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Doubleview Gold Corp. — AGM Information 2021
Feb 1, 2021
46538_rns_2021-02-01_e7981d59-9b1f-4cc4-b620-f62ecbcdddb5.pdf
AGM Information
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DOUBLEVIEW GOLD CORP. 822 - 470 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1V5 Telephone: (604) 678-9587
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General and Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of Doubleview Gold Corp. (the "Company") will be held at Suite 1100-1111 Melville Street, Vancouver, BC on February 25, 2021, at 10:30 am (Vancouver time) for the following purposes:
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- To set the number of directors of the Company for the ensuing year at five (5) persons.
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- to elect the directors for the ensuing year;
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- To appoint Smythe LLP, Chartered Accountants, as the auditors of the Company until the next annual general meeting of the Company and to authorize the directors of the Company to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditors.
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- To consider, and if deemed advisable, approve a resolution ratifying and approving the Company's 10% "rolling" stock option plan as described in the Information Circular.
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- To receive the audited financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended February 29, 2020 and the accompanying report of the auditors.
This notice of Meeting is accompanied by: (a) the Circular; and (b) either a form of proxy for registered Shareholders or a voting instruction form for beneficial Shareholders. The Circular accompanying this notice of Meeting is incorporated into and shall be deemed to form part of this notice of Meeting.
The record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting is January 19, 2021 (the "Record Date"). Persons who are registered shareholders at the close of business on the Record Date, will be entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Meeting and will be entitled to one vote for each share held.
At the date of this Notice and the accompanying Circular, it is the intention of Management of the Company to hold the Meeting at the location stated above in this Notice. We are continuously monitoring development of the current COVID-19 crisis. In light of the rapidly evolving public health guidelines related to COVID-19, we ask shareholders to consider voting their shares by proxy and not to attend the meeting in person. A Shareholder may attend the Meeting in person or may be represented by proxy. Shareholders who do wish to attend the Meeting in person are asked to follow the instructions of the federal Public Health Agency of Canada, and all regional health authorities of the Province of British Columbia. Please do not attend the Meeting in person if you are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms, or if you or someone with whom you have been in close contact with has travelled to/from outside of Canada within the 21 days immediately prior to the Meeting. All Shareholders are encouraged to vote by submitting their completed form of proxy (or
voting instruction form) prior to the Meeting by one of the means described in the management information circular accompanying this Notice. Shareholders are invited to listen to the Meeting via teleconference if they wish (call in details below).
The above time limit for deposit of proxies may be waived or extended by the chair of the Meeting at his or her discretion without notice.
If you are a non-registered shareholder of the Company and received this notice through an intermediary, please complete and return the materials in accordance with the instructions provided to you by your intermediary.
DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 19th day of January 2021
By Order of the Board of DOUBLEVIEW GOLD CORP.
"Farshad Shirvani"
Farshad Shirvani Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
DOUBLEVIEW GOLD CORP.
822-470 Granville Street. Vancouver, BC V6C 1V5
INFORMATION CIRCULAR
(as at January 19, 2021 except as otherwise indicated)
Doubleview Gold Corp. (the "Company") is providing this Information Circular and a form of proxy in connection with management's solicitation of proxies for use at the annual general meeting (the "Meeting") of the Company to be held at 1100-1111 Melville Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V6 at 10:30 a.m. (Vancouver, British Columbia time) on Thursday, February 25, 2021 and at any adjournments. Unless the context otherwise requires, when we refer in this Information Circular to the Company, its subsidiaries are also included. The Company will conduct its solicitation by mail and officers and employees of the Company may, without receiving special compensation, also telephone or make other personal contact. The Company will pay the cost of solicitation. All amounts referred to as \$ or dollars means Canadian currency, unless otherwise indicated.
APPOINTMENT OF PROXYHOLDER
The purpose of a proxy is to designate persons who will vote the proxy on a shareholder's behalf in accordance with the instructions given by the shareholder in the proxy. The persons whose names are printed in the enclosed form of proxy are officers or directors of the Company (the "Management Proxyholders").
A shareholder has the right to appoint a person other than a Management Proxyholder, to represent the shareholder at the Meeting by striking out the names of the Management Proxyholders and by inserting the desired person's name in the blank space provided or by executing a proxy in a form similar to the enclosed form. A proxyholder need not be a shareholder.
VOTING BY PROXY
Only registered shareholders or duly appointed proxyholders are permitted to vote at the Meeting. Shares represented by a properly executed proxy will be voted or be withheld from voting on each matter referred to in the Notice of Meeting in accordance with the instructions of the shareholder on any ballot that may be called for and if the shareholder specifies a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon, the shares will be voted accordingly.
If a shareholder does not specify a choice and the shareholder has appointed one of the Management Proxyholders as proxyholder, the Management Proxyholder will vote in favour of the matters specified in the Notice of Meeting and in favour of all other matters proposed by management at the Meeting.
The enclosed form of proxy also gives discretionary authority to the person named therein as proxyholder with respect to amendments or variations to matters identified in the Notice of the Meeting and with respect to other matters which may properly come before the Meeting. At the date of this Information Circular, management of the Company knows of no such amendments, variations or other matters to come before the Meeting.
COMPLETION AND RETURN OF PROXY
Completed forms of proxy must be deposited at the office of the Company's registrar and transfer agent, TSX Trust Company, 301 - 100 Adelaide Street W, Toronto, ON M5H 4H1, Attention: Proxy Department, not later than 10:00 am (Vancouver, British Columbia time) on February 23, 2021, unless the chairman of the Meeting elects to exercise his discretion to accept proxies received subsequently.
NON-REGISTERED HOLDERS
Only shareholders whose names appear on the records of the Company as the registered holders of shares or duly appointed proxyholders are permitted to vote at the Meeting. Most shareholders of the Company are "non-registered" shareholders because the shares they own are not registered in their names but instead registered in the name of a nominee such as a brokerage firm through which they purchased the shares; bank, trust company, trustee or administrator of selfadministered RRSP's, RRIF's, RESP's and similar plans; or clearing agency such as the Canadian Depository for Securities Limited and in the United Stated, under the name Cede & Co., as nominee for the Depository Trust Company (which acts as a brokerage depository for many U.S. firms and custodial banks) (the "Nominees"). If you purchased your shares through a broker, you are likely a non-registered holder.
In accordance with securities regulatory policy, the Company has distributed copies of the Meeting materials, being the Notice of Meeting, this Information Circular and the Proxy, to the Nominees for distribution to non-registered holders.
Nominees are required to forward the Meeting materials to non-registered holders to seek their voting instructions in advance of the Meeting. Shares held by Nominees can only be voted in accordance with the instructions of the nonregistered holder. The Nominees often have their own form of proxy, mailing procedures and provide their own return instructions. If you wish to vote by proxy, you should carefully follow the instructions from the Nominee in order that your shares are voted at the Meeting.
If you, as a non-registered holder, wish to vote at the Meeting in person, you should appoint yourself as proxyholder by writing your name in the space provided on the request for voting instructions or proxy provided by the Nominee and return the form to the Nominee in the envelope provided. Do not complete the voting section of the form as your vote will be taken at the Meeting.
Non-registered holders who have not objected to their Nominee disclosing certain ownership information about themselves to the Company are referred to as "non-objecting beneficial owners" ("NOBOs"). Those non-registered holders who have objected to their Nominee disclosing ownership information about themselves to the Company are referred to as "objecting beneficial owners" ("OBOs").
In accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer("NI 54-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the Company has elected to send the Meeting materials indirectly to NOBOs.
If the Company or its agent has sent these materials directly to you (instead of through a Nominee), your name and address and information about your holdings of securities have been obtained in accordance with applicable securities regulatory requirements from the Nominee holding on your behalf. By choosing to send these materials to you directly, the Company (and not the Nominee holding on your behalf) has assumed responsibility for (i) delivering these materials to you and (ii) executing your proper voting instructions.
The Company does not intend to pay for Nominees to deliver the Meeting materials and Form 54-101F7 – Request for Voting Instructions Made by Intermediary to OBOs. As a result, OBOs will not receive the Meeting materials unless their Nominee assumes the costs of delivery.
The Company is not sending the Meeting materials to shareholders using "notice-and-access", as defined under NI 54-101.
REVOCABILITY OF PROXY
In addition to revocation in any other manner permitted by law, a shareholder, his attorney authorized in writing or, if the shareholder is a corporation, a corporation under its corporate seal or by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized, may revoke a proxy by instrument in writing, including a proxy bearing a later date. The instrument revoking the proxy must be deposited at the registered office of the Company, at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the date of the Meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or with the chairman of the Meeting on the day of the Meeting.
VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF
The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of common shares without par value (the "shares"), of which 131,031,100 shares are issued and outstanding. Persons who are registered shareholders at the close of business on January 19, 2021 will be entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Meeting and will be entitled to one vote for each share held. The Company has only one class of shares.
To the knowledge of the directors and executive officers of the Company, no person beneficially owns, controls or directs, directly or indirectly, shares carrying 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all shares of the Company, other than as set forth below:
| Name of Shareholder | Number of Common Shares Owned |
Percentage of Outstanding Common Shares (1) |
|---|---|---|
| Farshad Shirvani | 24,158,144 | 18.44% |
Note:
(1) Based on 131,031,100 common shares issued and outstanding as of January 19, 2021
COVID-19 MEETING PROTOCOL
At the date of this Notice and the accompanying management information circular, it is the intention of the Company to hold the Meeting at the location stated above in this Notice. We are continuously monitoring development of the current COVID-19 crisis. In light of the rapidly evolving public health guidelines related to COVID-19, we ask shareholders to consider voting their shares by proxy and not to attend the meeting in person. A Shareholder may attend the Meeting in person or may be represented by proxy. Shareholders who do wish to attend the Meeting in person are asked to follow the instructions of the federal Public Health Agency of Canada, and all regional health authorities of the Province of British Columbia. Please do not attend the Meeting in person if you are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms, or if you or someone with whom you have been in close contact with has travelled to/from outside of Canada within the 21 days immediately prior to the Meeting. All Shareholders are encouraged to vote by submitting their completed form of proxy (or voting instruction form) prior to the Meeting by one of the means described in the management information circular accompanying this Notice.
MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON AT THE MEETING
1. PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
At the Meeting, Shareholders will receive and consider the audited consolidated financial statements of the Corporation for the year ended February 29, 2020 and the auditor's report thereon will be placed before the Meeting. The financial statements, the auditor's report thereon together with management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the financial year ended February 29, 2020 are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
2. FIXING THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS
At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to fix the number of directors for the present time at Five (5) as may be adjusted between Shareholders' meetings by way of resolution of the Board. Accordingly, unless otherwise directed, it is the intention of management to vote proxies in the accompanying form in favour of fixing the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting at Five (5)
3. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to elect each of the proposed directors set forth below to hold office until the next annual meeting or until their successors are elected or appointed. There are presently Four (4) directors of the Company whose term on the board expires at the Meeting. Unless otherwise directed, it is the intention of management to vote proxies in the accompanying form in favour of the election as directors of each of the nominees hereinafter set forth to hold office until the next annual meeting, or until their successors are elected or appointed:
| Farshad Shirvani | Bryan Wilson | Christopher P. Cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew H Rees | Charles Hugh Maddin |
The following table sets out the names of the nominees for election as directors, the offices they hold within the Company, their occupations, the length of time they have served as directors of the Company, and the number of shares of the Company which each beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or over which control or direction is exercised, as of the date of this Circular.
| Name, Jurisdiction of Residence and Position |
Principal occupation, business or employment and, if not a previously elected Director, occupation, business or employment during the past 5 years |
Periods During which Nominee has Served as a Director and/or Officer |
Number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned, Controlled or Directed, Directly or Indirectly |
|---|---|---|---|
| FARSHAD SHIRVANI British Columbia, Canada Chief Executive Officer, President and Director |
President of Terracad Geoscience Services Ltd. since 1996; CEO and President of the Company; CEO and President of Casa Minerals Inc. |
Director - October 8 2009; CEO and President - June 6, 2011-2021 |
24,158,144 18.44% Undiluted 27.6 % Fully Diluted |
| BRYAN WILSON(2) Ontario, Canada Director |
Retired from Centerra Gold end of 2019, Director of QuestEx Gold & Copper Exploration (formerly Colorado Resources Inc.) |
January 18, 2008- 2021 |
539,000 0.41% Undiluted 1.0 % Fully Diluted |
| ANDREW H. REES(2) British Columbia, Canada Director |
Vice President of Development and Director of Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. from May 2003 to April 2015, President, CEO and a Director of Wellstar Energy Corp. since March 2005, Director of Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd. since March 2002, Director of Lions Gate Energy Inc. since January 2008, Director of Blind Creek Resources Ltd. since July 2011 and President and Director of Big North Graphite Corp. since February 2009. |
June 6, 2011-2021 | 350,000 0.27% Undiluted 0.6 % Fully Diluted |
| CHARLES HUGH MADDIN(2) British Columbia, Canada Director |
President of Cambrian Capital Corp. since 1982, Director and CFO of International Bethlehem Mining Corp. since 2020, Director and President of Medaro Mining Corp. since 2020, Director of Makara Mining Corp. since 2020 |
October 1, 2019- 2021 |
2,581,000 1.97% Undiluted 1.1 % Fully Diluted |
| CHRISTOPHER P. CHERRY British Columbia, Canada Director and CFO |
Mr. Cherry is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified General Accountant and is a self employed management consultant providing management and accounting consulting services to public companies since 2007. |
TBD |
Notes:
- (1) The information as to common shares beneficially owned or controlled has been provided by the nominees themselves.
- (2) A member of the audit committee.
- (3) 209,700 shares are held by Terracad Geoscience Services Ltd., and 360,320 shares held in a numbered company both of which are controlled by Mr. Shirvani.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (Continued)
Management recommends the approval of each of the four nominees listed above for election as directors of the Company until the next annual general meeting.
Management does not contemplate that any of its nominees will be unable to serve as directors. If any vacancies occur in the slate of nominees listed above before the Meeting, then the Management Proxyholders intend to exercise discretionary authority to vote the common shares represented by proxy for the election of any other persons as directors.
Cease Trade Orders
To the knowledge of management of the Company, other than Farshad Shirvani, Andrew Rees and Christopher Cherry, no director or executive officer of the Company, is or has been, within the ten years preceding the date of this Information Circular, a director, chief executive officer, chief financial officer of any company that:
- (a) was subject to an order that was issued while the director or executive officer was acting in the capacity as director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer; or
- (b) was subject to an order that was issued after the director or executive officer ceased to be a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer and which resulted from an event that occurred while that person was acting in the capacity as director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer.
Farshad Shirvani
On June 6, 2012, Mr. Shirvani entered into a settlement agreement with the BCSC in connection with the nondisclosure of the cease trade orders issued to International Ranger. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Mr. Shirvani admitted to the non-disclosure of the International Ranger cease trade orders in personal information forms and other documents filed with the BCSC and paid a fine of \$15,000. In conjunction with the settlement agreement, the BCSC issued an order whereby he was reprimanded, required to complete a course of study within the next year concerning the duties and responsibilities of directors and officers, and resigned as a director from Wellstar Energy Corp., Lions Gate Energy Inc. and Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd.
Christopher Cherry
Mr. Cherry is currently the CFO of Mexivada Mining Corp. ("Mexivada"). On October 29, 2010, the BCSC issued a CTO against Mexivada and its insiders for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended June 30, 2010. The CTO was rescinded on November 30, 2010 and is no longer in effect. On October 31, 2011, the BCSC issued a CTO against Mexivada and its insiders for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended June 30, 2011. The CTO was rescinded on November 24, 2011 and is no longer in effect. On October 31, 2012, the BCSC issued a CTO against Mexivada and its insiders for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended June 30, 2012. The CTO is still in effect.
Christopher P. Cherry, a director of the Issuer, was a former director and/or officer of Wolfeye Resource Corp. (now Lexagene Holdings Inc.) ("Lexagene"). On August 7, 2013, the BCSC issued a CTO against Lexagene and its insiders for failure to file Audited Financial Materials for the year ended March 31, 2013. On August 8, 2013, trading in Lexagene's common shares was suspended by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended March 31, 2013. On September 26, 2013, Lexagene filed the Audited Financial Materials and the CTO was lifted. Lexagene applied to the TSXV to lift the trading suspension and, after satisfying all of the conditions of the TSXV, the suspension was lifted and trading in Lexagene's common shares recommenced on October 30, 2013.
Mr. Cherry was a former director and officer of 1040426 BC Ltd., 1040433 BC Ltd., 1040440 BC Ltd., 1040442 BC Ltd. and Genix Pharmaceutical Corp., companies that are reporting issuers in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. On December 2, 2016, the BCSC issued a CTO against these companies, their directors, officers and insiders for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended July 31, 2016. The BCSC also issued deficiency notices to each of 1040440 BC Ltd. and Genix Pharmaceutical Corp. for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the first quarter ended October 31, 2016. On May 23, 2017, the BCSC issued revocation orders for each of 1040426 BC Ltd., 1040433 BC Ltd. and 1040442 BC Ltd. (now Zenith Exploration Inc.) and the CTOs were lifted. On September 20, 2017, the BCSC issued a revocation order for 1040440 BC Ltd. and the CTO was lifted. On April 13, 2018, the BCSC issued a revocation order for Genix Pharmaceutical Corp. and the CTO was lifted.
Christopher Cherry was CFO and/or a director of WellStar Energy Corp. ("WellStar") from February 2015 to May 2017. On March 24, 2017, the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta granted an application of the WellStar lenders to appoint Grant Thornton Limited (the "Receiver") as receiver and manager over the assets, undertakings and property of WellStar and its wholly owned subsidiary Nexxtep Resources Ltd. ("Nexxtep"). The Receiver is charged with managing the day to day affairs of WellStar and Nexxtep during the period of its appointment. Mr. Cherry resigned as CFO effective March 24, 2017 and as a director in May 2017. Mr. Cherry has indicated he is not privy to any update on proceedings.
Mr. Cherry is the CFO of NetCents Technology Inc. ("NetCents"). On March 1, 2019, the BCSC issued a CTO against NetCents and its insiders for failure to file the Audited Financial Materials for the year ended October 31, 2018. On March 29, 2019, the BCSC issued a revocation order for NetCents and the CTO was lifted. On February 26, 2020, at the request of management, NetCents submitted an application to the BCSC for an MCTO for the postponement of filing its Audited Financial Materials for the year ended October 31, 2019. On June 17, 2020, the BCSC issued a revocation order for NetCents and the MCTO was lifted.
Christopher P. Cherry is the CFO and a director of Gold Port Corporation (formerly Corsurex Resource Corp.) ("GPO"). On July 21, 2020, the BCSC issued a cease trade order (the "CTO") against GPO and its insiders for failure to file its Audited Financial Materials for the year ended December 31, 2019. On July 22, 2020, the CSE suspended GPO from trading. On August 31, 2020, GPO filed the Audited Financial Materials and the CTO was lifted on September 2, 2020. GPO was reinstated for trading on the CSE on September 3, 2020.
Christopher P. Cherry, a director of the Issuer, is the CFO and director of Lithium South Development Corporation (formerly NRG Metals Inc.) ("LIS"). On June 9, 2020, at the request of management, LIS submitted an application to the BCSC for a management cease trade order (the "MCTO") for the postponement of filing its audited financial statements, management's discussion & analysis ("MD&A") and related certifications (the "Audited Financial Materials") for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its interim financial statements, MD&A and related certifications (the "Interim Financial Materials") for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. On July 16, 2020, the BCSC issued a revocation order and the MCTO was lifted.
