voting Shares by a Person pursuant to: (i) a
Dividend Reinvestment Acquisition; (ii) a Dividend Reinvestment Plan;
(iii) the receipt and/or exercise of rights issued by the Corporation to
all the holders of a class of Voting Shares to subscribe for or purchase
Voting Shares, provided that such rights are acquired directly from the
Corporation as part of a rights offering and not from any other Person and
provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of
Voting Shares than the Person’s percentage of Voting Shares Beneficially
Owned immediately prior to such receipt or exercise; or (iv) a
distribution by the Corporation of Voting Shares, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for Voting Shares (and the conversion or
exchange of such convertible or exchangeable securities) made pursuant to
a prospectus or a distribution by way of private placement by the
Corporation, provided that the Person does not thereby acquire a greater
percentage of Voting Shares of that class or securities convertible or
exchangeable for Voting Shares, than the Person’s percentage of Voting
Shares Beneficially owned immediately prior to such
acquisition;
|
|
(nn)
|
“Record Time” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement;
|
|
(oo)
|
“Redemption Price” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(c) of this
Agreement;
|
|
(pp)
|
“Right” means a right to
purchase a Common Share of the Corporation, upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in this
Agreement;
|
|
(qq)
|
“Rights Agent” means
Computershare Investor Services Inc., a company existing under the laws of
Canada or any successor Rights Agent appointed pursuant to Section
4.4;
|
|
(rr)
|
“Rights Certificate”
means the certificates representing the Rights after the Separation Time,
which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Attachment
1;
|
|
(ss)
|
“Rights Holders’ Special
Meeting” means a meeting of the holders of Rights called by the
Board of Directors for the purpose of approving a supplement or amendment
to this Agreement pursuant to Section
5.4(c);
|
|
(tt)
|
“Rights Register”
and “Rights
Registrar” have the meanings ascribed thereto in Section
2.7(a);
|
|
(uu)
|
“Rule 62-504” means
Ontario Securities
Commission Policy 62-504 – Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and any
comparable successor laws, instruments or rules
thereto;
|
15
|
(vv)
|
“Securities
Act
(Ontario)” means the Securities Act, R.S.O.
1990, c.S.5, as amended, and the regulations and rules thereunder, and any
comparable or successor laws or regulations or rules
thereto;
|
|
(ww)
|
“Separation Time” means
the close of business on the tenth Trading Day after the earlier
of:
|
|
(i)
|
the
Stock Acquisition Date;
|
|
(ii)
|
the
date of the commencement of or first public announcement of the intent of
any Person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the
Corporation) to commence a Take-over Bid (other than a Permitted Bid or a
Competing Permitted Bid, as the case may be);
and
|
|
(iii)
|
the
date upon which a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid ceases to be
such,
|
or such
later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors, provided that, if any
such Take-over Bid expires, is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn
prior to the Separation Time, such Take-over Bid shall be deemed, for the
purposes of this definition, never to have been made;
|
(xx)
|
“Special Meeting” means
a special meeting of the holders of Voting Shares, called by the Board of
Directors for the purpose of approving a supplement, amendment or
variation to this Agreement pursuant to Section
5.4(b);
|
|
(yy)
|
“Stock Acquisition Date”
means the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this
definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to
Section 5.2 of MI 62-104, Part 7 of Rule 62-504, section 102.1 of the
Securities Act
(Ontario) or Section 13(d) of the U.S. Exchange Act) by
the Corporation or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become
such;
|
|
(zz)
|
“Subsidiary” - a
corporation is a Subsidiary of another corporation
if:
|
|
(i)
|
it
is controlled by:
|
|
(A)
|
that
other, or
|
|
(B)
|
that
other and one or more corporations each of which is controlled by that
other, or
|
|
(C)
|
two
or more corporations each of which is controlled by that other,
or
|
16
|
(ii)
|
it
is a Subsidiary of a corporation that is that other’s
Subsidiary;
|
(aaa)
|
“Take-over Bid” means an
Offer to Acquire Voting Shares, or securities convertible into Voting
Shares if, assuming that the Voting Shares or convertible securities
subject to the Offer to Acquire are acquired and are Beneficially Owned at
the date of such Offer to Acquire by the Person making such Offer to
Acquire, such Voting Shares (including Voting Shares that may be acquired
upon conversion of securities convertible into Voting Shares) together
with the Offeror’s Securities constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of
the outstanding Voting Shares at the date of the offer to
Acquire;
|
(bbb)
|
“Trading Day”, when used
with respect to any securities, means a day on which the principal
Canadian securities exchange on which such securities are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on
any Canadian securities exchange, a day on which the principal
United States securities exchange on which such securities are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any Canadian or United
States securities exchange, a Business
Day;
|
(ccc)
|
“U.S. - Canadian Exchange
Rate” means, on any
date:
|
|
(i)
|
if
on such date the Bank of Canada sets an average noon spot rate of exchange
for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such
rate; and
|
|
(ii)
|
in
any other case, the rate for such date for the conversion of one United
States dollar into Canadian dollars calculated in such manner as may be
determined by the Board of Directors from time to time acting in good
faith;
|
(ddd)
|
“U.S. Dollar Equivalent”
of any amount which is expressed in Canadian dollars means, on any date,
the United States dollar equivalent of such amount determined by
multiplying such amount by the Canadian - U.S. Exchange Rate in effect on
such date;
|
(eee)
|
“U.S.
Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder as now in
effect or as the same may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or
replaced;
|
(fff)
|
“U.S.
Securities Act” means the United
States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder as now in effect or as the same may from time to time be
amended, re-enacted or replaced;
and
|
17
(ggg)
|
“Voting Shares” means
the Common Shares of the Corporation and any other shares in the capital
of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of
directors.
|
1.2
|
Currency
|
All sums
of money which are referred to in this Agreement are expressed in lawful money
of Canada, unless otherwise specified.
1.3
|
Headings
|
The
division of this Agreement into Articles, Sections, Paragraphs, or other
portions hereof and the insertion of headings, subheadings and a table of
contents are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the
construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
1.4
|
Calculation
of Number and Percentage of Beneficial Ownership of Outstanding Voting
Shares
|
For
purposes of this Agreement, the percentage of Voting Shares of any class
Beneficially owned by any Person, shall be and be deemed to be the product
(expressed as a percentage) determined by the formula:
100 x
A/B
where:
A
=
|
the
number of votes for the election of all directors on the Board of
Directors generally attaching to the Voting Shares of that class
Beneficially owned by such Person;
and
|
B
=
|
the
number of votes for the election of all directors on the Board of
Directors generally attaching to all outstanding Voting Shares of such
class.
|
Where any
Person is deemed to Beneficially own unissued Voting Shares, such Voting Shares
shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of calculating the percentage
of Voting Shares owned by such Person.
1.5
|
Acting
Jointly or in Concert
|
For
purposes of this Agreement, a Person is acting jointly or in concert with every
Person who, as a result of any agreement, commitment or understanding whether
formal or informal, with the first Person, acquires or offers to acquire Voting
Shares (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and/or
banking group members and/or selling group members with respect to a public
offering or private placement of securities or pledges of securities in the
ordinary course of business).
