Jones Heward Investment Counsel Inc. - MRRS Decision
Headnote
Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications -- Variation of a previously issued order dated August 22, 2006, which granted relief from subsection 4.1(1) of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds to allow dealer managed mutual funds to invest in securities of an issuer during the 60 days after the distribution period in which an affiliate of the dealer manager has acted as an underwriter in connection with the distribution of securities of the issuer. -- Variation made to extend the previously issued order to an additional dealer managed fund which was not previously included as a result of inadvertence.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5., as am., s. 144.
National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds, ss. 4.1(1), 19.1.
December 29, 2006
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA, ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN,
MANITOBA, ONTARIO, QUEBEC, NEW BRUNSWICK,
NOVA SCOTIA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR,
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, NUNAVUT
AND THE YUKON
(the "Jurisdictions")
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
THE MUTUAL RELIANCE REVIEW SYSTEM
FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF APPLICATIONS
AND
JONES HEWARD INVESTMENT COUNSEL INC.
(the "Dealer Manager" ), the Filer
MRRS DECISION DOCUMENT
Background
The local securities regulatory authority or regulator (the "Decision Maker") in each of the Jurisdictions has received an application from the Filer for a decision pursuant to the securities legislation of the Jurisdiction (the "Legislation") to vary the decision issued to Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Ltd. on November 20, 2006 (the "Prior Decision"). The Prior Decision is attached as Appendix "B". The variation requested is for the inclusion of the Filer and the additional funds (the "Funds" or the "Dealer Managed Funds") listed in Appendix "A".
Under the Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications:
(a) the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") is the principal regulator for this application, and
(b) this MRRS decision document evidences the decision of each Decision Maker.
It is the responsibility of each of the Decision Makers to make a global assessment of the risks involved in granting exemptive relief from subsection 4.1 of NI 81-102 in relation to the specific facts of each application.
Interpretation
Defined terms contained in National Instrument 14-101 - Definitions have the same meanings in this decision unless they are defined in this decision.
Representations
This decision is based on the following facts represented by the Filer:
1. The Dealer Manager is a "dealer manager" with respect to the Dealer Managed Funds, and each Dealer Managed Fund is a "dealer managed fund", as such terms are defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 81-102 ("NI 81-102").
2. The head office of the Dealer Manager is in Toronto, Ontario.
3. The securities of the Dealer Managed Funds are qualified for distribution in all of the provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to a simplified prospectus that has been prepared and filed in accordance with the Legislation.
4. The Offering is being underwritten, subject to certain terms, by a syndicate which includes BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (the "Related Underwriter"), an affiliate of the Dealer Manager, among others (the Related Underwriter and any other underwriters, which are now or may become part: of the syndicate prior to closing, the "Underwriters").
5. The Offering closed on November 22, 2006.
6. The Additional Funds were established on or prior to the date of the Prior Decision and the Dealer Manager and the Additional Funds were not included in the application that resulted in the issuance of the Prior Decision.
7. Investments in the Common Shares, as defined in the Prior Decision, by the Additional Funds are consistent with their investment objectives and strategies.
8. The facts and representations in the Prior Decision equally apply to the Additional Funds.
9. The Dealer Manager and the Additional Funds agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Prior Decision.
Decision
Each of the Decision Makers is satisfied that the test contained in the Legislation that provides the Decision Maker with the jurisdiction to make the Decision has been met.
The Decision of the Decision Makers under the Legislation is that the Requested Relief is granted.
APPENDIX "A"
THE MUTUAL FUNDS
BMO Mutual Funds (consolidated)
BMO Asset Allocation Fund
BMO Precious Metals Fund
BMO Resource Fund
BMO Special Equity Fund
APPENDIX "B"
November 20, 2006
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES LEGISLATION OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA, ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN,
MANITOBA, ONTARIO,QUEBEC, NEW BRUNSWICK,
NOVA SCOTIA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR,
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, NUNAVUT
AND THE YUKON
(the "Jurisdictions")
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
THE MUTUAL RELIANCE REVIEW SYSTEM
FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF APPLICATIONS
AND
GOODMAN & COMPANY, INVESTMENT COUNSEL LTD.