Mr. Cherry is the CFO of Block One Capital Inc. ("Block One"). On January 2, 2019, the BCSC issued a CTO against Block One and its insiders for failure to file its Audited Financial Materials for the year ended August 31, 2018. On January 31, 2019, the BCSC issued a revocation order for Block One and the CTO was lifted.
Andrew H. Rees
On August 14, 2012, the BCSC issued a cease trade order against Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd., a company of which Mr. Rees is a director, ("Barkerville") for failure to file a NI 43-101 report in its proper form. Barkerville filed the required technical report and the BCSC revoked the cease trade order on July 15, 2013.
On May 31, 2016, the BCSC issued a cease trade order against Wellstar Energy Corp., a company of which Mr. Rees is a director, ("Wellstar") for failure to file its annual financial statements. Wellstar filed the required reports and the BCSC revoked the cease trade order on July 11, 2016.
For the purposes of this Information Circular, an "order" means a cease trade order, an order similar to a cease trade order or an order that denied the relevant company access to an exemption under securities legislation, and such order was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days.
Bankruptcies
To the knowledge of management of the Company, no director or executive officer of the Company, or shareholder holding a sufficient number of securities of the Company to affect materially the control of the Company, is or has been, with the ten years preceding the date of this Information Circular:
(a) a director or an executive officer of any company that, while the person was acting in that capacity, or within a year of that person ceasing to act in the capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets or made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcies or insolvency; or (b) become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or been subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of the individual.
Penalties or Sanctions
Other than Farshad Shirvani and Bryan Wilson, no other director or officer of the Company, or any shareholder holding a sufficient number of securities of the Company to affect materially the control of the Company has:
- (a) been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a Canadian securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory authority; or
- (b) been subject to any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would be likely to be considered important to a reasonable investor making an investment decision.
Farshad Shirvani
On June 6, 2012, Mr. Shirvani entered into a settlement agreement with the BCSC in connection with the non-disclosure of the cease trade orders issued to International Ranger. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Mr. Shirvani admitted to the non-disclosure of the International Ranger cease trade orders in personal information forms and other documents filed with the BCSC and paid a fine of \$15,000. In conjunction with the settlement agreement, the BCSC issued an order whereby he was reprimanded, required to complete a course of study within the next year concerning the duties and responsibilities of directors and officers (which course has been completed), and resigned as a director from Wellstar Energy Corp., Lions Gate Energy Inc. and Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd.
Bryan Wilson
On January 12, 2010, the Quebec Securities Commission imposed an administrative monetary penalty of \$5,000 on Mr. Wilson for failing to timely file an insider report on SEDI. Mr. Wilson was required to file an insider report for Gee-Ten Ventures Inc. on June 21, 2008. However, the insider report was filed on November 24, 2009, being 521 days late.
4. APPOINTMENT AND REMUNERATION OF AUDITORS
Unless otherwise directed, it is management's intention to vote the proxies in favour of an ordinary resolution to appoint the firm of Smythe LLP, Chartered professional Accountants, of Vancouver, British Columbia are the auditors of the Corporation. Unless otherwise instructed, the proxies given pursuant to this solicitation will be voted for the appointment of Smythe LLP, Chartered professional Accountants as the auditors of the Corporation to hold office for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be fixed by the directors. of Smythe LLP, Chartered professional Accountants was appointed as auditors of the Corporation on December 31, 2018.
To be approved, the resolution requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the resolution. Proxies received in favour of management will be voted in favour of the appointment of Smythe LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, of Vancouver, British Columbia as auditors of the Corporation to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and the authorization of the directors to fix the auditors' remuneration and the terms of their engagement, unless the shareholder has specified in a proxy that his, her or its Common Shares are to be withheld from voting in respect thereof.
5. RE-APPROVAL OF STOCK OPTION PLAN
Pursuant to Policy 4.4 of the TSX-V, corporations that have a rolling stock option plan reserving a maximum of 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of the corporation must receive yearly shareholder approval of the stock option plan. Please refer to Schedule B hereto where the text of the Plan is attached in its entirety. The approval by Shareholders requires a favourable vote of a majority of the Common Shares voted in respect thereof at the Meeting. The TSX-V requires such approval before it will allow the adoption of the Plan. Options to purchase Common Shares that were previously granted to directors, officers and employees of the Corporation will be deemed to be granted under the Plan.
The purpose of the Plan is to allow the Corporation to grant options to directors, officers, employees, management company employees and consultants, as additional compensation, and as an opportunity to participate in the success of the Corporation. The granting of such options is intended to align the interests of such persons with that of the Shareholders. Unless instructed otherwise, the management designees in the accompanying instrument of proxy intend to vote FOR the resolution to ratify, adopt and re-approve the Plan.
The text of the ordinary resolution regarding this matter is as follows:
" BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
-
- the 10% rolling stock option plan (the "Plan") of the Corporation, as described in the management information circular and proxy statement of the Corporation dated November 4, 2020, as may be amended by the board of directors as required by applicable securities regulatory authorities or stock exchanges, is hereby ratified, adopted and approved;
-
- the form of the Plan may be amended in order to satisfy the requirements or requests of any regulatory authorities without requiring further approval of the shareholders of the Corporation;
-
- the number of common shares of the Corporation issuable pursuant to the Plan shall continue to be set at 10% of the number of common shares of the Corporation issued and outstanding from time to time, subject to any limitations imposed by applicable regulations, laws, rules and policies; and; and
-
- any one director or officer of the Corporation is authorized, on behalf of the Corporation, to execute and deliver all documents and do all things as such person may determine to be necessary or advisable to give effect to this resolution."
In order to be passed, the foregoing resolution must be approved by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by Shareholders who vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting. The persons named in the accompanying Instrument of Proxy intend, unless otherwise directed, to vote in favour of the resolution approving the Share Option Plan.
The Board unanimously recommends that Shareholders ratify, confirm and approve the Share Option Plan by voting in favour of the resolution to be submitted to the Meeting.
6. OTHER BUSINESS
While management of the Corporation is not aware of any business other than that mentioned in the Notice of Meeting to be brought before the Meeting for action by the shareholders, it is intended that the proxies hereby solicited will be exercised upon any other matter or proposal that may properly come before the Meeting, or any adjournments thereof, in accordance with the discretion of the persons authorized to act thereunder.
General
STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following information, dated as of January 19, 2021, is provided as required under Form 51-102F6V for venture Issuers (the "Form"), as such term is defined in National Instrument 51-102.
For the purposes of this Form:
"CEO" means an individual who acted as chief executive officer of the Company, or acted in a similar capacity, for any part of the most recently completed financial year;
"CFO" means an individual who acted as chief financial officer of the Company, or acted in a similar capacity, for any part of the most recently completed financial year;
"company" includes other types of business organizations such as partnerships, trusts and other unincorporated business entities;
"compensation securities" includes stock options, convertible securities, exchangeable securities and similar instruments including stock appreciation rights, deferred share units and restricted stock units granted or issued by the company or one of its subsidiaries for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the company or any of its subsidiaries;
"external management company" includes a subsidiary, affiliate or associate of the external management company;
"named executive officer" or "NEO" means each of the following individuals:
- (a) each individual who, in respect of the company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief executive officer, including an individual performing functions similar to a chief executive officer;
- (b) each individual who, in respect of the company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief financial officer, including an individual performing functions similar to a chief financial officer;
- (c) in respect of the company and its subsidiaries, the most highly compensated executive officer, other than the individuals identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) at the end of the most recently completed financial year, whose total compensation was more than \$150,000, as determined in accordance with subsection 1.3(5), for that financial year;
- (d) each individual who would be a named executive officer under paragraph (c) but for the fact that the individual was not an executive officer of the company, and was not acting in a similar capacity, at the end of that financial year;
"plan" includes any plan, contract, authorization, or arrangement, whether or not set out in any formal document, where cash, compensation securities or any other property may be received, whether for one or more persons;
"underlying securities" means any securities issuable on conversion, exchange or exercise of compensation securities.
During the financial year ended February 29, 2020, the Company had two NEOs, namely:
- (i) Farshad Shirvani, who has been the Chief Executive Officer since June, 2011;
- (ii) Christopher Cherry who has been the Chief Financial Officer since July 13, 2017; and
Director and NEO Compensation, Excluding Options and Compensation Securities
The following table (presented in accordance with National Instrument Form 51-102F6 Statement of Executive Compensation) excluding options and compensation securities, provides a summary of the compensation paid by the Company to each NEO and director of the Company for the completed financial years ended February 28, 2019 and February 29, 2020. Options and compensation securities are disclosed under the heading "Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities and Instruments" below.
| Table of compensation excluding compensation securities | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position | Year | Salary, consulting fee, retainer or commission (\$) |
Bonus (\$) |
Committee or meeting fees (\$) |
Value of perquisites (\$) |
Value of all other compensation (\$) |
Total compensation (\$) |
| Farshad Shirvani, | 2019 | 124,800 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 124,800 |
| CEO | 2020 | 124,800 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 124,800 |
| Christopher Cherry | 2019 | 6,000 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 6,000 |
| CFO | 2020 | 6,000 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 6,000 |
| Bryan Wilson | 2019 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2020 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Andrew H. Rees | 2019 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2020 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| C. Hugh Maddin(2) | 2019 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2020 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Allan Fabbro(1) | 2019 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Former Director | 2020 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Note:
(1) Mr. Allan Fabbro resigned from the Company on October 1, 2019.