18
1.6
|
Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles
|
Wherever
in this Agreement reference is made to generally accepted accounting principles,
such reference shall be deemed to be the recommendations at the relevant time of
the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, or any successor institute,
applicable on a consolidated basis (unless otherwise specifically provided
herein to be applicable on an unconsolidated basis) as at the date on which a
calculation is made or required to be made in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. Where the character or amount of any asset or liability
or item of revenue or expense is required to be determined, or any consolidation
or other accounting computation is required to be made for the purpose of this
Agreement or any document, such determination or calculation shall, to the
extent applicable and except as otherwise specified herein or as otherwise
agreed in writing by the parties, be made in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.
ARTICLE
2
THE
RIGHTS
2.1
|
Legend
on Common Share Certificates
|
Common
Share Certificates that are issued after the Record Time but prior to the
earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time, shall evidence, in
addition to Common Shares, one Right for each Common Share represented thereby
and shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them
the following legend:
Until the
Separation Time (defined in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement referred to
below), this certificate also evidences rights of the holder described in a
Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement, dated February 26, 2009, as amended
and restated from time to time, (the “Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement”),
between Kinross Gold Corporation (the “Corporation”) and Computershare Investor
Services Inc. , the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Corporation.
Under certain circumstances set out in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement,
the rights may expire, may become null and void or may be evidenced by separate
certificates and no longer evidenced by this certificate. The Corporation will
mail or arrange for the mailing of a copy of the Shareholder Rights Plan
Agreement to the holder of this certificate without charge as soon as
practicable after the receipt of a written request therefor.
Common
Share certificates that are issued and outstanding at the Record Time, which as
at the Effective Time represent Common Shares, shall also evidence one Right for
each Common Share evidenced thereby, notwithstanding the absence of the
foregoing legend, until the close of business on the earlier of the Separation
Time and the Expiration Time.
19
2.2
|
Initial
Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of
Rights
|
|
(a)
|
Subject
to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will entitle the holder
thereof, from and after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration
Time, to purchase one Common Share for the Exercise Price (with the
Exercise Price and number of Common Shares being subject to adjustment as
set forth below). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
any Rights held by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall be
void.
|
|
(b)
|
Until
the Separation Time,
|
|
(i)
|
the
Rights shall not be exercisable and no Right may be exercised;
and
|
|
(ii)
|
each
Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated Common Share
of the Corporation registered in the name of the holder thereof (which
certificate shall also be deemed to represent a Rights Certificate) and
will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a
transfer of, such associated Common
Share.
|
|
(c)
|
From
and after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration
Time:
|
|
(i)
|
the
Rights shall be exercisable; and
|
|
(ii)
|
the
registration and transfer of Rights shall be separate from and independent
of Common Shares.
|
Promptly
following the Separation Time, the Corporation will prepare and the Rights Agent
will mail to each holder of record of Common Shares as of the Separation Time
(other than an Acquiring Person, any other Person whose Rights are or become
void pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.1(b) and, in respect of any Rights
Beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person which are not held of record by such
Acquiring Person, the holder of record of such Rights (a “Nominee”)), at such
holder’s address as shown by the records of the Corporation (the Corporation
hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent for this
purpose):
|
(x)
|
a
Rights Certificate in substantially the form set out in Attachment 1
hereof appropriately completed, representing the number of Rights held by
such holder at the Separation Time and having such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon
as the Corporation may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
law, rule or regulation or judicial or administrative order or with any
rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization, stock exchange or
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or
traded, or to conform to usage; and
|
20
|
(y)
|
a
description of the Rights,
|
provided
that a Nominee shall be sent the materials provided for in (x) and (y) in
respect of all Common Shares held of record by it which are not Beneficially
owned by an Acquiring Person. In order for the Corporation to
determine whether any Person is holding Common Shares which are Beneficially
owned by another Person, the Corporation may require such first mentioned Person
to furnish such information and documentation as the Corporation deems necessary
or appropriate in order to make such determination.
|
(d)
|
Rights
may be exercised, in whole or in part, on any Business Day after the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time by submitting to the
Rights Agent in the manner specified in the Rights
Certificate:
|
|
(i)
|
the
Rights Certificate evidencing such
Rights;
|
|
(ii)
|
an
election to exercise such Rights (an “Election to Exercise”) substantially
in the form attached to the Rights Certificate appropriately completed and
executed by the holder or his executors or administrators or other
personal representatives or his or their legal attorney duly appointed by
an instrument in writing in form and executed in a manner satisfactory to
the Rights Agent; and
|
|
(iii)
|
payment
by certified cheque, banker’s draft or money order payable to the order of
the Corporation, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any
transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of the transfer or
delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for Common Shares in a name other than that of the holder of
the Rights being exercised.
|
|
(e)
|
Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate, together with a completed Election to
Exercise executed in accordance with Section 2.2(d)(ii), which does not
indicate that such Right is null and void as provided by Section 3.1(b),
and payment as set forth in Section 2.2(d)(iii), the Rights Agent (unless
otherwise instructed by the Corporation in the event that the Corporation
is of the opinion that the Rights cannot be exercised in accordance with
this Agreement) will thereupon
promptly:
|
21
|
(i)
|
requisition
from the transfer agent certificates representing the number of such
Common Shares to be purchased (the Corporation hereby irrevocably
authorizing its transfer agents to comply with all such
requisitions);
|
|
(ii)
|
when
appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be
paid in lieu of issuing fractional Common
Shares;
|
|
(iii)
|
after
receipt of the certificates referred to in Section 2.2(e)(i), deliver the
same to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificates, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder;
|
|
(iv)
|
when
appropriate, after receipt, deliver the cash referred to in Section
2.2(e)(ii) to or to the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate; and
|
|
(v)
|
tender
to the Corporation all payments received on the exercise of the
Rights.
|
|
(f)
|
In
case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the Rights
evidenced by such holder’s Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised (subject to the provisions of
Section 5.5(a)) will be issued by the Rights Agent to such holder or to
such holder’s duly authorized
assigns.
|
|
(g)
|
the
Corporation covenants and agrees that it
will:
|
|
(i)
|
take
all such action as may be necessary and within its power to ensure that
all Common Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such Common Shares (subject to payment of
the Exercise Price), be duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid and
non-assessable;
|
|
(ii)
|
take
all such action as may be necessary and within its power to comply with
the requirements of the OBCA, the Securities Act
(Ontario), the U.S. Securities Act,
the U.S. Exchange
Act and the securities laws or comparable legislation of each of
the provinces of Canada and any other applicable law, rule or regulation,
in connection with the issuance and delivery of the Rights Certificates
and the issuance of any Common Shares upon exercise of
Rights;
|
|
(iii)
|
use
reasonable efforts to cause all Common Shares issued upon exercise of
Rights to be listed on the principal stock exchanges on which such Common
Shares were traded immediately prior to the Stock Acquisition
Date;
|
22
|
(iv)
|
pay
when due and payable, if applicable, any and all Canadian and United
States federal, provincial, state and municipal transfer taxes and charges
(not including any income or capital taxes of the holder or exercising
holder or any liability of the Corporation to withhold tax) which may be
payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates, or certificates for Common Shares to be issued upon exercise
of any Rights, provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay
any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer
involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the
issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Shares in a name other
than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised;
and
|
|
(v)
|
after
the Separation Time, except as permitted by Section 5.1, not take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded
by the Rights.
|
2.3
|
Adjustments
to Exercise Price; Number of Rights
|
The
Exercise Price, the number and kind of securities subject to purchase upon
exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 2.3.
|
(a)
|
In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Expiration Time:
|
|
(i)
|
declare
or pay a dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares (or other
securities exchangeable for or convertible into or giving a right to
acquire Common Shares or other securities of the Corporation) other than
pursuant to any Dividend Reinvestment
Plan;
|
|
(ii)
|
subdivide
or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a greater number of
Common Shares;
|
|
(iii)
|
consolidate
or change the then outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of
Common Shares; or
|
|
(iv)
|
issue
any Common Shares (or other securities exchangeable for or convertible
into or giving a right to acquire Common Shares or other securities of the
Corporation) in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for existing Common
Shares except as otherwise provided in this Section
2.3,
|
23
the
Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding, or, if the payment or
effective date therefor shall occur after the Separation Time, the securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights, shall be adjusted as of the payment or
effective date in the manner set forth below. If an event occurs
which would require an adjustment under both this Section 2.3 and
Section 3.1(a), the adjustment provided for in this Section 2.3 shall
be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required under
Section 3.1(a).