(the "Applicant" or "Dealer Manager")
MRRS DECISION DOCUMENT
Background
The local securities regulatory authority or regulator (the "Decision Maker") in each of the Jurisdictions has received an application from the Applicant, on behalf of the portfolio advisers of the funds listed in Appendix "A" (the "Funds" or "Dealer Managed Funds") for a decision under section 19.1 of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds ("NI 81-102") for:
• an exemption from subsection 4.1(1) of NI 81-102 to enable the Dealer Managed Funds to invest in common shares (the "Common Shares") of Aurelian Resources Inc. (the "Issuer") during the period of distribution for the Offering (as defined below) (the "Distribution") and the 60-day period following the completion of the Distribution (the "60-Day Period") (the Distribution and the 60-Day Period together, the "Prohibition Period") notwithstanding that an associate or affiliate of the Dealer Manager acts or has acted as an underwriter in connection with the private placement (the "Offering") of Common Shares offered in each of the provinces of Canada under a term sheet dated November 6, 2006 (the "Term Sheet").
Under the Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications:
(a) the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") is the principal regulator for this application, and
(b) this MRRS decision document evidences the decision of each Decision Maker.
It is the responsibility of each of the Decision Makers to make a global assessment of the risks involved in granting exemptive relief from subsection 4.1 of NI 81-102 in relation to the specific facts of each application.
Interpretation
Defined terms contained in National Instrument 14-101 - Definitions have the same meanings in this decision unless they are defined in this decision.
Representations
This decision is based on the following facts represented by the Applicant:
1. Each Dealer Manager is a "dealer manager" with respect to the Dealer Managed Fund, and the Dealer Managed Fund is a "dealer managed fund", as such terms are defined in section 1.1 of NI 81-102.
2. The head office of the Dealer Manager is in Toronto, Ontario.
3. The securities of the Dealer Managed Funds are qualified for distribution in all of the provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to a simplified prospectus that has been prepared and filed in accordance with the applicable securities legislation.
4. The Offering is being underwritten, subject to certain terms, by a syndicate which includes Dundee Securities Corporation (the "Related Underwriter"), an affiliate of the Dealer Manager, among others (the Related Underwriter and any other underwriters, which are now or may become part of the syndicate prior to closing, the "Underwriters").
5. The closing date for the Offering is expected to occur as early as November 22, 2006 (the "Closing Date").
6. The Issuer is a corporation formed under the laws of Canada and is a reporting issuer in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The Issuer is a junior resource company exploring precious and base metals in the frontier area of south-eastern Ecuador.
7. According to the Term Sheet, the Common Shares will be offered at a price of $37.50 per Common Share with gross proceeds of the Offering expected to be approximately $75 million. The price of the Common Shares was determined by negotiation among the Underwriters and the Issuer.
8. According to the Term Sheet, the Issuer will apply to the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") to have the Common Shares listed on the TSXV. The listing of the Common Shares will be conditional upon the Issuer fulfilling all listing requirements and conditions of the TSXV. The Issuer's outstanding common shares are currently listed on the TSXV under the symbol "ARU".
9. According to the Term Sheet, the Issuer shall not issue any Common Shares or financial instruments convertible or exercisable into Common Shares on a public or private basis in an agency or underwritten offering (other than for purposes of acquisitions, binding agreements under which the Issuer is required to do so and which have been disclosed to the Underwriters, directors', officers', consultants' or employee stock options, to satisfy existing instruments issued at the date hereof or securities which may be issued in connection with a take-over bid made for the Issuer) until the date which is 120 days following the closing of the Offering without the prior written consent of Sprott Securities Inc. (an Underwriter), such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.
10. According to the Term Sheet, pursuant to National Instrument 45-102, the Common Shares will be subject to a four month hold period in each of the Canadian provinces, commencing upon closing of the Offering. A "legend" in the form prescribed by National Instrument 45-102 or other applicable securities legislation of stock exchange rules will appear on the Common Share certificates, together with such additional legends as may be appropriate in the circumstances.
11. The Term Sheet does not disclose that the Issuer is a "related issuer" or "connected issuer" as defined in National Instrument 33-105 -- Underwriting Conflicts ("NI 33-105"), of the Related Underwriter.
12. Despite the affiliation between the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter, they operate independently of each other. In particular, the investment banking and related dealer activities of the Related Underwriter and the investment portfolio management activities of the Dealer Manager are separated by "ethical" walls. Accordingly, no information flows from one to the other concerning their respective business operations or activities generally, except in the following or similar circumstances:
I. in respect of compliance matters (for example, the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may communicate to enable the Dealer Manager to maintain an up to date restricted-issuer list to ensure that the Dealer Manager complies with applicable securities laws); and
II. the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may share general market information such as discussion on general economic conditions, bank rates, etc.