(2) Mr. Hugh Maddin became a Director of the Company on October 1, 2019
The following table of compensation securities provides a summary of all compensation securities granted, or issued by the Company to each NEO and directors of the Company for the fiscal year ended February 29, 2020, for services provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company.
| Compensation Securities | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position |
Type of compensation security |
Number of compensatio n securities, number of underlying securities, and percentage of class |
Date of issue or grant |
Issue, conversion or exercise price (\$) |
Closing price of security or underlying security on date of grant (\$) |
Closing price of security or underlying security at year end (\$) |
Expiry date |
| Farshad Shirvani, | Option | 550,000 | 2016-04-29 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2021-04-29 |
| CEO | 850,000 | 2018-04-12 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-04-12 | |
| 725,000 | 2018-09-05 | \$0.12 | \$0.12 | \$0.14 | 2023-09-05 | ||
| 1,045,000 | 2018-11-14 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-11-14 | ||
| 1,150,000 | 2019-05-28 | \$0.11 | \$0.11 | \$0.14 | 2024-05-28 | ||
| 290,000 | 2020-01-20 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.26 | 2025-01-20 | ||
| 525,000 | 2020-05-29 | \$0.105 | \$0.105 | \$0.26 | 2025-05-29 | ||
| 750,000 | 2020-11-02 | \$0.22 | \$0.22 | \$0.26 | 2025-11-02 | ||
| Christopher | Option | 125,000 | 2018-09-05 | \$0.12 | \$0.12 | \$0.14 | 2023-09-05 |
| Cherry | 50,000 | 2018-11-14 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-11-14 | |
| CFO | 20,000 | 2019-05-28 | \$0.11 | \$0.11 | \$0.14 | 2024-05-28 | |
| 50,000 | 2020-11-02 | \$0.22 | \$0.22 | \$0.26 | 2025-11-02 | ||
| Bryan Wilson | Option | 50,000 | 2015-04-27 | \$0.17 | \$0.17 | \$0.14 | 2020-04-27 |
| Director | 50,000 | 2015-08-13 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2020-08-13 | |
| 25,000 | 2016-04-29 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2021-04-29 | ||
| 350,000 | 2018-04-12 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-04-12 | ||
| 100,000 | 2018-09-05 | \$0.12 | \$0.12 | \$0.14 | 2023-09-05 | ||
| 125,000 | 2018-11-14 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-11-14 | ||
| 250,000 | 2019-05-28 | \$0.11 | \$0.11 | \$0.14 | 2024-05-28 | ||
| 100,000 | 2020-01-20 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.26 | 2025-01-20 | ||
| 45,000 | 2020-05-29 | \$0.105 | \$0.105 | \$0.26 | 2025-05-29 | ||
| 200,000 | 2020-11-02 | \$0.22 | \$0.22 | \$0.26 | 2025-11-02 | ||
| Andrew H. Rees | Option | 50,000 | 2015-04-27 | \$0.17 | \$0.17 | \$0.14 | 2020-04-27 |
| Director | 50,000 | 2015-08-13 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2020-08-13 | |
| 200,000 | 2018-04-12 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-04-12 | ||
| 100,000 | 2018-09-05 | \$0.12 | \$0.12 | \$0.14 | 2023-09-05 | ||
| 100,000 | 2018-11-14 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.14 | 2023-11-14 | ||
| 120,000 | 2019-05-28 | \$0.11 | \$0.11 | \$0.14 | 2024-05-28 | ||
| 80,000 | 2020-01-20 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.26 | 2025-01-20 | ||
| 75,000 | 2020-05-29 | \$0.105 | \$0.105 | \$0.26 | 2025-05-29 | ||
| 450,000 | 2020-11-02 | \$0.22 | \$0.22 | \$0.26 | 2025-11-02 | ||
| C. Hugh Maddin | Option | 500,000 | 2020-01-20 | \$0.10 | \$0.10 | \$0.26 | 2025-01-20 |
| 225,000 | 2020-05-29 | \$0.105 | \$0.105 | \$0.26 | 2025-05-29 | ||
| 200,000 | 2020-11-02 | \$0.22 | \$0.22 | \$0.26 | 2025-11-02 |
The following table provides a summary of each exercise of compensation securities by each NEO and director of the Company for the fiscal year ended February 29, 2020:
| Exercise of Compensation Securities by Directors and NEOs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position |
Type of compensation security |
Number of underlying securities exercised |
Exercise price per security (\$) |
Date of exercise |
Closing price per security on date of exercise (\$) |
Difference between exercise price and closing price on date of exercise (\$) |
Total value on exercise date (\$) |
| Farshad Shirvani, CEO |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Christopher Cherry CFO |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Bryan Wilson Director |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Andrew H. Rees Director |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| C. Hugh Maddin Director |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Allan Fabbro Former Director |
n/a | Nil | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements
The Company has not entered into a written management contract with any of its director or officers.
Oversight and Description of Director and NEO Compensation
The Company has not adopted any specific policies or practices to determine the compensation for the Company's directors and officers, other than disclosed above. Given the Company's current stage of development, the Company does not currently have an active compensation committee in place.
Executive compensation awarded to the named executive officers consists of two components: (i) management fees and (ii) stock options. The Company does not presently have a long-term incentive plan for its named executive officers. There is no policy or target regarding allocation between cash and noncash elements of the Company's compensation program.
Pension
The Company does not provide any pension benefits for directors or executive officers.
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The following table sets out those securities of the Company which have been authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans, for the financial year ended February 29, 2020:
| Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) |
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) |
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) (c) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity compensation plans approved by the security holders |
10,955,000 | \$0.15 | 2,442 |
| Equity compensation plans not approved by the security holders |
0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 10,955,000 | \$0.15 | 2,442 |
INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
None of the current or former directors, executive officers, employees of the Company, the proposed nominees for election to the Board, or their respective associates or affiliates, are or have been indebted to the Company since the beginning of the most recently completed financial year of the Company.
INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS OR COMPANIES IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
No director or executive officer of the Company or any proposed nominee of Management of the Company for election as a director of the Company, nor any associate or affiliate of the foregoing persons, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, since the beginning of the Company's last financial year in matters to be acted upon at the Meeting, other than the election of directors, the appointment of auditors and the confirmation of the Stock Option Plan.
INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
None of the persons who were directors or executive officers of the Company or a subsidiary at any time during the Company's last completed financial year, the proposed nominees for election to the Board, any person or company who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or who exercises control or direction over (or a combination of both) more than 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, nor the associates or affiliates of those persons, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any transaction or proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect the Company.
MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS
Other than as disclosed elsewhere in this Circular, no management functions of the Company are to any substantial degree performed by a person or company other than the directors or NEOs of the Company.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Company is required to have an audit committee (the "Audit Committee") comprised of not less than three directors, a majority of whom are not officers, control persons or employees of the Company or an affiliate of the Company.
Audit Committee Charter
The text of the Audit Committee's charter is attached as Schedule "A" to this Circular.
Composition of Audit Committee and Independence
The Company's current Audit Committee consists of Bryan Wilson, Andrew H. Rees and C. Hugh Maddin. National Instrument 52-110 Audit Committees, ("NI 52-110") provides that a member of an audit committee is "independent" if the member has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company, which could, in the view of the Company's Board, reasonably interfere with the exercise of the member's independent judgment. All members of the current Audit Committee are considered independent and are "financially literate (as defined in NI 52-110).
Relevant Education and Experience
Bryan Wilson. Mr. Wilson has served as a director and a member of the Company's audit committee since January 2008. Mr. Wilson has served as a director and/or officer on a number of junior mining companies including Gee-Ten Ventures Inc., Spider Resources Inc., Canyon Copper Corp. and St. Genevieve Resources Ltd. In addition, Mr. Wilson was a Registered Representative by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada while in the employ of Scotia McLeod Securities Inc, C.M. Oliver Inc., and Dominick and Dominick Securities Inc. Mr. Wilson is retired from his position as the Director of Exploration and Business Development of Centerra Gold Corp and is a Director of QuestEx Gold & Copper Exploration. Mr. Wilson is financial literate with respect to junior mining issuers.
Andrew H. Rees. Mr. Rees has served as a director and a member of the Company's audit committee since June 2011. Mr. Rees currently serves as an audit committee member and a director of a number of resource-based issuers. Based on his experience, Mr. Rees is financially literate with respect to junior mining issuers.
C. Hugh Maddin. Mr. Maddin is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and has been an active member of the B. C. business community for more than 47 years. He is an executive and director of several public companies and he is also Chairman and CEO of several private resource companies. He is the sole shareholder, President and CEO of Cambrian Capital Corp., a private investment holding company. As a practicing lawyer and entrepreneur, Mr. Maddin brings much experience in corporate, commercial, mining finance, venture capital, real estate and mining projects. Mr. Maddin is financially literate.
Audit Committee Oversight
Since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year, the Audit Committee of the Company has not made any recommendations to nominate or compensate an external auditor which were not adopted by the Board.
Reliance on Certain Exemptions
Since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year, the Company has not relied on:
- (a) the exemption in section 2.4 (De Minimis Non-audit Services) of NI 52-110; or
- (b) an exemption from NI 52-110, in whole or in part, granted under Part 8 (Exemptions).
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has not adopted any specific policies and procedures for the engagement of non-audit services.
Audit Fees
The aggregate fees billed by the Company's external auditor in the last two fiscal years ended February 28, 2019 and February 29, 2020 by category, are as follows:
| Financial Year Ended April 30 |
Audit Fees (\$)(1) | Audit Related Fees (\$)(2) |
Tax Fees (\$)(3) | All Other Fees (\$)(4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 17,000 | 1,219 | 3,000 | Nil |
| 2020 | 17,500 | 226 | 3,000 | 1,000 |
Notes:
- (1) "Audit fees" include aggregate fees billed by the Company's external auditor in each of the last two fiscal years for audit fees.
- (2) "Audited related fees" include the aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for assurance and related services by the Company's external auditor that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company's financial statements and are not reported under "Audit fees" above.
- (3) "Tax fees" include the aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the Company's external auditor for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
- (4) "All other fees" include the aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for products and services provided by the Company's external auditor, other than "Audit fees", "Audit related fees" and "Tax fees" above.
Exemption in Section 6.1
The Company is a "venture issuer" as defined in NI 52-110 and is relying on the exemption in section 6.1 of NI 52-110 relating to Parts 3 (Composition of Audit Committee) and 5 (Reporting Obligations).