If the
Exercise Price and number of Rights outstanding are to be adjusted:
|
(x)
|
the
Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment will be equal to the
Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by
the number of Common Shares (or other capital stock) (the “Expansion
Factor”) that a holder of one Common Share immediately prior to such
dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance would hold
thereafter as a result thereof; and
|
|
(y)
|
each
Right held prior to such adjustment will become that number of Rights
equal to the Expansion Factor,
|
and the
adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be distributed among the Common
Shares with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they remain
outstanding) and the shares issued in respect of such dividend, subdivision,
change, consolidation or issuance, so that each such Common Share (or other
capital stock) will have exactly one Right associated with it.
For
greater certainty, if the securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights are to
be adjusted, the securities purchasable upon exercise of each Right after such
adjustment will be the securities that a holder of the securities purchasable
upon exercise of one Right immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision,
change, consolidation or issuance would hold thereafter as a result of such
dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance.
If, after
the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall issue
any shares of capital stock other than Common Shares in a transaction of a type
described in Section 2.3(a)(i) or (iv), shares of such capital stock shall be
treated herein as nearly equivalent to Common Shares as may be practicable and
appropriate under the circumstances and the Corporation and the Rights Agent
agree to amend this Agreement in order to effect such treatment.
In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the
Separation Time issue any Common Shares otherwise than in a transaction referred
to in this Section 2.3(a), each such Common Share so issued shall automatically
have one new Right associated with it, which Right shall be evidenced by the
certificate representing such associated Common Share.
24
|
(b)
|
In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or securities convertible into or
exchangeable for or carrying a right to purchase Common Shares) at a price
per Common Share (or, if a security convertible into or exchangeable for
or carrying a right to purchase or subscribe for Common Shares, having a
conversion, exchange or exercise price, including the price required to be
paid to purchase such convertible or exchangeable security or right per
share) less than the Market Price per Common Share on such record date,
the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior
to such record date by a fraction:
|
|
(i)
|
the
numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of Common Shares that the aggregate
offering price of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion, exchange or exercise price of
the convertible or exchangeable securities or rights so to be offered,
including the price required to be paid to purchase such convertible or
exchangeable securities or rights) would purchase at such Market Price per
Common Share; and
|
|
(ii)
|
the
denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of additional Common Shares to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible or
exchangeable securities or rights so to be offered are initially
convertible, exchangeable or
exercisable).
|
In case
such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of
which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on
the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights. Such adjustment shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such
rights, options or warrants are not so issued, or if issued, are not exercised
prior to the expiration thereof, the Exercise Price shall be readjusted to the
Exercise Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed, or to the Exercise Price which would be in effect based upon the number
of Common Shares (or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable
for Common Shares) actually issued upon the exercise of such rights, options or
warrants, as the case may be.
25
For
purposes of this Agreement, the granting of the right to purchase Common Shares
(whether from treasury or otherwise) pursuant to a Dividend Reinvestment Plan or
any employee benefit, stock option or similar plans shall be deemed not to
constitute an issue of rights, options or warrants by the Corporation; provided,
however, that, in all such cases, the right to purchase Common Shares is at a
price per share of not less than 95% of the current market price per share
(determined as provided in such plans) of the Common Shares.
|
(c)
|
In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of Common Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a merger or amalgamation) of
evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than an annual cash dividend or a
dividend referred to in Section 2.3(a)(i), but including any dividend
payable in securities other than Common Shares), assets or rights, options
or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 2.3(b) hereof), the
Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined
by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction:
|
|
(i)
|
the
numerator of which shall be the Market Price per Common Share on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of Rights), on a per share basis, of the portion of
the cash, assets, evidences of indebtedness, rights, options or warrants
so to be distributed; and
|
|
(ii)
|
the
denominator of which shall be such Market Price per Common
Share.
|
Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such a distribution is not so made, the Exercise Price shall
be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would have been in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
|
(d)
|
Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment in the Exercise Price shall
be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease
of at least 1% in the Exercise Price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 2.3(d) are not required to be
made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under Section 2.3 shall be made to the
nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share. Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 2.3(d), any adjustment required by
Section 2.3 shall be made no later than the earlier
of:
|
26
|
(i)
|
three
years from the date of the transaction which gives rise to such
adjustment; or
|
|
(ii)
|
the
Expiration Date.
|
|
(e)
|
In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time issue any shares of capital stock (other than
Common Shares), or rights, options or warrants to subscribe for or
purchase any such capital stock, or securities convertible into or
exchangeable for any such capital stock in a transaction referred to in
Sections 2.3(a)(i) or (iv) above, if the Board of Directors acting in good
faith determines that the adjustments contemplated by Sections 2.3(a), (b)
and (c) above in connection with such transaction will not appropriately
protect the interests of the holders of Rights, the Board of Directors may
determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price, number of Rights
and/or securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights would be appropriate
and, notwithstanding Sections 2.3(a), (b) and (c) above, such adjustments,
rather than the adjustments contemplated by Sections 2.3(a), (b) and (c)
above, shall be made, subject to the prior consent of the holders of the
Voting Shares or the Rights as set forth in Section 5.4(b) or (c), and the
Corporation and the Rights Agent shall have authority upon receiving such
prior consent of the holders of the Voting Shares to amend this Agreement
as appropriate to provide for such
adjustments.
|
|
(f)
|
Each
Right originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any adjustment
made to the Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase,
at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of Common Shares purchasable
from time to time hereunder upon exercise of a Right immediately prior to
such issue, all subject to further adjustment as provided for
herein.
|
|
(g)
|
Irrespective
of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or the number of Common
Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Exercise
Price per Common Share and the number of Common Shares which were
expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
|
|
(h)
|
In
any case in which this Section 2.3 shall require that an adjustment in the
Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record
date the number of Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation,
if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Common
Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such
adjustment; provided, however, that the Corporation shall deliver to such
holder an appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive
such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or other securities upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
|
27
|
(i)
|
Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Section 2.3 to the contrary, the Corporation
shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Exercise Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 2.3, as
and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors
shall determine to be advisable, in order that
any:
|
|
(i)
|
consolidation
or subdivision of Common Shares;
|
|
(ii)
|
issuance
(wholly or in part for cash) of Common Shares or securities that by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common
Shares;
|
|
(iii)
|
stock
dividends; or
|
|
(iv)
|
issuance
of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section
2.3,
|
hereafter
made by the Corporation to holders of its Common Shares, shall not be taxable to
such shareholders.
|
(j)
|
If,
as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 3.1, the holder of
any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any
securities other than Common Shares, thereafter the number of such other
securities so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the applicable
Exercise Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in
a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Common Shares contained in the foregoing
subsections of this Section 2.4 and the provisions of this Agreement with
respect to the Common Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other
securities.
|
|
(k)
|
Whenever
an adjustment to the Exercise Price or a change in the securities
purchasable upon the exercise of Rights is made pursuant to this Section
2.3, the Corporation shall
promptly:
|
|
(i)
|
prepare
a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the
facts accounting for such
adjustment;
|
|
(ii)
|
file
with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a
copy of such certificate; and
|
28
|
(iii)
|
cause
notice of the particulars of such adjustment or change to be given to the
holders of the Rights.
|
Failure
to file such certificate or to cause such notice to be given as aforesaid, or
any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of any such adjustment or
change.