13. The Dealer Managed Funds are not required or obligated to purchase any Common Shares during the Prohibition Period.
14. The Dealer Manager may cause the Dealer Managed Fund to invest in Common Shares during the Prohibition Period. Any purchase of the Common Shares will be consistent with the investment objectives of the Dealer Managed Fund and represent the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund or in fact be in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund.
15. To the extent that the same portfolio manager or team of portfolio managers of the Dealer Manager manages the Dealer Managed Fund and other client accounts that are managed on a discretionary basis (the "Managed Accounts"), the Common Shares purchased for them will be allocated:
I. in accordance with the allocation factors or criteria stated in the written policies or procedures put in place by the Dealer Manager for the Dealer Managed Fund and Managed Accounts, and
II. taking into account the amount of cash available to each Dealer Managed Fund for investment.
16. There will be an independent committee (the "Independent Committee") appointed in respect of the Dealer Managed Funds to review the investments of the Dealer Managed Funds in Common Shares during the Prohibition Period.
17. The Independent Committee will have at least three members and every member must be independent. A member of the Independent Committee is not independent if the member has a direct or indirect material relationship with its Dealer Manager, the Dealer Managed Fund, or any affiliate or associate thereof. For the purpose of this Decision, a material relationship means a relationship which could, in the view of a reasonable person, reasonably interfere with the exercise of the member's independent judgment regarding conflicts of interest facing the Dealer Manager.
18. The members of the Independent Committee will exercise their powers and discharge their duties honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of investors in the Dealer Managed Fund and, in so doing, exercise the degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in the circumstances.
19. The Dealer Manager, in respect of the Dealer Managed Fund, will notify a member of staff in the Investment Funds Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission, of the filing of the SEDAR Report (as defined below) on SEDAR, as soon as practicable after the filing of such report, and the notice shall include the SEDAR project number of the SEDAR Report and the date on which it was filed.
20. The Dealer Manager has not been involved in the work of the Related Underwriter and the Related Underwriter has not been and will not be involved in the decisions of the Dealer Manager as to whether the Dealer Managed Fund will purchase Common Shares during the Prohibition Period.
Decision
Each of the Decision Makers has assessed the conflict of interest risks associated with granting an exemption in this instance from subsection 4.1(1) of NI 81-102 and is satisfied that, at the time this Decision is granted, the potential risks are sufficiently mitigated.
Each of the Decision Makers is satisfied that the test contained in the NI 81-102 that provides the Decision Maker with the jurisdiction to make the Decision has been met.
The Decision of the Decision Makers under the Legislation is that the Requested Relief is granted, notwithstanding that the Related Underwriter acts or has acted as underwriter in the Offering provided that the following conditions are satisfied:
I. At the time of each purchase (the "Purchase") of Common Shares by a Dealer Managed Fund pursuant to this Decision, the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) the Purchase
(i) represents the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(ii) is, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund;
(b) the Purchase is consistent with, or is necessary to meet, the investment objective of the Dealer Managed Fund as disclosed in its simplified prospectus; and
(c) the Dealer Managed Fund does not place the order to purchase, on a principal or agency basis, with its Related Underwriter;
II. Prior to effecting any Purchase pursuant to this Decision, the Dealer Managed Fund has in place written policies or procedures to ensure that,
(a) there is compliance with the conditions of this Decision; and
(b) in connection with any Purchase,
(i) there are stated factors or criteria for allocating the Common Shares purchased for the Dealer Managed Fund and other Managed Accounts, and
(ii) there is full documentation of the reasons for any allocation to a Dealer Managed Fund or Managed Account that departs from the stated allocation factors or criteria;
III. The Dealer Manager does not accept solicitation by its Related Underwriter for the Purchase of Common Shares for the Dealer Managed Fund;
IV. The Related Underwriter does not purchase Common Shares in the Offering for its own account except Common Shares sold by the Related Underwriter on Closing;
V. The Dealer Managed Fund has an Independent Committee to review the Dealer Managed Fund's investments in Common Shares during the Prohibition Period;
VI. The Independent Committee has a written mandate describing its duties and standard of care which, as a minimum, sets out the applicable conditions of this Decision;
VII. The members of the Independent Committee exercise their powers and discharge their duties honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of investors in the Dealer Managed Fund and, in so doing, exercise the degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in the circumstances;
VIII. The Dealer Managed Fund does not relieve the members of the Independent Committee from liability for loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VII above;