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DISCLOSURE
National Instrument 58-101, Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices, requires all reporting issuers to provide certain annual disclosure of their corporate governance practices with respect to the corporate governance guidelines (the "Guidelines") adopted in National Policy 58-201. These Guidelines are not prescriptive, but have been used by the Company in adopting its corporate governance practices. The Board and Management consider good corporate governance to be an integral part of the effective and efficient operation of Canadian corporations. The Company's approach to corporate governance is set out below.
Board of Directors
Management is nominating four individuals to the Board, of which all are current directors of the Company.
The Guidelines suggest that the board of directors of every reporting issuer should be constituted with a majority of individuals who qualify as "independent" directors under NI 52-110, which provides that a director is independent if he or she has no direct or indirect "material relationship" with the Company. The "material relationship" is defined as a relationship which could, in the view of the Company's Board, reasonably interfere with the exercise of a director's independent judgement. All of the current members of the Board are considered "independent" within the meaning of NI 52-110, except for Farshad Shirvani, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
The Board has a stewardship responsibility to supervise the management of and oversee the conduct of the business of the Company, provide leadership and direction to management, evaluate management, set policies appropriate for the business of the Company and approve corporate strategies and goals. The day-to-day management of the business and affairs of the Company is delegated by the Board to the CEO and President. The Board will give direction and guidance through the CEO to management and will keep management informed of its evaluation of the senior officers in achieving and complying with goals and policies established by the Board.
The Board recommends nominees to the shareholders for election as directors, and immediately following each annual general meeting appoints an Audit Committee and the Audit Committee chairperson. The Board establishes and periodically reviews and updates the committee mandates, duties and responsibilities, elects a chairperson of the Board and establishes his or her duties and responsibilities, appoints the CEO, CFO and President of the Company and establishes the duties and responsibilities of those positions and on the recommendation of the CEO and the President, appoints the senior officers of the Company and approves the senior management structure of the Company.
The Board exercises its independent supervision over management by its policies that (a) periodic meetings of the Board be held to obtain an update on significant corporate activities and plans; and (b) all material transactions of the Company are subject to prior approval of the Board. The Board shall meet not less than three times during each year and will endeavour to hold at least one meeting in each fiscal quarter. The Board will also meet at any other time at the call of the President, or subject to the Articles of the Company, of any director.
The mandate of the Board, as prescribed by the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Act"), is to manage or supervise management of the business and affairs of the Company and to act with a view to the best interests of the Company. In doing so, the Board oversees the management of the Company's affairs directly and through its audit committee.
Directorships
| Name of Director of the Company | Names of Other Reporting Issuers |
|---|---|
| Farshad Shirvani | Casa Minerals Inc. |
| Bryan Wilson | QuestEx Gold & Copper Exploration |
| (formerly: Colorado Resources Ltd.) | |
| Andrew H. Rees | Blind Creek Resources Ltd. |
| Engineer Gold Mines Ltd. | |
| Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd. | |
| Klondike Silver Corp. | |
| Wellstar Energy Corp. | |
| Charles Hugh Maddin | International Bethlehem Mining Corp. |
| Makara Mining Corp. | |
| Medaro Mining Corp. |
The following directors of the Company are directors and/or officers of other reporting issuers:
Orientation and Continuing Education
The Board's practice is to recruit for the Board only persons with extensive experience in identifying and targeting junior businesses for transactions and in public company matters. Prospective new board members are provided a reasonably detailed level of background information, verbal and documentary, on the Company's affairs and plans prior to obtaining their consent to act as a director.
Ethical Business Conduct
The Board has found that the fiduciary duties placed on individual directors by the Company's governing corporate legislation and the common law and the restrictions placed by applicable corporate legislation on an individual director's participation in decisions of the Board in which the director has an interest have been sufficient to ensure that the Board operates independently of management and in the best interests of the Company.
Under the corporate legislation, a director is required to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances, and disclose to the board the nature and extent of any interest of the director in any material contract or material transaction, whether made or proposed, if the director is a party to the contract or transaction, is a director or officer (or an individual acting in a similar capacity) of a party to the contract or transaction or has a material interest in a party to the contract or transaction. The director must then abstain from voting on the contract or transaction unless the contract or transaction (i) relates primarily to their remuneration as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or an affiliate of the Company, (ii) is for indemnity or insurance for the benefit of the director in connection with the Company, or (iii) is with an affiliate of the Company. If the director abstains from voting after disclosure of their interest, the directors approve the contract or transaction and the contract or transaction was reasonable and fair to the Company at the time it was entered into, the contract or transaction is not invalid and the director is not accountable to the Company for any profit realized from the contract or transaction. Otherwise, the director must have acted honestly and in good faith, the contract or transaction must have been reasonable and fair to the Company and the contract or transaction be approved by the shareholders by a special resolution after receiving full disclosure of its terms in order for the director to avoid such liability or the contract or transaction being invalid.
Nomination of Directors
The Board identifies new candidates for board nomination by an informal process of discussion and consensus-building on the need for additional directors, the specific attributes being sought, likely prospects, and timing. Prospective directors are not approached until consensus is reached. This process takes place among the Chairman and a majority of the nonexecutive directors.
Assessments
The Board annually reviews its own performance and effectiveness as well as the effectiveness and performance of its committees. Effectiveness is subjectively measured by comparing actual corporate results with stated objectives. The contributions of individual directors are informally monitored by other Board members, bearing to mind the business strengths of the individual and the purpose of originally nominating the individual to the Board.
The Board monitors the adequacy of information given to directors, communication between Board and Management and the strategic direction and processes of the Board and its committees.
The Board believes its corporate governance practices are appropriate and effective for the Company, given its size and operations. The Company's corporate governance practices allow the Company to operate efficiently, with checks and balances that control and monitor Management and corporate functions without excessive administration burden.
PARTICULARS OF MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
1. Confirming Stock Option Plan
Pursuant to Policy 4.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V"), all TSX-V listed companies are required to adopt a stock option plan prior to granting incentive stock options. The purpose of the Stock Option Plan is to attract and motivate directors, senior officers, employees, consultants and others providing services to the Company and its subsidiaries, and thereby advance the Company's interests, by affording such persons with an opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company through the issuance of stock options. The Company is currently listed on Tier 2 of the TSX-V and has adopted a "rolling" stock option plan reserving a maximum of 10% of the issued shares of the Company at the time of the stock option grant.
The shareholders are being asked to approve the Stock Option Plan at the Meeting. As a "rolling" stock option plan, the Stock Option Plan will be required to be re-approved by the shareholders each year at the Company's annual general meeting.
Copies of the Stock Option Plan will be available at the Meeting for review by the shareholders. In addition, upon request, shareholders may obtain a copy of the document from the Company prior to the Meeting.
Summary of the Plan
The following information is intended as a brief description of the Company's Stock Option Plan and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Stock Option Plan, which will be available for review at the Meeting. Capitalized terms are as defined in the Stock Option Plan.
-
The aggregate number of Common Shares that may be reserved for issuance pursuant to Options shall not exceed 10% of the outstanding Common Shares at the time of the granting of an Option, less the aggregate number of Common Shares then reserved for issuance pursuant to any Other Share Compensation Arrangement. For greater certainty, if an Option is surrendered, terminated or expires without being exercised, the Common Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to such Option shall be available for new Options granted under this Plan.
-
- The exercise price per Common Share for an Option shall be determined by the Directors or their delegates if any, but will in no event be less than the permitted discount to the Market Price for the Common Shares (as defined by the policies of the Exchange) at the date of grant.
-
- If Options are granted within ninety days of a Distribution by the Corporation by prospectus, then the exercise price per Common Share for such Option shall not be less than the greater of the minimum exercise price calculated pursuant to subsection 5.1(a) herein and the price per Common Share paid by the public investors for Common Shares acquired pursuant to such Distribution. Such ninety-day period shall begin:
- (i) on the date the final receipt is issued for the final prospectus in respect of such Distribution; or
- (ii) in the case of an initial public offering, on the date of listing.
-
- The number of Common Shares reserved for issuance in any 12 month period under this Plan and any Other Share Compensation Arrangement to (a) any one Person, shall not exceed 5% of the outstanding Common Shares at the time of the grant (unless the Company has obtained Disinterested Shareholder Approval to exceed such limit); (b) any one Consultant or Person employed to provide Investor Relations Activities, shall not exceed 2% of the outstanding Common Shares at the time of the grant; and (c) to Insiders, shall not exceed 10% of the outstanding Common Shares at the time of the grant.
-
- Unless the Company has received Disinterested Shareholder Approval to do so, the number of Common Shares issued to any Person within a 12-month period pursuant to the exercise of Options granted under this Plan and any Other Share Compensation Arrangement shall not exceed 5% of the outstanding Common Shares at the time of the grant.
-
- Upon expiry of an option, or in the event an option is otherwise terminated for any reason, the number of shares in respect of the expired or terminated option shall again be available for the purposes of the Stock Option Plan. All options granted under the Stock Option Plan, unless sooner terminated, have a term not exceeding and shall therefore expire no later than 10 years after the date of the grant.
-
- If a Participant who is an Officer, Employee or Consultant is terminated for cause, each Option held by such Participant shall terminate and shall therefore cease to be exercisable upon such termination for cause.
If a Participant dies or suffers a disability prior to otherwise ceasing to be an Eligible Person, each Option held by such Participant shall terminate and shall therefore cease to be exercisable no later than the earlier of the Expiry Date and the date which is twelve months after the date of the Participant's death or disability.
Unless an option agreement specifies otherwise, if a Participant ceases to be an Eligible Person for any reason other than death or disability, each Option held by the Participant other than a Participant who is involved in investor relations activities will cease to be exercisable 90 days after the Termination Date or for a "reasonable period" after the Participant ceases to serve in such capacity, as determined by the Board. For Participants involved in investor relations activities, Options shall cease to be exercisable 30 days after the Termination Date or for a "reasonable period" after the Participant ceases to serve in such capacity, as determined by the Board.
For greater certainty, if a Participant dies, each Option held by such Participant shall be exercisable by the legal representative of such Participant until such Option terminates and therefore ceases to be exercisable pursuant to the terms of this Section.