2.4
|
Date
on Which Exercise Is Effective
|
Each
Person in whose name any certificate for Common Shares or other securities, if
applicable, is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Shares or other
securities, if applicable, represented thereon, and such certificate shall be
dated the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered in accordance with Section 2.2(d) (together with a duly completed
Election to Exercise) and payment of the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any
applicable transfer taxes and other governmental charges payable by the
exercising holder hereunder) was made; provided, however, that if the date of
such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common Share transfer books
of the Corporation are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the
record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Share transfer books of the
Corporation are open.
2.5
|
Execution,
Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights
Certificates
|
|
(a)
|
The
Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by any
two of it Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, its Chief
Financial Officer or its Corporate Secretary. The signature of
any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual or
facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures
of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Corporation
shall bind the Corporation, notwithstanding that such individuals or any
of them have ceased to hold such offices either before or after the
countersignature and delivery of such Rights
Certificates.
|
|
(b)
|
Promptly
after the Corporation learns of the Separation Time, the Corporation will
notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver the
Rights Certificates executed by the Corporation to the Rights Agent for
countersignature, and the Rights Agent shall countersign (in a manner
satisfactory to the Corporation) and send such Rights Certificates to the
holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.2(c) hereof. No
Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until countersigned by
the Rights Agent as aforesaid.
|
|
(c)
|
Each
Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature
thereof.
|
29
2.6
|
Registration,
Transfer and Exchange
|
|
(a)
|
The
Corporation will cause to be kept a register (the “Rights Register”) in
which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the
Corporation will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The
Rights Agent is hereby appointed registrar for the Rights (the “Rights
Registrar”) for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the
Corporation and registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein
provided and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. In the
event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the
Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all
reasonable times.
|
After the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for
registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject to
the provisions of Section 2.6(c), the Corporation will execute, and the Rights
Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated
transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions,
one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number of
Rights as did the Rights Certificates so surrendered.
|
(b)
|
All
Rights issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights
Certificates shall be the valid obligations of the Corporation, and such
Rights shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Agreement as the
Rights surrendered upon such registration of transfer or
exchange.
|
|
(c)
|
Every
Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange
shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation or the Rights Agent, as
the case may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder’s
attorney duly authorized in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any
new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.6, the Corporation may require
the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses
(including the reasonable fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected
therewith.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Corporation shall not be required to register the transfer or exchange of
any Rights after the Rights have been terminated pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement.
|
2.7
|
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights
Certificates
|
|
(a)
|
If
any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior
to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall execute and the Rights Agent
shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights
Certificate so surrendered.
|
30
|
(b)
|
If
there shall be delivered to the Corporation and the Rights Agent prior to
the Expiration Time:
|
|
(i)
|
evidence
to their reasonable satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Rights Certificate; and
|
|
(ii)
|
such
security or indemnity as may be reasonably required by them to save each
of them and any of their agents
harmless,
|
then, in
the absence of notice to the Corporation or the Rights Agent that such Rights
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the
Corporation shall execute and upon the Corporation’s request the Rights Agent
shall countersign and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of
Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
|
(c)
|
As
a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this
Section 2.7, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto and any other expenses (including the reasonable fees and
expenses of the Rights Agent) connected
therewith.
|
|
(d)
|
Every
new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.7 in lieu of any
destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence the
contractual obligation of the Corporation, whether or not the destroyed,
lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by
anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement
equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly issued
hereunder.
|
2.8
|
Persons
Deemed Owners of Rights
|
The
Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights
Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for
all purposes whatsoever. As used in this Agreement, unless the
context otherwise requires, the term “holder” of any Rights shall mean the
registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, of the
associated Common Share).
31
2.9
|
Delivery
and Cancellation of Certificates
|
All
Rights Certificates surrendered upon exercise or for redemption, registration of
transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Rights
Agent, be delivered to the Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly
cancelled by the Rights Agent. the Corporation may at any time deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation any Rights Certificates previously countersigned
and delivered hereunder which the Corporation may have acquired in any manner
whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates so delivered shall be promptly cancelled
by the Rights Agent. No Rights Certificate shall be countersigned in lieu of or
in exchange for any Rights Certificates cancelled as provided in this Section
2.9, except as expressly permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall,
subject to applicable laws, destroy all cancelled Rights Certificates and
deliver a certificate of destruction to the Corporation.
2.10
|
Agreement
of Rights Holders
|
Every
holder of Rights, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the
Corporation and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of
Rights:
|
(a)
|
to
be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, as amended
from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, in respect of all
Rights held;
|
|
(b)
|
that
prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only
together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated
Common Share certificate representing such
Right;
|
|
(c)
|
that
after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be transferable
only on the Rights Register as provided
herein;
|
|
(d)
|
that
prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated Common Share certificate) for registration
of transfer, the Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the
Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose
name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the
associated Common Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations
of ownership or writing on such Rights Certificate or the associated
Common Share certificate made by anyone other than the Corporation or the
Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor
the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary;
|
|
(e)
|
that
such holder of Rights has waived his right to receive any fractional
Rights or any fractional shares or other securities upon exercise of a
Right (except as provided herein);
|
32
|
(f)
|
that
without the approval of any holder of Rights or Voting Shares and upon the
sole authority of the Board of Directors, this Agreement may be
supplemented or amended from time to time pursuant to Section 5.4(a) and
the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph of Section 2.3(a);
and
|
|
(g)
|
that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of
a Right or to any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any
of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a government, regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order
promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or
otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation.
|
2.11
|
Rights
Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Shareholder
|
No
holder, as such, of any Rights or Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose whatsoever the holder of any
Common Share or any other share or security of the Corporation which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed or deemed or
confer upon the holder of any Right or Rights Certificate, as such, any right,
title, benefit or privilege of a holder of Common Shares or any other shares or
securities of the Corporation or any right to vote at any meeting of
shareholders of the Corporation whether for the election of directors or
otherwise or upon any matter submitted to holders of Common Shares or any other
shares of the Corporation at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent
to any action of the Corporation, or to receive notice of any meeting or other
action affecting any holder of Common Shares or any other shares of the
Corporation except as expressly provided herein, or to receive dividends,
distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates shall have been duly exercised in accordance
with the terms and provisions hereof.
