BMO Harris Investment Management Inc. - MRRS Decision
Headnote
Mutual Reliance Review System for Exemptive Relief Applications -- Exemption to allow dealer managed mutual fund 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 -- The conflict is mitigated by the oversight of an independent review committee -- Subsection 4.1(1) of National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
National Instrument 81-102 Mutual Funds, ss. 4.1(1), 19.1.
August 24, 2007
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 (MRRS)
FOR EXEMPTIVE RELIEF APPLICATIONS
AND
BMO HARRIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
(the "Dealer Manager" or the "Applicant")
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 Dealer Manager for and on behalf of the mutual fund named in Appendix "A" for which the Dealer Manager acts as portfolio adviser and manager (the "Dealer Managed Fund"), 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 Fund to invest in Securities (as defined below) of DPF India Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") during the 60-day period following the completion of the distribution (the "Prohibition Period") of the Offering (as defined below) of units (the "Units"), each Unit consisting of one trust unit (each a "Trust Unit") of the Fund and one trust unit purchase warrant (each a "Warrant" and together with the Trust Units, the "Securities"), each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Trust Unit at a price of $12.50 for a period of up to 36 months from the closing of the offering of the Units (the "Offering"), notwithstanding that an associate or affiliate of the Dealer Manager acts or has acted as an underwriter in connection with the Offering pursuant to a long form prospectus filed in all of the provinces and territories of Canada (the "Requested Relief").
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(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. The 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 Fund are qualified for distribution in one or more of the provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to a simplified prospectus that has been prepared and filed in accordance with their respective securities legislation.
4. A final long form prospectus (the "Prospectus") of the Fund dated August 2, 2007, was filed with the Decision Makers in each of the provinces and territories of Canada for which a receipt was issued on the same day.
5. As described in the Prospectus, the Offering was underwritten, subject to certain terms, by a syndicate that includes, among others, BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (the "Related Underwriter"), an affiliate of the Dealer Manager (the Related Underwriter and any other underwriters which were part of the syndicate, the "Underwriters").
6. As described in the Prospectus, the Fund is a closed-end investment trust established under the laws of Ontario. Its investment objective is to enhance the value of the Trust Units primarily through capital appreciation driven by an actively managed, diversified investment portfolio.
7. As described in a news release of the Fund dated August 14, 2007 (the "News Release"), the Offering closed on August 14, 2007 (the "Closing Date"), and was comprised of 25 million Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $250,000,000. The Fund also granted to the Underwriters an over-allotment option to acquire up to an additional 3,750,000 Trust Units at a price of $9.40 per Trust Unit and/or an additional 3,750,000 Warrants at a price of $0.60 per Warrant, which is exercisable in whole or in part at any time for a period of 30 days from the Closing Date.
8. As described in the Prospectus, substantially all of the net proceeds of the Offering will be invested by the Fund to acquire a portfolio in accordance with the investment objective of the Fund.
9. As further disclosed in the News Release, on the Closing Date, the Trust Units and Warrants commenced trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") under the symbols "DPF.UN" and "DPF. WT", respectively.
10. The Prospectus discloses that the Fund may be considered to be a "related issuer" and/or a "connected issuer", as those terms are defined in National Instrument 33-105 -- Underwriting Conflicts, of one of the Underwriters that is not the Related Underwriter.
11. Despite the affiliation between the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter, the Dealer Manager operates independently of the Related Underwriter. 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:
(a) in respect of compliance matters (for example, the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may communicate to enable the Dealer Manager to maintain up to date restricted-issuer lists to ensure that the Dealer Manager complies with applicable securities laws); and
(b) the Dealer Manager and the Related Underwriter may share general market information such as discussion on general economic conditions, bank rates, etc.
12. The Dealer Managed Fund is not required or obligated to purchase any Securities during the Prohibition Period.
13. The Dealer Manager may cause the Dealer Managed Fund to invest in the Securities during the Prohibition Period. Any purchase of Securities by the Dealer Managed Fund will be consistent with the investment objectives of that 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.
14. 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 Securities purchased for them will be allocated:
(a) 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
(b) taking into account the amount of cash available to each Dealer Managed Fund for investment.
15. Except as described above, 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 Securities during the Prohibition Period.
16. There will be an independent committee (the "Independent Committee") appointed in respect of the Dealer Managed Fund to review the Dealer Managed Fund's investments in the Securities 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 the 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, in writing of any SEDAR Report (as defined below) filed on SEDAR, as soon as practicable after the filing of such a report, and the notice shall include the SEDAR project number of the SEDAR Report and the date on which it was filed.
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 NI 81-102 that provides the Decision Maker with the jurisdiction to make the Decision has been met.
The Decision of the Decision Makers is that the Requested Relief is granted, notwithstanding that the Related Underwriter acts or has acted as underwriter in the Offering provided the following conditions are satisfied:
I. At the time of each purchase of Securities (a "Purchase") by the 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 the 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 Securities 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 the Related Underwriter for the Purchase of Securities for the Dealer Managed Fund.
IV. The Related Underwriter does not purchase Securities in the Offering for its own account except Securities 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 Securities during the Prohibition Period.
VI. The Independent Committee has a written mandate describing its duties and standard of care which, at 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") in respect of the Dealer Managed Fund, 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 Securities 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 Securities;
(iv) if the Securities 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 each Dealer Managed Fund; and
(v) the dealer from whom the Dealer Managed Fund purchased the Securities 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 Securities 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; and
(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 each Dealer Managed Fund by the Dealer Manager to purchase Securities 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 Securities 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 of the Dealer Managed Fund, in response to the determinations referred to above.
XIII. Each Purchase of Securities is made on the TSX.
XIV. An Underwriter provides to the Dealer Manager written confirmation that the "dealer restricted period" in respect of the Offering, as defined in OSC Rule 48-501 - Trading During Distributions, Formal Bids and Share Exchange Transactions, has ended.
Ontario Securities Commission
APPENDIX "A"
THE MUTUAL FUND
BMO Harris Private Portfolios
BMO Harris Growth Opportunities Portfolio