IX. The Dealer Managed Fund does not incur the cost of any portion of liability insurance that insures a member of the Independent Committee for a liability for loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VII above;
X. The cost of any indemnification or insurance coverage paid for by the Dealer Manager, any portfolio manager of the Dealer Managed Fund, or any associate or affiliate of the Dealer Manager or any portfolio manager of the Dealer Managed Fund to indemnify or insure the members of the Independent Committee in respect of a loss that arises out of a failure to satisfy the standard of care set out in paragraph VII above is not paid either directly or indirectly by the Dealer Managed Fund;
XI. The Dealer Manager files a certified report on SEDAR (the "SEDAR Report") no later than 30 days after the end of the Prohibition Period, that contains a certification by the Dealer Manager that contains:
(a) the following particulars of each Purchase:
(i) the number of Common Shares purchased by the Dealer Managed Fund;
(ii) the date of the Purchase and purchase price;
(iii) whether it is known whether any underwriter or syndicate member has engaged in market stabilization activities in respect of the Common Shares;
(iv) if Common Shares were purchased for the Dealer Managed Fund and other Managed Accounts of the Dealer Manager, the aggregate amount so purchased and the percentage of such aggregate amount that was allocated to the Dealer Managed Fund; and
(v) the dealer from whom the Dealer Managed Fund purchased the Common Shares and the fees or commissions, if any, paid by the Dealer Managed Fund in respect of such Purchase;
(b) a certification by the Dealer Manager that the Purchase:
(i) was made free from any influence by the Related Underwriter or any affiliate or associate thereof and without taking into account any consideration relevant to the Related Underwriter or any associate or affiliate thereof; and
(ii) represented the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interest of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(iii) was, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund;
(c) confirmation of the existence of the Independent Committee to review the Purchase of the Common Shares by the Dealer Managed Fund, the names of the members of the Independent Committee, the fact that they meet the independence requirements set forth in this Decision, and whether and how they were compensated for their review;
(d) a certification by each member of the Independent Committee that after reasonable inquiry the member formed the opinion that the policies and procedures referred to in Condition II(a) above are adequate and effective to ensure compliance with this Decision and that the decision made on behalf of the Dealer Managed Fund by the Dealer Manager to purchase Common Shares for the Dealer Managed Fund and each Purchase by the Dealer Managed Fund:
(i) was made in compliance with the conditions of this Decision;
(ii) was made by the Dealer Manager free from any influence by the Related Underwriter or any affiliate or associate thereof and without taking into account any consideration relevant to the Related Underwriter or any associate or affiliate thereof; and
(iii) represented the business judgment of the Dealer Manager uninfluenced by considerations other than the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund, or
(iv) was, in fact, in the best interests of the Dealer Managed Fund.
XII. The Independent Committee advises the Decision Makers in writing of:
(a) any determination by it that the condition set out in paragraph XI(d) has not been satisfied with respect to any Purchase of the Common Shares by the Dealer Managed Fund;
(b) any determination by it that any other condition of this Decision has not been satisfied;
(c) any action it has taken or proposes to take following the determinations referred to above; and
(d) any action taken, or proposed to be taken, by the Dealer Manager or a portfolio manager of the Dealer Managed Fund, in response to the determinations referred to above.
XIII. For Purchases of Common Shares during the Distribution only, the Dealer Manager:
(a) expresses an interest to purchase on behalf of the Dealer Managed Fund and Managed Accounts a fixed number of Common Shares (the "Fixed Number") to an Underwriter other than its Related Underwriter;
(b) agrees to purchase the Fixed Number or such lesser amount as has been allocated to the Dealer Manager by the Underwriter;
(c) does not place an order with an Underwriter of the Offering to purchase an additional number of Common Shares under the Offering prior to the completion of the Distribution, provided that if the Dealer Manager was allocated less than the Fixed Number at the closing date of the Offering, the Dealer Manager may place an additional order for such number of additional Common Shares equal to the difference between the Fixed Number and the number of Common Shares allotted to the Dealer Manager after the closing of the Offering; and
(d) does not sell Common Shares purchased by the Dealer Manager under the Offering, prior to the listing of the Common Shares on the TSXV.
XIV. Each Purchase of Common Shares during the 60-Day Period is made on the TSXV; and
XV. For Purchases of Common Shares during the 60-Day Period only, an underwriter provides to the Dealer Manager written confirmation that the "dealer restricted period" in respect of the Offering, as defined in Ontario Securities Commission Rule 48-501 Trading During Distributions, Formal Bids and Share Exchange Transactions, has ended.
Appendix "A"
THE MUTUAL FUNDS
Dynamic Funds
DMP Resource Class
Dynamic Focus+ Resource Fund
Dynamic Power Balanced Fund
Dynamic Power Canadian Growth Class
Dynamic Power Canadian Growth Fund
Dynamic Precious Metals Fund