ARTICLE
3
ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1
|
Flip-in
Event
|
|
(a)
|
Subject
to Section 3.1(b) and Section 5.1, in the event that prior to the
Expiration Time a Flip-in Event shall occur, then each Right shall
constitute, effective at the close of business on the tenth Trading Day
after the Stock Acquisition Date, the right to purchase from the
Corporation, upon exercise of the Right in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, that number of Common Shares having an aggregate Market
Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-in Event
equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the
Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in a manner
analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in the
event that after the consummation or occurrence or event, an event of a
type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have
occurred);
|
33
|
(b)
|
Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any
Flip-in Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially owned on or after
the earlier of the Separation Time or the Stock Acquisition Date
by:
|
|
(i)
|
an
Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or
any Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person);
or
|
|
(ii)
|
a
transferee of Rights, directly or indirectly, from an Acquiring Person (or
any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting
jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person), where such transferee becomes a
transferee concurrently with or subsequent to the Acquiring Person
becoming such in a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined is
part of a plan, arrangement or scheme of an Acquiring Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any Person acting jointly
or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person), that has the purpose or effect of avoiding Section
3.1(b)(i),
|
shall
become null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights
(including transferees) shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights
under any provision of this Agreement and further shall thereafter not have any
other rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise.
|
(c)
|
From
and after the Separation Time, the Corporation shall do all such acts and
things as shall be necessary and within its power to ensure compliance
with the provisions of Section 3.1, including without limitation, all such
acts and things as may be required to satisfy the requirements of the OBCA, the Securities Act
(Ontario), the U.S. Securities Act,
the U.S. Exchange
Act and the securities laws or comparable legislation in each of
the provinces of Canada and each of the States of the United States in
respect of the issue of Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights in
accordance with this Agreement.
|
|
(d)
|
Any
Rights Certificate that would represent Rights Beneficially owned by a
Person described in either Section 3.1(b)(i) or (ii) or transferred to any
nominee of any such Person, and any Rights Certificate that would be
issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other
Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall either not be
issued upon the instruction of the Corporation in writing to the Rights
Agent or contain the following
legend:
|
34
The
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate were issued to a Person who was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such
terms are defined in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement) or a Person who was
acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person. This Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby are void or shall become void in the circumstances specified
in Section 3.1(b) of the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement.
provided,
however, that the Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility to
ascertain the existence of facts that would require the imposition of such
legend but shall impose such legend only if instructed to do so by the
Corporation in writing or if a holder fails to certify upon transfer or exchange
in the space provided on the Rights Certificate that such holder is not a Person
described in such legend. The issuance of a Rights Certificate
without the legend referred to in this Section 3.1(d) shall be of no effect on
the provisions of Section 3.1(b).
ARTICLE
4
THE
RIGHTS AGENT
4.1
|
General
|
|
(a)
|
The
Corporation hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the
Corporation and the holders of the Rights in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint one or more
co-Rights Agents (“Co-Rights Agents”) as it may deem necessary or
desirable, after consultation the Rights Agent. In the event
the Corporation appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective
duties of the Rights Agent and Co-Rights Agents shall be as the
Corporation may determine with the approval of the Rights Agent and the
Co-Rights Agents. The Corporation agrees to pay the Rights
Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable fees
and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements)
incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Corporation also
agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, its officers, directors and
employees for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct on
the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights
Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including legal costs and expenses, which right to
indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement or the
resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent.
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35
|
(b)
|
The
Rights Agent shall be protected from and shall incur no liability for or
in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any certificate
for Common Shares, Rights Certificate, certificate for other securities of
the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
opinion, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or
Persons.
|
The
Corporation shall inform the Rights Agent in a reasonably timely manner of
events which may materially affect the administration of this Agreement by the
Rights Agent and, at any time upon request, shall provide to the Rights Agent an
incumbency certificate certifying the then current officers of the
Corporation.
4.2
|
Merger,
Amalgamation or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent
|
|
(a)
|
Any
company into which the Rights Agent may be merged or amalgamated or with
which it may be consolidated, or any company resulting from any merger,
amalgamation, statutory arrangement or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent is a party, or any company succeeding to the securityholder services
business of the Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent
under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
company would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement
any of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered,
any successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates
have not been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates will have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates
and in this Agreement.
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36
|
(b)
|
In
case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior
name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
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4.3
|
Duties
of Rights Agent
|
The
Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement
upon the following terms and conditions, all of which the Corporation and the
holders of certificates for Common Shares and Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
|
(a)
|
the
Rights Agent may retain and consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Corporation) and the opinion of such counsel will be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion and the Rights Agent may also consult with such other experts as
the Rights Agent shall consider necessary or appropriate to properly carry
out the duties and obligations imposed under this Agreement (at the
Corporation’s expense) and the Rights Agent shall be entitled to act and
rely in good faith on the advice of any such
expert;
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|
(b)
|
whenever
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Rights Agent
deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved
and established by a certificate signed by a Person believed by the Rights
Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, President, any Vice President,
Treasurer, Secretary, or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate;
|
|
(c)
|
the
Rights Agent will be liable hereunder for its own negligence, bad faith or
wilful misconduct;
|
|
(d)
|
the
Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements
of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for
Common Shares or the Rights Certificates (except its countersignature
thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and
recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Corporation
only;
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37
|
(e)
|
the
Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of the
validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent)
or in respect of the validity or execution of any certificate for a Common
Share or Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
will it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant
or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor
will it be responsible for any change in the exerciseability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 3.1(b) hereof) or
any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 2.3 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after receipt of
the certificate contemplated by Section 2.3 describing any such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization of any Common Shares to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights or as to whether any
Common Shares will, when issued, be duly and validly authorized, executed,
issued and delivered and fully paid and
non-assessable;
|
|
(f)
|
the
Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver
or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the
Rights Agent of the provisions of this
Agreement;
|
|
(g)
|
the
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions in
writing with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
individual believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board,
President, any Executive or Senior Vice President or any other Vice
President, Treasurer, Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
Corporation, and to apply to such individuals for advice or instructions
in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action
taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of
any such individual;
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|
(h)
|
the
Rights Agent and any shareholder or stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Shares,
Rights or other securities of the Corporation or become financially
interested in any transaction in which the Corporation may be interested,
or contract with or lend money to the Corporation or otherwise act as
fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other legal entity;
and
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38
|
(i)
|
the
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby
vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent will not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any
such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
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4.4
|
Change
of Rights Agent
|
The
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 60 days’ notice (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Corporation)
in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each transfer agent of Common Shares
by registered or certified mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent
upon 60 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent and to each transfer
agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail. If the Rights Agent
should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of acting, the
Corporation will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation
fails to make such appointment within a period of 60 days after such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent, then by prior written notice to the
Corporation the resigning Rights Agent (at the Corporation’s expense) or the
holder of any Rights (which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder’s
Rights Certificate, if any, for inspection by the Corporation), may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Corporation or by such a court,
shall be a company constituted under the laws of Canada or a province thereof
authorized to carry on the business of a trust company in the Province of
Ontario. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment, the Corporation will file notice thereof in
writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common
Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders of the Rights in
accordance with Section 5.9. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 4.4, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
any successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
4.5
|
Compliance
with Money Laundering Legislation
|
The
Rights Agent shall retain the right not to act and shall not be liable for
refusing to act if, due to a lack of information or for any other reason
whatsoever, the Rights Agent reasonably determines that such an act might cause
it to be in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering or
anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline. Further, should the Rights
Agent reasonably determine at any time that its acting under this Agreement has
resulted in it being in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering
or anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline, then it shall have the
right to resign on 10 days' written notice to the Company, provided: (i) that
the Rights Agent's written notice shall describe the circumstances of such
non-compliance; and (ii) that if such circumstances are rectified to the Rights
Agent's satisfaction within such 10-day period, then such resignation shall not
be effective.