If any portion of an Option is not vested at the time a Participant ceases, for any reason whatsoever, to be an Eligible Person, such unvested portion of the Option may not be thereafter exercised by the Participant or its legal representative, as the case may be, always provided that the Board may, in its discretion and in the case of Options relating to Investor Relations, subject to the approval of the Exchange, thereafter permit the Participant or its legal representative, as the case may be, to exercise all or any part of such unvested portion of the Option that would have vested prior to the time such Option otherwise terminates and therefore ceases to be exercisable pursuant to the terms of this Section. For greater certainty, and without limitation, this provision will apply regardless of whether the Participant ceased to be an Eligible Person voluntarily or involuntarily, was dismissed with or without cause, and regardless of whether the Participant received compensation in respect of dismissal or was entitled to a notice of termination for a period which would otherwise have permitted a greater portion of an Option to vest.
The Board retains the discretion to impose vesting periods on any options granted. In accordance with the policies of the Exchange, stock options granted to consultants performing investor relations services must vest in stages over a minimum of 12 months with no more than one-quarter of the stock options vesting in any three-month period.
Under the TSX Venture Exchange policy, all such rolling stock option plans which set the number of common shares issuable under the plan at a maximum of 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares must be approved and ratified by shareholders on an annual basis. Therefore, at the Meeting shareholders will be asked to pass an ordinary resolution in the following form:
BE IT RESOLVED that:
- (1) the Company approve and ratify, subject to regulatory approval, the Plan pursuant to which the directors may, from time to time, authorize the issuance of options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries to a maximum of 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company at the time of grant, with a maximum of 5% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares being reserved to any one person on a yearly basis; and
- (2) any one officer or director of the Company is hereby authorized to execute and deliver all such documents and do all such acts and things as may be deemed advisable in such individual's discretion for the purpose of giving effect to this resolution."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information relating to the Company may be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Financial information about the Company is provided in the Company's comparative annual financial statements to February 29, 2020 a copy of which, together with Management's Discussion and Analysis thereon, can be found on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
BOARD APPROVAL
The contents of this Circular have been approved and its mailing authorized by the directors of the Company.
DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, the 19th day of January 2021
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Farshad Shirvani"
Farshad Shirvani Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
SCHEDULE "A"
DOUBLEVIEW GOLD CORP. (the "Company")
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
(Implemented pursuant to National Instrument 52-110 – Audit Committees)
National Instrument 52-110 – Audit Committees (the "Instrument") relating to the composition and function of audit committees was implemented for reporting issuers and, accordingly, applies to every TSX Venture Exchange listed company, including the Company. The Instrument requires all affected issuers to have a written audit committee charter which must be disclosed, as stipulated by Form 52-110F2, in the management information circular of the Company wherein management solicits proxies from the security holders of the Company for the purpose of electing directors to the board of directors. The Company, as a TSX Venture Exchange-listed company is, however, exempt from certain requirements of the Instrument.
This Charter has been adopted by the board of directors in order to comply with the Instrument and to more properly define the role of the Committee in the oversight of the financial reporting process of the Company. Nothing in this Charter is intended to restrict the ability of the board of directors or Committee to alter or vary procedures in order to comply more fully with the Instrument, as amended from time to time.
I. MANDATE
The Audit Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Doubleview Gold Corp. (the "Company") shall assist the Board in fulfilling its financial oversight responsibilities. The Committee's primary duties and responsibilities under this mandate are to serve as an independent and objective party to monitor:
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- The quality and integrity of the Company's financial statements and other financial information;
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- The compliance of such statements and information with legal and regulatory requirements;
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- The qualifications and independence of the Company's independent external auditor (the "Auditor"); and
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- The performance of the Company's internal accounting procedures and Auditor.
II. STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
A. Composition
The Committee shall be comprised of three or more members.
B. Qualifications
Each member of the Committee must be a member of the Board.
Each member of the Committee must be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including the Company's balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement.
C. Appointment and Removal
In accordance with the Articles of the Company, the members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board and shall serve until such member's successor is duly elected and qualified or until such member's earlier resignation or removal. Any member of the Committee may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority vote of the Board.
D. Chair
Unless the Board shall select a Chair, the members of the Committee shall designate a Chair by the majority vote of all of the members of the Committee. The Chair shall call, set the agendas for and chair all meetings of the Committee.
E. Meetings
The Committee shall meet as frequently as circumstances dictate. The Auditor shall be given reasonable notice of, and be entitled to attend and speak at, each meeting of the Committee concerning the Company's annual financial statements and, if the Committee feels it is necessary or appropriate, at every other meeting. On request by the Auditor, the Chair shall call a meeting of the Committee to consider any matter that the Auditor believes should be brought to the attention of the Committee, the Board or the shareholders of the Company.
At each meeting, a quorum shall consist of a majority of members that are not officers or employees of the Company or of an affiliate of the Company.
As part of its goal to foster open communication, the Committee may periodically meet separately with each of management and the Auditor to discuss any matters that the Committee or any of these groups believes would be appropriate to discuss privately. In addition, the Committee should meet with the Auditor and management annually to review the Company's financial statements in a manner consistent with Section III of this Charter.
The Committee may invite to its meetings any director, any manager of the Company, and any other person whom it deems appropriate to consult in order to carry out its responsibilities. The Committee may also exclude from its meetings any person it deems appropriate to exclude in order to carry out its responsibilities.
III. DUTIES
A. Introduction
The following functions shall be the common recurring duties of the Committee in carrying out its purposes outlined in Section I of this Charter. These duties should serve as a guide with the understanding that the Committee may fulfill additional duties and adopt additional policies and procedures as may be appropriate in light of changing business, legislative, regulatory or other conditions. The Committee shall also carry out any other responsibilities and duties delegated to it by the Board from time to time related to the purposes of the Committee outlined in Section I of this Charter.
The Committee, in discharging its oversight role, is empowered to study or investigate any matter of interest or concern which the Committee in its sole discretion deems appropriate for study or investigation by the Committee.
The Committee shall be given full access to the Company's internal accounting staff, managers, other staff and Auditor as necessary to carry out these duties. While acting within the scope of its stated purpose, the Committee shall have all the authority of, but shall remain subject to, the Board.
B. Powers and Responsibilities
The Committee will have the following responsibilities and, in order to perform and discharge these responsibilities, will be vested with the powers and authorities set forth below, namely, the Committee shall:
Independence of Auditor
- 1) Review and discuss with the Auditor any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the Auditor and, if necessary, obtain a formal written statement from the Auditor setting forth all relationships between the Auditor and the Company.
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2) Take, or recommend that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the Auditor.
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3) Require the Auditor to report directly to the Committee.
- 4) Review and approve the Company's hiring policies regarding partners, employees and former partners and employees of the Auditor and former independent external auditor of the Company.
Performance & Completion by Auditor of its Work
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- Be directly responsible for the oversight of the work by the Auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the Auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, including resolution of disagreements between management and the Auditor regarding financial reporting.
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- Review annually the performance of the Auditor and recommend the appointment by the Board of a new, or reelection by the Company's shareholders of the existing, Auditor for the purpose of preparing or issuing an auditor's report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company.
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- Recommend to the Board the compensation of the Auditor.
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- Pre-approve all non-audit services, including the fees and terms thereof, to be performed for the Company by the Auditor.
Internal Financial Controls & Operations of the Company
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- Establish procedures for:
- (a) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters; and
- (b) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
Preparation of Financial Statements
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- Discuss with management and the Auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Company's financial statements, including any significant changes in the Company's selection or application of accounting principles, any major issues as to the adequacy of the Company's internal controls and any special steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies.
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- Discuss with management and the Auditor any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any employee complaints or published reports which raise material issues regarding the Company's financial statements or accounting policies.
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- Discuss with management and the Auditor the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives as well as off-balance sheet structures on the Company's financial statements.
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- Discuss with management the Company's major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including the Company's risk assessment and risk management policies.
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- Discuss with the Auditor the matters required to be discussed relating to the conduct of any audit, in particular:
- (a) The adoption of, or changes to, the Company's significant auditing and accounting principles and practices as suggested by the Auditor, internal auditor or management.
- (b) The management inquiry letter provided by the Auditor and the Company's response to that letter.
(c) Any difficulties encountered in the course of the audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management.
Public Disclosure by the Company
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- Review the Company's annual and interim financial statements, management discussion and analysis (MD&A) and earnings press releases before the Board approves and the Company publicly discloses this information.
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- Review the Company's financial reporting procedures and internal controls to be satisfied that adequate procedures are in place for the review of the Company's public disclosure of financial information extracted or derived from its financial statements, other than disclosure described in the previous paragraph, and periodically assessing the adequacy of those procedures.
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- Review disclosures made to the Committee by the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer during their certification process of the Company's financial statements about any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls or material weaknesses therein and any fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company's internal controls.
Manner of Carrying Out its Mandate
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- Consult, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, with the Auditor, but without the presence of management, about the quality of the Company's accounting principles, internal controls and the completeness and accuracy of the Company's financial statements.
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- Request any officer or employee of the Company or the Company's outside counsel or Auditor to attend a meeting of the Committee or to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Committee.
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- Meet, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, with management, any internal auditor and the Auditor in separate executive sessions.
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- Have the authority, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, to retain special independent legal, accounting or other consultants to advise the Committee advisors.
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- Make regular reports to the Board.
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- Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.
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- Annually review the Committee's own performance.
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- Provide an open avenue of communication among the Auditor, the Company's financial and senior management and the Board.
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- Not delegate these responsibilities.
C. Limitation of Audit Committee's Role
While the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is not the duty of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company's financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations. These are the responsibilities of management and the Auditor.
Schedule "B"
DOUBLVIEW CAPITAL CORP.
STOCK OPTION PLAN
1. PURPOSE OF PLAN
1.1 Purpose. The purpose of the Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") of DOUBLEVIEW CAPITAL CORP., a company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), (the "Company") is to advance the interests of the Company by encouraging the directors, officers, employees, management company employees and consultants of the Company, and of its subsidiaries and affiliates, if any, to acquire common shares in the share capital of the Company, thereby increasing their proprietary interest in the Company, encouraging them to remain associated with the Company and furnishing them with additional incentive in their efforts on behalf of the Company in the conduct of its affairs.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 Definitions. In this Plan the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, namely:
- (a) "Blackout Period" means a period during which there is a prohibition on trading in the Company's securities imposed by the Company on Insiders.
- (b) "Board" means the board of directors of the Company or, if the Board so elects, a committee of directors (which may consist of only one director) appointed by the Board to administer this Plan.
- (c) "Company" means Doubleview Capital Corp.
- (d) "Consultant" means an individual who (or a corporation or partnership (a "Consultant Company") of which the individual is an employee, shareholder or partner which):
- (i) is engaged to provide, on an ongoing bona fide basis, consulting, technical, management or other services to the Company or a subsidiary of the Company other than in relation to a distribution of the Company's securities;
- (ii) provides the services under a written contract between the Consultant or Consultant Company and the Company or subsidiary;
- (iii) in the reasonable opinion of the Company, spends or will spend a significant amount of time and attention on the business and affairs of the Company or subsidiary of the Company; and
- (iv) has a relationship with the Company or subsidiary of the Company that enables the individual to be knowledgeable about the business and affairs of the Company or subsidiary.
- (e) "Director" means a director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
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(f) "Employee" means:
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(i) an individual who is considered an employee of the Company or its subsidiary under the Income Tax Act (Canada)(and for whom income tax, employment insurance and CPP deductions must be made at source);
- (ii) an individual who works full-time for the Company or its subsidiary providing services normally provided by an employee and who is subject to the same control and direction by the Company over the details and methods of work as an employee of the Company, but for whom income tax deductions are not made at source; or
- (iii) an individual who works for the Company or its subsidiary on a continuing and regular basis for a minimum amount of time per week (the number of hours should be disclosed in the submission) providing services normally provided by an employee and who is subject to the same control and discretion by the Company over the details and methods of work as an employee of the Company, but for whom income tax deductions are not made at source.
- (g) "Exchange" means whichever stock exchange on which the Shares are listed for trading being either the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") or Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX").
- (h) "Insider" means: (i) Director or Officer; (ii) a director or officer of a subsidiary of the Company; or (iii) a person that beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, Shares carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all outstanding Shares of the Company.
- (i) "Management Company Employee" means an individual employed by a person providing management services to the Company, which are required for the ongoing successful operation of the business enterprise of the Company, but excluding a person engaged in investor relations.
- (j) "Market Price" means the price at which the last recorded sale of a board lot of Shares took place on the Exchange during the trading day immediately preceding the date of granting the Option and, if there was no such sale, the closing price on the preceding trading day during which there was such a sale.
- (k) "Officer" means a chair or vice-chair of the Board, a chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, president, vice-president, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or an individual designated as an officer by a resolution of the Board or the constating documents of the Company.
- (l) "Option" means an option to purchase Shares granted to an Optionee under this Plan.
- (m) "Optionee" means a Director, Officer, Employee, Management Company Employee or Consultant granted an Option or a corporation, other than a Consultant Company, granted an Option where the corporation's only shareholder is a Director, Officer or Employee.
- (n) "Plan" means this stock option plan as amended, supplemented or restated.
- (o) "Shares" means common shares of the Company.
3. GRANTING OF OPTIONS
3.1 Administration. This Plan shall be administered by the Board.
3.2 Grant by Resolution. The Board may determine by resolution those Employees, Management Company Employees, Consultants, Officers and Directors to whom Options should be granted and grant to them such Options as the Board determines to be appropriate.
3.3 Representations to Employees, Consultants, and Management Company Employees. Every instrument evidencing an Option granted to an Employee, Consultant or Management Company Employee shall contain a representation by the Company and the Optionee that the Optionee is a bona fide Employee, Consultant or Management Company Employee.
3.4 No Grants if Listed on NEX. The Board shall not grant any Options if the Shares are listed on the NEX Board of the TSX-V or the Company has been given notice that its listing will or might be transferred to NEX.
3.5 Terms of Option. The Board shall determine and specify in its resolution the number of Shares that should be placed under Option to each such Employee, Management Company Employee, Consultant, Officer or Director, the price per Share to be paid for such Shares upon the exercise of each such Option, and the period during which such Option may be exercised.
3.6 Written Agreement. Every Option shall be evidenced by a written agreement between the Company and the Optionee. If there is any inconsistency between the terms of the agreement and this Plan the terms of this Plan shall govern.
4. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE GRANTING & EXERCISING OF OPTIONS
4.1 Agreements must specify Exercise Period and Price, Vesting and Number of Shares. In granting an Option, the Board must specify a particular time period or periods during which the Option may be exercised, the exercise price required to purchase the Shares subject to the Option and any vesting terms and conditions of the Option, including the number of Shares in respect of which the Option may be exercised during each such time period.
4.2 Minimum Exercise Price of Options. The exercise price of an Option shall not be less than the Market Price, less, if the Shares are listed on the TSX-V, the maximum discount permitted by the Exchange, at the time of granting the Option. If the Optionee is subject to the tax laws of the United States of America and owns (as determined in accordance with such laws) greater than 10% of the Shares at the time of granting of the Option the exercise price shall be at least 110% of the Market Price. If the Shares are listed on the TSX-V, no Options shall be granted which are exercisable at a price of less than \$0.05 per Share.
4.3 Number of Shares subject to Option. The number of Shares reserved for issuance to an Optionee pursuant to an Option, together with all other stock options granted to the Optionee in the previous 12 months, shall not exceed, at the time of granting of the Option:
- (a) 5% of the outstanding Shares, unless the Company has obtained disinterested shareholder approval or the Shares are listed on the TSX;
- (b) 2% of the outstanding Shares, if the Optionee is a Consultant and the Shares are listed on the TSX-V; or
(c) 2% of the outstanding Shares (including all other Shares reserved for issuance to all Optionees providing investor relations services to the Company), if the Optionee is engaged in providing investor relations services to the Company and the Shares are listed on the TSX-V.
4.4 Vesting of Options. Subject to further vesting requirements required by the Board on granting of an Option, all Options shall vest and be exercisable on the following terms:
- (a) If Optionee is Providing Investor Relations Services: If the Optionee is a Consultant providing investor relations services to the Company and the Shares are listed on the TSX-V, any Option granted to the Consultant must vest in stages over at least 12 months with no more than one quarter of the Option vesting in any three month period.
- (b) If there is a Change of Control: If a Change of Control is agreed to by the Company or events which might lead to a Change of Control are commenced by third parties, all Options, subject to the Exchange's approval (if required), shall vest immediately and be fully exercisable notwithstanding the terms thereof. For the purposes hereof "Change of Control" shall mean:
- (i) any transaction or series of related transactions as a result of which any person, entity or group acquires ownership, after the date of an Option, of at least 20% of the Shares and they or their representatives become a majority of the Board or assume control or direction over the management or day-to-day operations of the Company; or
- (ii) an amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company with another entity or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, as a result of either of which the Company ceases to exist, be publicly traded or the management of the Company or Board do not comprise a majority of the management or a majority of the board of directors, respectively, of the resulting entity,
and to permit Optionees to participate in any of the foregoing, the Board may make appropriate provision for the exercise of Options conditional upon the Shares so issued being taken-up and paid for pursuant to any of the foregoing.
Subject to the approval of the Exchange if the Optionee is a Consultant providing investor relations services for the Company, the Board may advance, at any time, the dates upon which any or all Options shall vest and become exercisable, regardless of the terms of vesting set out in this Plan or the agreement.
4.5 Exercise of Options if Specified Value Exceeds USD \$100,000. If the Optionee is subject to the tax laws of the United States of America that part of any Option entitling the Optionee to purchase Shares having a value of USD \$100,000 or less shall be treated as an 'Incentive Stock Option' under United States Internal Revenue Code (so that the Optionee may defer the payment of tax on such Shares until the year in which such Shares are disposed of by the Optionee). For the purposes hereof value is determined by multiplying the number of shares which are subject to the Option times the Market Price (at the time of granting of the Option). That part of any Option on Shares having a value in excess of USD \$100,000 shall be treated as a non-qualifying stock option for the purposes of the Code and shall not entitle the Optionee to such tax deferral.
4.6 Expiry of Options. Each Option shall expire not later than 10 years from the day on which the Option is granted.
4.7 Expiry of Options during or immediately after Trading Blackout Periods. If an Option expires during, or within five trading days after, a Blackout Period then, notwithstanding Section 4.6 or the terms of the Option, the term of the Option shall be extended and the Option shall expire 10 trading days after the termination of the Blackout Period.
4.8 Death or Disability of Optionee. If an Optionee dies or suffers a Disability prior to the expiry of an Option, the Optionee's legal representatives, before the earlier of the expiry date of the Option and the first anniversary of the Optionee's death or Disability, may exercise that portion of an Option which has vested as at the date of death or Disability. For the purposes hereof "Disability" shall mean any inability of the Optionee arising due to medical reasons which the Board considers likely to permanently prevent or substantially impair Optionee being an Employee, Management Company Employee, Consultant, Officer or Director.
4.9 Cessation as an Optionee (With Cause). If an Optionee ceases to be a Director, Officer, Consultant, Employee or Management Company Employee by reason of termination or removal for cause any Option shall terminate immediately on such termination or removal and not be exercisable by the Optionee unless otherwise determined by the Board.
4.10 Cessation as an Optionee (Without Cause). If an Optionee ceases to be any of a Director, Officer, Consultant, Employee or Management Company Employee for any reason except as provided in sections 4.8 or 4.9, any Option shall be exercisable to the extent that it has vested and was exercisable as at the date of such cessation, unless further vesting is permitted by the Board, and must terminate on the earlier of the expiry date of the Option and:
- (a) the 90th day after the Optionee ceased to be any of a Director, Officer, Consultant, Employee or Management Company Employee, or such other date as may be reasonably determined by the Board; or
- (b) if the Optionee is subject to the tax laws of the United States of America, the earlier of the 90th day and the third month after the Optionee ceased to be an Employee or Officer.
4.11 No Assignment of Options. No Option or any right thereunder or in respect thereof shall be transferable or assignable otherwise than by will or pursuant to the laws of succession except that, if permitted by the rules and policies of the Exchange, an Optionee shall have the right to assign any Option (other than an 'Incentive Stock Option' under United States Internal Revenue Code) to a corporation wholly-owned by them.
4.12 Restriction on Resale of Shares Issued on Exercise of an Option. If the Optionee is an Insider or the Option is exercisable for a price less than the Market Price at the time the Option is granted, the Shares issued upon the exercise of the Option shall be subject to a four month hold period from the time the Option was granted and the certificates representing such Shares shall be legended accordingly.
4.13 Notice of Exercise of an Option. Options shall be exercised only in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreements under which they are respectively granted and shall be exercisable only by notice in writing to the Company.
4.14 Payment on Exercise of an Option. Options may be exercised in whole or in part at any time prior to their lapse or termination. Shares purchased by an Optionee on exercise of an Option shall be fully paid for in cash or by certified cheque, bank draft or money order at the time of their purchase.
4.15 Condition to Issuance of Shares. The Board may require, as a condition of the issuance of Shares or delivery of certificates representing such Shares upon the exercise of any Option and to ensure compliance with any applicable laws, regulations, rules, orders and requirements that the Optionee or the Optionee's heirs, executors or other legal representatives, as applicable, make such covenants, agreements and representations as the Board deems necessary or desirable.
4.16 Withholding or Deductions of Taxes. The Company may deduct, withhold or require an Optionee, as a condition of exercise of an Option, to withhold, pay, remit or reimburse any taxes or similar charges, which are required to be paid, remitted or withheld in connection with the exercise of any Option.
4.17 Cashless Exercise of Options. If the Shares are listed on the TSX, an Optionee may elect by notice in writing to the Company to surrender to the Company all or part of an Option, to the extent that the Option has vested and remains unexercised, in consideration of an amount equal to the difference between the aggregate fair market value (based on the weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX during the 10 trading days preceding the date of surrender) of the Shares which could have otherwise been purchased upon the exercise of the Option and the aggregate exercise price which the Optionee would have paid upon such exercise. The Company, in its sole discretion, may:
- (a) satisfy such amount due to the Optionee by payment in cash or issuance of Shares using such fair market value of the Shares as the issuance price; or
- (b) refuse to accept such surrender, whereupon the Option shall remain in full force and effect.
5. RESERVATION OF SHARES FOR OPTIONS
5.1 Sufficient Authorized Shares to be Reserved. Whenever the constating documents of the Company limit the number of authorized Shares, a sufficient number of Shares shall be reserved by the Board to satisfy the exercise of Options. Shares that were the subject of Options that have lapsed or terminated shall thereupon no longer be in reserve and may once again be subject to an Option.
5.2 Maximum Number of Shares to be Reserved Under Plan. The aggregate number of Shares which may be subject to issuance pursuant to Options and any stock options granted under any other previous or current stock option plan or security compensation arrangement shall be 10% of the outstanding Shares at the time of granting the Options. If any Option expires or otherwise terminates for any reason without having been exercised in full, the number of Shares in respect of such expired or terminated Option shall again be available for the purposes of granting Options pursuant to this Plan.
5.3 Maximum Number of Shares Reserved for Insiders. All Options, together with all of the Company's other previously granted stock options, stock option plans, employee stock purchase plans or any other compensation or incentive mechanisms involving the issuance or potential issuance of Shares, shall not result, at the time of granting, in:
- (a) the number of Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to Options granted to Insiders exceeding 10% of the Shares outstanding;
- (b) the issuance to Insiders, within a one year period, of Shares totalling in excess of 10% of the Shares outstanding; or
- (c) the issuance to any one individual, within a one year period, of Shares totalling in excess of 5% of the Shares outstanding,
unless the disinterested shareholders have approved thereof.
6. CAPITAL REORGANIZATIONS
6.1 Share Consolidation or Subdivision. If the Shares are at any time subdivided or consolidated, the number of Shares reserved for Options shall be similarly increased or decreased and the price payable for any Shares that are then subject to issuance shall be decreased or increased proportionately, as the case may require, so that upon exercising each Option the same proportionate shareholdings at the same aggregate purchase price shall be acquired after such subdivision or consolidation as would have been acquired before.
6.2 Stock Dividend. If the Shares are at any time changed as a result of the declaration of a stock dividend thereon, the number of Shares reserved for Options shall be increased proportionately and the price payable for any Shares that are then subject to issuance shall be decreased proportionately so that upon exercising each Option the same proportionate shareholdings at the same aggregate purchase price shall be acquired after such stock dividend as would have been acquired before.
6.3 No Fractional Shares. No adjustment made pursuant to this Part shall require the Company to issue a fraction of a Share and any fractions of a Share shall be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number, with one-half a Share being rounded up to one Share.
6.4 No Adjustment for Cash Dividends or Rights Offerings. No adjustment shall be made to any Option pursuant to this Part in respect of the payment of any cash dividend or the distribution to the shareholders of the Company of any rights to acquire Shares or other securities of the Company.
7. EXCHANGE'S RULES & POLICIES GOVERN & APPLICABLE LAW
7.1 Exchange's Rules and Policies Apply. This Plan and the granting and exercise of any Options are also subject to such other terms and conditions as are set out in the rules and policies on stock options of the Exchange and any securities commission having authority and such rules and policies shall be deemed to be incorporated into and become a part of this Plan. If there is an inconsistency between the provisions of such rules and policies and of this Plan, the provisions of such rules and policies shall govern.
7.2 Compliance With Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be obliged to cause any Shares to be issued or certificates evidencing Shares to be delivered pursuant to this Plan, where issuance and delivery is not, or would result in the Company not, being in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, rules, orders of governmental or regulatory authorities and the requirements of the Exchange. If any provision of this Plan, any Option or any agreement entered into pursuant to this Plan contravenes any applicable law, rule, regulation or order, or any policy, bylaw or regulation of the Exchange or any regulatory body having authority over the Company or this Plan, such provision shall be deemed to be amended to the extent required to bring such provision into compliance therewith, but the Company shall not be responsible to pay and shall not incur any penalty, liability or further obligation in connection therewith.
7.3 No Obligation to File Prospectus. The Company shall not be liable to compensate any Optionee and in no event shall it be obliged to take any action, including the filing of any prospectus, registration statement or similar document, in order to permit the issuance and delivery of any Shares upon the exercise of any Option in order to comply with any applicable laws, regulations, rules, orders or requirements of any securities regulatory authority.
7.4 Governing Law. This Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
8. AMENDMENT OF PLAN & OPTIONS
8.1 Board May Amend Plan or Options. The Board may amend or terminate this Plan or any Options but no such amendment or termination, except with the written consent of the Optionees concerned or unless required to make this Plan or the Options comply with the rules and policies of the Exchange, shall affect the terms and conditions of Options which have not then been exercised or terminated.
8.2 Shareholder Approval. The approval of disinterested shareholders for an amendment to this Plan or any Option shall be required in respect of Options granted to Insiders involving:
- (a) a reduction of the exercise price, including a reduction effected by cancelling an existing Option and granting a new Option exercisable at a lower price within the subsequent one year period, if the Shares are listed on the TSX-V, or three month period, if the Shares are listed on the TSX; or
- (b) an extension of the exercise period, if the Shares are listed on the TSX, unless the extension arises from a Blackout Period.
Approval by all holders of Shares, whether the holders are disinterested shareholders or not, is required for:
- (a) an increase in the number of Shares, or percentage of the outstanding Shares, reserved for issuance under this Plan; or
- (b) a change from a fixed number to a fixed percentage of the outstanding Shares, or from a fixed percentage to a fixed number, in the number of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan.
No approval by any holders of Shares is required for:
- (a) an amendment to comply with applicable law or rules of the Exchange or of a 'housekeeping' nature required to correct typographical and similar errors;
- (b) a change to the vesting provisions;
- (c) a change to the termination provisions, other than an extension of an Option to a new expiry date that falls outside the maximum term currently permitted by this Plan when the Option was first granted;
- (d) a reduction of the exercise price of an Option, including a reduction effected by cancelling an existing Option and granting a new Option exercisable at a lower price, or an extension of the exercise period, if the Optionee is not an Insider; and
- (e) any change in those persons who may be Optionees if such new Optionees are Insiders.
8.3 Exchange Approval Required. Any amendment to this Plan or Options shall not become effective until such amendments have been accepted for filing by the Exchange.
9. PLAN DOES NOT AFFECT OTHER COMPENSATION PLANS
9.1 Other Plans Not Affected. This Plan shall not in any way affect the policies or decisions of the Board in relation to the remuneration of Directors, Officers, Consultants, Employees and Management Company Employee.
10. OPTIONEE'S RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER
10.1 No Rights Until Option Exercised. An Optionee shall be entitled to the rights pertaining to share ownership, such as to dividends, only with respect to Shares that have been fully paid for and issued to the Optionee upon exercise of an Option.
11. EFFECTIVE DATE & EXPIRY OF PLAN
11.1 Effective Date. This Plan has been adopted by the Board subject to the approval of the Exchange and if so approved, subject to the discretion of the Board, the Plan shall become effective upon such approvals being obtained. Thereafter this Plan shall be approved by the holders of the Shares annually, if the Shares are listed on the TSX-V, or tri-annually, if the Shares are listed on the TSX. If such annual approvals are not obtained, Options may no longer be granted. Options may be granted, but cannot be exercised, prior to the receipt of such approvals.
11.2 Termination. This Plan shall terminate upon a resolution to that effect being passed by the Board. Any Options shall continue to be exercisable according to their terms after the termination of this Plan.