39
4.6
|
Privacy
Legislation
|
The
parties acknowledge that federal and/or provincial legislation that addresses
the protection of individual's personal information (collectively, “Privacy Laws”) may apply to
obligations and activities under this Agreement. Despite any other
provision of this Agreement, neither party will take or direct any action that
would contravene, or cause the other to contravene, applicable Privacy Laws. The
Company will, prior to transferring or causing to be transferred personal
information to the Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement, obtain and retain
required consents of the relevant individuals to the collection, use and
disclosure of their personal information, or will have determined that such
consents either have previously been given upon which the parties can rely or
are not required under the Privacy Laws. The Rights Agent will use
commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that its services hereunder comply
with Privacy Laws.
ARTICLE
5
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1
|
Redemption
and Waiver
|
|
(a)
|
The
Board of Directors shall waive the application of Section 3.1 in respect
of the occurrence of any Flip-in Event if the Board of Directors has
determined, following a Stock Acquisition Date and prior to the Separation
Time, that a Person became an Acquiring Person by inadvertence and without
any intention to become, or knowledge that it would become, an Acquiring
Person under this Agreement and, in the event that such a waiver is
granted by the Board of Directors, such Stock Acquisition Date shall be
deemed not to have occurred. Any such waiver pursuant to this Section
5.1(a) must be on the condition that such Person, within 14 days after the
foregoing determination by the Board of Directors or such earlier or later
date as the Board of Directors may determine (the “Disposition Date”), has
reduced its Beneficial ownership of Voting Shares such that the Person is
no longer an Acquiring Person. If the Person remains an Acquiring Person
at the close of business on the Disposition Date, the Disposition Date
shall be deemed to be the date of occurrence of a further Stock
Acquisition Date and Section 3.1 shall apply
thereto.
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40
|
(b)
|
The
Board of Directors acting in good faith may, prior to a Flip-in Event
having occurred, upon prior written notice delivered to the Rights Agent,
determine to waive the application of Section 3.1 to a Flip-in Event that
may occur by reason of a Take-over Bid made by means of a take-over bid
circular to all holders of record of Voting Shares (which for greater
certainty shall not include the circumstances described in Section
5.1(a)), provided that if the Board of Directors waives the application of
Section 3.1 to a particular Flip-in Event pursuant to this Section 5.1(b),
the Board of Directors shall be deemed to have waived the application of
Section 3.1 to any other Flip-in Event occurring by reason of any
Take-Over Bid which is made by means of a Take-Over Bid circular to all
holders of Voting Shares prior to the expiry of any Take-Over Bid (as the
same may be extended from time to time) in respect of which a waiver is,
or is deemed to have been granted under this Section
5.1(b).
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|
(c)
|
In
the event that prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event a Person
acquires, pursuant to a Permitted Bid, a Competing Permitted Bid or an
Exempt Acquisition under Section 5.1(b), outstanding Voting Shares, then
the Board of Directors shall, immediately upon the consummation of such
acquisition without further formality be deemed to have elected to redeem
the Rights at a redemption price of $0.00001 per Right appropriately
adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for
in Section 2.3 if an event of the type analogous to any of the events
described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred (such redemption price being
herein referred to as the “Redemption
Price”).
|
|
(d)
|
The
Board of Directors may, with the prior approval of the holders of Voting
Shares or Rights given in accordance with the terms of Section 5.4, at any
time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event elect to redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price
appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustments
provided for in Section 2.3, which adjustments shall only be made in the
event that an event of the type analogous to any of the events described
in Section 2.3 shall have occurred.
|
|
(e)
|
The
Board of Directors may, prior to the close of business on the tenth
Trading Day following a Stock Acquisition Date or such later Business Day
as they may from time to time determine, upon prior written notice
delivered to the Rights Agent, waive the application of Section 3.1 to the
related Flip-in Event, provided that the Acquiring Person has reduced its
Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares (or has entered into a contractual
arrangement with the Corporation, acceptable to the Board of Directors, to
do so within 10 calendar days of the date on which such contractual
arrangement is entered into or such other date as the Board of Directors
may have determined) such that at the time the waiver becomes effective
pursuant to this Section 5.1(e) such Person is no longer an Acquiring
Person. In the event of such a waiver becoming effective prior
to the Separation Time, for the purposes of this Agreement, such Flip-in
Event shall be deemed not to have
occurred.
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41
|
(f)
|
Where
a Take-over Bid that is not a Permitted Bid Acquisition is withdrawn or
otherwise terminated after the Separation Time has occurred and prior to
the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, the Board of Directors may elect to
redeem all the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. Upon
the Rights being redeemed pursuant to this Section 5.1(f), all the
provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply as if the Separation
Time had not occurred and Rights Certificates representing the number of
Rights held by each holder of record of Common Shares as of the Separation
Time had not been mailed to each such holder and for all purposes of this
Agreement the Separation Time shall be deemed not to have occurred and the
Corporation shall be deemed to have issued replacement Rights to the
holders of its then outstanding Common
Shares.
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|
(g)
|
If
the Board of Directors is deemed under Section 5.1(c) to have elected or
elects under Sections 5.1(d) or (f) to redeem the Rights, the right to
exercise the Rights will thereupon, without further action and without
notice, terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption
Price.
|
|
(h)
|
Within
10 calendar days after the Board of Directors is deemed under Section
5.1(c) to have elected or elects under Section 5.1(d) or (f) to redeem the
Rights, the Corporation shall give notice of redemption to the holders of
the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to each such holder at
his last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Separation Time, on the registry books of the transfer
agent for the Voting Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which
the payment of the Redemption Price will be
made.
|
|
(i)
|
the
Corporation shall give prompt written notice to the Rights Agent of any
waiver of the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to this Section
5.1.
|
5.2
|
Expiration
|
No Person
shall have any rights whatsoever pursuant to this Agreement or in respect of any
Right after the Expiration Time, except the Rights Agent as specified in Section
4.1(a) of this Agreement.
5.3
|
Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
|
Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Corporation may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the number or kind or class of securities purchasable
upon exercise of Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
42
5.4
|
Supplements
and Amendments
|
|
(a)
|
The
Corporation may make any amendments to this Agreement to correct any
clerical or typographical error or which are required to maintain the
validity of the Agreement as a result of any change in any applicable
legislation, regulations or rules thereunder. Notwithstanding anything in
this Section 5.4 to the contrary, no amendment shall be made to the
provisions of ARTICLE 4 except with the written concurrence of the Rights
Agent to such supplement or
amendment.
|
|
(b)
|
Subject
to Section 5.4(a), the Corporation may, with the prior consent of the
holders of Voting Shares obtained as set forth below, at any time before
the Separation Time, amend, vary or rescind any of the provisions of this
Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally),
provided that no such amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to
the provisions of ARTICLE 4 except with the written concurrence of the
Rights Agent thereto. Such consent shall be deemed to have been given if
provided by the holders of Voting Shares at a Special Meeting, which
Special Meeting shall be called and held in compliance with applicable
laws and regulatory requirements and the requirements in the articles and
by-laws of the Corporation. Subject to compliance with any requirements
imposed by the foregoing, consent shall be given if the proposed
amendment, variation or rescission is approved by the affirmative vote of
a majority of the votes cast by all holders of Voting Shares (other than
any holder who does not qualify as an Independent Shareholder, with
respect to all Voting Shares Beneficially owned by such Person),
represented in person or by proxy at the Special
Meeting.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Corporation may, with the prior consent of the holders of Rights obtained
as set forth below, at any time after the Separation Time and before the
Expiration Time, amend, vary or rescind any of the provisions of this
Agreement and the Rights (whether or not such action would materially
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally),
provided that no such amendment, variation or deletion shall be made to
the provisions of ARTICLE 4 except with the written concurrence of the
Rights Agent thereto. Such consent shall be deemed to have been
given if provided by the holders of Rights at a Rights Holders’ Special
Meeting, which Rights Holders’ Special Meeting shall be called and held in
compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements and, to the
extent possible, with the requirements in the articles and by-laws of the
Corporation applicable to meetings of holders of Common Shares, applied
mutatis mutandis.
Subject to compliance with any requirements imposed by the
foregoing, consent shall be given if the proposed amendment, variation or
rescission is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
cast by holders of Rights (other than holders of Rights whose Rights have
become null and void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)), represented in person or
by proxy at the Rights Holders’ Special
Meeting.
|
43
|
(d)
|
Any
approval of the holders of Rights shall be deemed to have been given if
the action requiring such approval is authorized by the affirmative votes
of the holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to be
voted at a meeting of the holders of Rights and representing a majority of
the votes cast in respect thereof. For the purposes hereof, each
outstanding Right (other than Rights which are null and void pursuant to
the provisions hereof) shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures
for the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as
nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation’s by-laws and the
OBCA with respect to the meetings of holders of Common
Shares.
|
|
(e)
|
Any
amendments, variations or deletions made by the Corporation to this
Agreement pursuant to Section 5.4(a) which are required to maintain the
validity of this Agreement as a result of any change in any applicable
legislation, regulation or rule thereunder
shall:
|
|
(i)
|
if
made before the Separation Time, be submitted to the holders of Voting
Shares at the next meeting of shareholders and the holders of Voting
Shares may, by the majority referred to in Section 5.4(b) confirm or
reject such amendment;
|
|
(ii)
|
if
made after the Separation Time, be submitted to the holders of Rights at a
meeting to be called for on a date not later than immediately following
the next meeting of shareholders of the Corporation and the holders of
Rights may, by resolution passed by the majority referred to in Section
5.4(d) confirm or reject such
amendment.
|
Any such
amendment shall be effective from the date of the resolution of the Board of
Directors adopting such amendment, until it is confirmed or rejected or until it
ceases to be effective (as described in the next sentence) and, where such
amendment is confirmed, it continues in effect in the form so confirmed. If such
amendment is rejected by the shareholders or the holders of Rights or is not
submitted to the shareholders or holders of Rights as required, then such
amendment shall cease to be effective from and after the termination of the
meeting at which it was rejected or to which it should have been but was not
submitted or from and after the date of the meeting of holders of Rights that
should have been but was not held, and no subsequent resolution of the Board of
Directors to amend this Agreement to substantially the same effect shall be
effective until confirmed by the shareholders or holders of Rights as the case
may be.
44
5.5
|
Fractional
Rights and Fractional Shares
|
|
(a)
|
The
Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights and the
Corporation shall not be required to pay any amount to a holder of record
of Rights Certificates in lieu of such fractional
Rights.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon
exercise of Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Common Shares. In lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares, the
Corporation shall be entitled to pay to the registered holders of Rights
Certificates, at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided, an
amount in cash equal to the fraction of the Market Price of one Common
Share that the fraction of a Common Share that would otherwise be issuable
upon the exercise of such Right is of one whole Common Share at the date
of such exercise.
|
5.6
|
Rights
of Action
|
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement, all rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, other than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are
vested in the respective holders of the Rights. Any holder of Rights, without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on
such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit and the benefit of
other holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Corporation to enforce such holder’s right to
exercise such holder’s Rights, or Rights to which such holder is entitled, in
the manner provided in such holder’s Rights Certificate and in this Agreement.
Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of
Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holder of Rights would not have
an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled
to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against
actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to,
this Agreement.
5.7
|
Regulatory
Approvals
|
Any
obligation of the Corporation or action or event contemplated by this Agreement
shall be subject to the receipt of any requisite approval or consent from any
governmental or regulatory authority, and without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, necessary approvals of any stock exchange shall be obtained, such as
approvals relating to the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights
under Section 2.2(d).
45
5.8
|
Declaration
as to Non-Canadian Holders
|
If in the
opinion of the Board of Directors (who may rely upon the advice of counsel) any
action or event contemplated by this Agreement would require compliance by the
Corporation with the securities laws or comparable legislation of a jurisdiction
outside Canada, the Board of Directors acting in good faith shall take such
actions as it may deem appropriate to ensure such compliance. In no event shall
the Corporation or the Rights Agent be required to issue or deliver Rights or
securities issuable on exercise of Rights to persons who are citizens, residents
or nationals of any jurisdiction other than Canada or the United States, in
which such issue or delivery would be unlawful without registration of the
relevant Persons or securities for such purposes.
5.9
|
Notices
|
|
(a)
|
Notices
or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by
the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Corporation
shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered, sent by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid (until another address is filed in writing
with the Rights Agent), or sent by facsimile or other form of recorded
electronic communication, charges prepaid and confirmed in writing, as
follows:
|
Kinross
Gold Corporation
Scotia
Plaza, 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
Attention: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx,
Vice
President, Administration and Corporate Secretary
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
|
(b)
|
Notices
or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by
the Corporation or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent
shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered, sent by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid (until another address is filed in writing
with the Corporation), or sent by facsimile or other form of recorded
electronic communication, charges prepaid, and confirmed in writing, as
follows:
|
Computershare
Investor Services Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxx
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
|
(c)
|
Notices
or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made by
the Corporation or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights
shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by certified
mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as it appears upon the register of the Rights Agent or, prior to
the Separation Time, on the register of the Corporation for its Common
Shares. Any notice which is mailed or sent in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice.
|
46
|
(d)
|
Any
notice given or made in accordance with this Section 5.9 shall be deemed
to have been given and to have been received on the day of delivery, if
delivered, on the third Business Day (excluding each day during which
there exists any general interruption of postal service due to strike,
lockout or other cause) following the mailing thereof, if mailed, and on
the day of telegraphing, telecopying or sending of the same by other means
of recorded electronic communication (provided such sending is during the
normal business hours of the addressee on a Business Day and if not, on
the first Business Day thereafter). Each of the Corporation and the Rights
Agent may from time to time change its address for notice by notice to the
other given in the manner
aforesaid.
|
5.10
|
Costs
of Enforcement
|
The
Corporation agrees that if the Corporation fails to fulfil any of its
obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the Corporation will reimburse the
holder of any Rights for the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal
fees) incurred by such holder to enforce his rights pursuant to any Rights or
this Agreement.
5.11
|
Successors
|
All the
covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the
Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and enure to the benefit of their
respective successors and permitted assigns hereunder.
5.12
|
Benefits
of this Agreement
|
Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Corporation, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; further, this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
and the holders of the Rights.
5.13
|
Governing
Law
|
This
Agreement and each Right issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the laws of the Province of Ontario and for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of such Province applicable to
contracts to be made and performed entirely within such Province.
47
5.14
|
Severability
|
If any
term or provision hereof or the application thereof to any circumstance shall,
in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, such term or
provision shall be ineffective only as to such jurisdiction and to the extent of
such invalidity or unenforceability in such jurisdiction without invalidating or
rendering unenforceable or ineffective the remaining terms and provisions hereof
in such jurisdiction or the application of such term or provision in any other
jurisdiction or to circumstances other than those as to which it is specifically
held invalid or unenforceable.
5.15
|
Effective
Time
|
This
Agreement is effective and in full force and effect in accordance with its terms
from and after the Effective Time. This Agreement and all outstanding Rights
shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect on and from the
Expiration Time.
In the
event that this Agreement is not confirmed by a majority of the votes cast by
holders of Voting Shares who vote in respect of confirmation of this agreement
(other than any holder who does not qualify as an Independent Shareholder, with
respect to all Voting Shares Beneficially owned by such Person) at the
Corporation’s annual and special meeting of shareholders in 2009, then this
Agreement and all outstanding Rights shall terminate and shall be void and of no
further force and effect from the date that such event occurs.
This
Agreement must be reconfirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of the votes
cast by all holders of Voting Shares who vote in respect of such reconfirmation
(other than any holder who does not qualify as an Independent Shareholder, with
respect to all Voting Shares Beneficially owned by such Person) at the third and
sixth annual meeting following the Corporation’s annual and special meeting of
shareholders in 2009. If this Agreement is not so reconfirmed or is
not presented for reconfirmation at either such annual meeting, this Agreement
and all outstanding Rights shall terminate and be void and of no further force
and effect on and from the date of termination of the annual meeting; provided
that termination shall not occur if a Flip-in Event has occurred (other than a
Flip-in Event which has been waived pursuant to Section 5.1(a), (b) or (e)
hereof), prior to the date upon which this Agreement would otherwise terminate
pursuant to this Section 5.15.
5.16
|
Determinations
and Actions by the Board of
Directors
|
All
actions, calculations and determinations (including all omissions with respect
to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors for the
purposes hereof, in good faith, shall not subject the Board of Directors or any
director of the Corporation to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
48
5.17
|
Time
of the Essence
|
Time
shall be of the essence in this Agreement.
5.18
|
Execution
in Counterparts
|
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and may be executed and
delivered by facsimile or similar electronic copy and each of such counterparts
and facsimiles or similar electronic copies shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts and facsimiles or similar electronic
copies shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
S-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date
first above written.
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
|
||
By:
|
(s)
Xxxxxxxx X. Gold
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxxxx X. Gold
|
||
Title:
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
|
||
By:
|
(s)
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Vice President, Administration and Corporate
Secretary
|
COMPUTERSHARE
INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
|
||
By:
|
(s)
Xxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Professional, Client Services
|
||
By:
|
(s)
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Professional, Client Services
|
ATTACHMENT
1
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
SHAREHOLDER
RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT
[Form of
Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. | Rights | |
THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO TERMINATION ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE SHAREHOLDER
RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION 3.1(b)
OF THE SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR CERTAIN RELATED PARTIES, OR TRANSFEREES OF AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR CERTAIN RELATED PARTIES, MAY BECOME VOID.
Rights
Certificate
This
certifies that ,
or registered assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set
forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to
the terms, provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement,
dated February 26, 2009, as the same may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, (the “Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement”), between Kinross
Gold Corporation, a corporation amalgamated under the laws of Ontario, and
Computershare Investor Services Inc. , a company existing under the laws of
Canada (the “Rights Agent”) (which term shall include any successor Rights Agent
under the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement), to purchase from Kinross Gold
Corporation at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in
the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement) and prior to the Expiration Time (as such
term is defined in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement), one fully paid common
share of Kinross Gold Corporation (a “Common Share”) at the Exercise Price
referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate
with the Form of Election to Exercise (in the form provided hereinafter) duly
executed and submitted to the Rights Agent at its principal office in the city
of Toronto, Ontario or any other city as may be designated by the Corporation
from time to time. The Exercise Price shall initially be $90 (Cdn.)
per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain events as provided in
the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms and provisions of the
Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement, which terms and provisions are incorporated
herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Shareholder Rights Plan
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the
Rights Agent, Kinross Gold Corporation and the holders of the Rights
Certificates. Copies of the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement are on file at the
registered office of Kinross Gold Corporation.
This
Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at
any of the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor
and date evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number
of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not
exercised.
No holder
of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Shares or of any
other securities which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise hereof, nor
shall anything contained in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement or herein be
construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the Rights of a
shareholder of Kinross Gold Corporation or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the
Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised as provided in the Shareholder Rights Plan
Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it
shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
(Signature
page follows)
WITNESS the facsimile
signature of the proper officers of Kinross Gold Corporation.
Date:
KINROSS
GOLD CORPORATION
By: | By: |
President | Secretary |
Countersigned:
COMPUTERSHARE INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
By:
Authorized
Signature
By:
Authorized
Signature
FORM
OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be
executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Rights
Certificate.)
FOR VALUE
RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns
and
transfers
unto
(Please print name
and address of transferee.)
The
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title
and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and
appoint
, as attorney, to transfer the within Rights on the books of Kinross Gold
Corporation, with full power of substitution.
Dated: | |
Signature | |
Signature
Guaranteed:
|
(Signature
must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.)
|
The
signature on the Form of Assignment shall be Signature Guaranteed by a Schedule
I Canadian chartered bank, major Canadian trust company, or a member of a
recognized Medallion Guarantee program.
CERTIFICATE
(To be
completed if true.)
The
undersigned party transferring Rights hereunder, hereby represents, for the
benefit of all holders of Rights and Voting Shares, that the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have
never been, Beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof. Capitalized terms shall have the
meaning ascribed thereto in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement.
Signature | |
(To be
attached to each Rights Certificate.)
FORM
OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
(To be
exercised by the registered holder if such holder desires to exercise the Rights
Certificate.)
TO: Kinross
Gold Corporation and Computershare Investor Services Inc.
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
whole Rights represented by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the
Common Shares or other securities, if applicable, issuable upon the exercise of
such Rights and requests that certificates for such securities be issued in the
name of:
(Name)
(Address)
(City and
Province)
Social
Insurance Number, Social Security Number or other taxpayer identification
number.
If such
number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
(Name)
(Address)
(City and
Province)
Social
Insurance Number, Social Security Number or other taxpayer identification
number.
Dated: | |
Signature |
Signature
Guaranteed:
|
(Signature
must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.)
|
The
signature on the Form of Election to Exercise shall be Signature Guaranteed by a
Schedule I Canadian chartered bank, major Canadian trust company, or a member of
a recognized Medallion Guarantee program.
CERTIFICATE
(To be
completed if true.)
The
undersigned party exercising Rights hereunder, hereby represents, for the
benefit of all holders of Rights and Voting Shares, that the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have
never been, Beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof or a Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof. Capitalized terms shall have the
meaning ascribed thereto in the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement.
Signature |
(To be
attached to each Rights Certificate.)
NOTICE
In the
event the certification set forth above in the Forms of Assignment and Election
to Exercise is not completed, Kinross Gold Corporation will deem the Beneficial
owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof. No Rights Certificates shall be
issued in exchange for a Rights Certificate owned or deemed to have been owned
by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof, or by a Person
acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof.