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Tribeca Resources Corporation — Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement 2023
Nov 14, 2023
43776_rns_2023-11-14_029d64b2-7ebb-4fd6-abb2-44affd6c2bb1.pdf
Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETING
AND
MANAGEMENT PROXY CIRCULAR
FOR THE
ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2023
10:00 A.M. (VANCOUVER TIME) SUITE 1305, 1090 WEST GEORGIA STREET VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
COVID-19 GUIDELINE
In the context of the effort to mitigate potential risk to the health and safety associated with COVID-19, shareholders are encouraged to vote on the matters in advance of the Meeting by submitting completed form of proxies (or voting instruction form) prior to the Meeting by one of the means described in this Information Circular and not to attend the Meeting in person. Shareholders wishing to attend the Meeting in person must call the Corporate Secretary of the Company at 1.604.685.9316 at least 48 hours prior to the date of the Meeting for further instructions.
TRIBECA RESOURCES CORPORATION
#1305 - 1090 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
NOTICE OF ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual and Special Meeting (the " Meeting ") of the Shareholders of Tribeca Resources Corporation (hereinafter called the " Company ") will be held at Suite 1305, 1090 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday, the 12[th] day of December, 2023, at 10:00 AM (Pacific), for the following purposes:
-
To receive the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, together with the report of the auditor therein;
-
To fix the number of directors at five (5);
-
To elect directors;
-
To appoint D&H Group LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the auditor of the Company for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be set by the directors;
-
To consider and, if thought fit, to pass an ordinary resolution to ratify and approve the Long-term Incentive Plan of the Company, as more particularly described in the accompanying Management Information Circular;
-
To consider and, if thought fit, to pass an ordinary resolution to ratify and approve the Advance Notice Policy adopted by the board of directors, as more particularly described in the accompanying Management Information Circular; and
-
To transact such further or other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.
Accompanying this Notice is a Management Information Circular, a form of Proxy and a Request Form for Annual and Interim Financial Statements. The accompanying Management Information Circular provides information relating to the matters to be addressed at the Meeting and is incorporated into this Notice.
To be valid, the accompanying form of Proxy, duly completed, dated and signed, must arrive at the office of the Registrar and Transfer Agent of the Company, Odyssey Trust Company (“ Odyssey Trust ”), Suite 350, 409 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1T2, or via Fax to 1-800-517-4553 , not less than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the time for holding the Meeting or delivered to the Chairman of the Meeting on the day of but prior to the commencement of the Meeting.
If you are a non-registered shareholder of the Company and received this Notice of Meeting and accompanying materials through a broker, a financial institution, a participant, a trustee or administrator of a self-administered retirement savings plan, retirement income fund, education savings plan or other similar self-administered savings or investment plan registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada), or a nominee of any of the foregoing that holds your security on your behalf (the "Intermediary"), please complete and return the materials in accordance with the instructions provided to you by your Intermediary.
COVID-19 GUIDANCE: In light of ongoing concerns related to the spread of COVID-19, and in order to mitigate the potential risks to the health and safety associated with COVID-19, shareholders are strongly encouraged to vote on the matters before the Meeting by proxy rather than attend the meeting in person.
DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 6[th] day of November, 2023.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD
"Paul Gow" Paul Gow, CEO & Director
TRIBECA RESOURCES CORPORATION
1305 - 1090 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V7
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CIRCULAR
(Containing information as at November 6, 2023, unless otherwise stated)
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
This management information circular (“ Information Circular ”) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the management of Tribeca Resources Corporation (the “ Company ”) for use at the Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Company (and any adjournment thereof) to be held on December 12, 2023 (the “ Meeting ”) at the time and place and for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual and Special Meeting. While it is expected that the solicitation will be primarily by mail, proxies may be solicited personally or by telephone by the directors, officers and regular employees of the Company at nominal cost. All costs of solicitation by management will be borne by the Company.
The contents and the sending of this Information Circular have been approved by the directors of the Company.
COVID‐19
In the context of the effort to mitigate potential risk to the health and safety associated with COVID-19, shareholders are encouraged to vote on the matters in advance of the Meeting by submitting completed form of proxies (or voting instruction form) prior to the Meeting by one of the means described in this Information Circular and not to attend the Meeting in person. Shareholders wishing to attend the Meeting in person must call the Corporate Secretary of the Company at 1.604.685.9316 at least 48 hours prior to the date of the Meeting for further instructions.
APPOINTMENT OF PROXYHOLDER
The individuals named in the accompanying form of proxy are directors and/or officers (“ Management’s Nominees ”) of the Company. A SHAREHOLDER WISHING TO APPOINT SOME OTHER PERSON (WHO NEED NOT BE A SHAREHOLDER) TO REPRESENT HIM AT THE MEETING HAS THE RIGHT TO DO SO, EITHER BY STRIKING OUT THE NAMES OF THOSE PERSONS NAMED IN THE ACCOMPANYING FORM OF PROXY AND INSERTING THE DESIRED PERSON’S NAME IN THE BLANK SPACE PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF PROXY OR BY COMPLETING ANOTHER FORM OF PROXY. A proxy will not be valid unless the completed form of proxy is received by Odyssey Trust Company, Suite 350, 409 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1T2, or via Fax to 1-800-517-4553, not less than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the time for holding the Meeting, or any adjournment thereof. Proxies delivered after that time will not be accepted.
REVOCATION OF PROXIES
A shareholder who has given a proxy may revoke it by an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by his attorney duly authorized in writing or, where the shareholder is a company, by a duly authorized officer or attorney of the company, and delivered to the head office of the Company located at Suite 1305, 1090 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V7 (Attention: Corporate Secretary), at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day of the Meeting, or if adjourned, any reconvening thereof, or to the Chairman of the Meeting on the day of the Meeting or, if adjourned, any reconvening thereof or in any other manner provided by law. A revocation of a proxy does not affect any matter on which a vote has been taken prior to the revocation.
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INFORMATION FOR NON-REGISTERED SHAREHOLDERS
Only registered shareholders or duly appointed proxyholders are permitted to vote at the Meeting. Most shareholders of the Company are “non-registered” shareholders because the common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) they own are not registered in their names but are instead registered in the names of a brokerage firm, bank or other intermediary or in the name of a clearing agency. Shareholders who do not hold their Common Shares in their own name (referred to herein as “Beneficial Shareholders”) should note that only registered shareholders may vote at the Meeting. If Common Shares are listed in an account statement provided to a shareholder by a broker, then in almost all cases those Common Shares will not be registered in such shareholder’s name on the records of the Company. Such Common Shares will more likely be registered under the name of the shareholder’s broker or an agent of that broker. In Canada, the vast majority of such shares are registered under the name of CDS & Co. (the registration name for CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc., which company acts as nominee for many Canadian brokerage firms). Common Shares held by brokers (or their agents or nominees) on behalf of a broker’s client can only be voted (for or against resolutions) at the direction of the Beneficial Shareholder. Without specific instructions, brokers and their agents and nominees are prohibited from voting shares for the brokers’ clients. Therefore, each Beneficial Shareholder should ensure that voting instructions are communicated to the appropriate person well in advance of the Meeting .
Existing regulatory policy requires brokers and other intermediaries to seek voting instructions from Beneficial Shareholders in advance of shareholders’ meetings. The various brokers and other intermediaries have their own mailing procedures and provide their own return instructions to clients, which should be carefully followed by Beneficial Shareholders in order to ensure that their Common Shares are voted at the Meeting. Often the form of proxy supplied to a Beneficial Shareholder by its broker is identical to the form of proxy provided by the Company to the registered shareholders. However, its purpose is limited to instructing the registered shareholder (i.e. the broker or agent of the broker) how to vote on behalf of the Beneficial Shareholder. The majority of brokers now delegate responsibility for obtaining instructions from clients to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“ Broadridge ”). Broadridge typically prepares a machine-readable voting instruction form, mails those forms to the Beneficial Shareholders and asks Beneficial Shareholders to return the forms to Broadridge, or otherwise communicate voting instructions to Broadridge (by way of the internet or telephone, for example). Broadridge then tabulates the results of all instructions received and provides appropriate instructions respecting the voting of Common Shares to be represented at the Meeting. A Beneficial Shareholder who receives a Broadridge voting instruction form cannot use that form to vote Common Shares directly at the Meeting. The voting instruction form must be returned to Broadridge (or instructions respecting the voting of Common Shares must be communicated to Broadridge) well in advance of the Meeting in order to have the Common Shares voted.
This Information Circular and accompanying materials are being sent to both registered shareholders and Beneficial Shareholders. Beneficial Shareholders fall into two categories – those who object to their identity being known to the issuers of securities which they own (“ OBOs ”) and those who do not object to their identity being made known to the issuers of the securities they own (“ NOBOs ”). Subject to the provision of National Instrument 54-101 – Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer (“ NI 54-101 ”) issuers may request and obtain a list of their NOBOs from intermediaries via their transfer agents. Pursuant to NI 54-101, issuers may obtain and use the NOBO list for distribution of proxy-related materials directly (not via Broadridge) to such NOBOs. If you are a Beneficial Shareholder, and the Company or its agent has sent these materials directly to you, your name, address and information about your holdings of Common Shares have been obtained in accordance with applicable securities regulatory requirements from the intermediary holding the Common Shares on your behalf.
The Company’s OBOs can expect to be contacted by Broadridge or their brokers or their broker’s agents as set out above.
Although Beneficial Shareholders may not be recognized directly at the Meeting for the purposes of voting Common Shares registered in the name of his broker, a Beneficial Shareholder may attend the Meeting as proxyholder for the registered shareholder and vote the Common Shares in that capacity. Beneficial Shareholders who wish to attend the Meeting and indirectly vote their Common Shares as proxyholder for the registered shareholder should enter their own names in the blank space on the proxy provided to them and return the same to their broker (or the broker’s agent) in accordance with the instructions provided by such broker.
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All references to shareholders in this Information Circular and the accompanying form of Proxy and Notice of Annual General Meeting are to shareholders of record unless specifically stated otherwise.
VOTING OF PROXIES
The shares represented by a properly executed proxy in favour of Management’s Nominees as proxyholders in the accompanying form of proxy will:
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(a) be voted or withheld from voting in accordance with the instructions of the person appointing the proxyholder on any ballot that may be taken; and
-
(b) where a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon has been specified in the form of proxy, be voted in accordance with the specification made in such proxy.
ON A POLL, SUCH SHARES WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED BY MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY FOR EACH MATTER FOR WHICH NO CHOICE HAS BEEN SPECIFIED, OR WHERE BOTH CHOICES HAVE BEEN SPECIFIED, BY THE SHAREHOLDER.
The enclosed form of proxy when properly completed and delivered and not revoked confers discretionary authority upon the person appointed proxy thereunder to vote with respect to amendments or variations of matters identified in the Notice of Meeting, and with respect to other matters which may properly come before the Meeting. If any amendments or variations to matters identified in the Notice of Meeting are properly brought before the Meeting or any further or other business is properly brought before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons designated in the enclosed form of proxy to vote in accordance with their best judgment on such matters or business. At the time of the printing of this Information Circular, the management of the Company knows of no such amendment, variation or other matter that may be presented to the Meeting.
INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS OR COMPANIES IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
Except as disclosed herein, no person who has been a director or executive officer of the Company at any time since the beginning of the last financial year, nor any proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company, nor any associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon other than the election of directors or the appointment of auditors. Directors and senior officers may, however, be interested in the general authorization granted to the directors with respect to stock options to insiders as detailed herein.
VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF VOTING SECURITIES
The authorized capital of the Company consists of an unlimited number of Common Shares without par value and an unlimited number of preference shares without par value. As at November 6, 2023 (the “ Record Date ”), the Company had 62,243,983 Common Shares issued and outstanding and nil Preference Shares issued and outstanding.
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date who either personally attend the Meeting or who have completed and delivered a form of proxy in the manner and subject to the provisions described above shall be entitled to vote or to have their shares voted at the Meeting.
On a show of hands, every individual who is present and is entitled to vote as a shareholder or as a representative of one or more corporate shareholders will have one vote, and on a poll every shareholder present in person or represented by a proxy and every person who is a representative of one or more corporate shareholders, will have one vote for each Common Share registered in that shareholder’s name on the list of shareholders as at the Record Date, which is available for inspection during normal business hours at the Transfer Agent and will be available at the Meeting. Shareholders represented by proxy holders are not entitled to vote on a show of hands.
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To the knowledge of the directors and senior officers of the Company, the following are the only persons or companies who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over, shares carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all outstanding shares of the Company as of the close of business on November 6, 2023:
| Name Paul Gow (CEO & Director of the Company) Thomas Schmidt (President & Director of the Company) Bjorkbacken Investment Limited |
Number of Shares 10,577,301(1) 10,747,301 8,871,285 |
Percentage 16.99% 17.27% 14.25% |
|---|---|---|
(1) Held through P&C Gow Investments Pty Ltd., a private company controlled by Mr. Gow.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The board of directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) presently consists of six directors. Two of the current directors, Tara Gilfillan and Lisa Riley, will not be standing for election at the Meeting and a proposed director, Derrick Weyrauch will be nominated by management. As a result, it is intended to determine the number of directors at five and to elect five directors for the ensuing year.
The term of office of each of the present directors expires at the Meeting. The persons named below will be presented for election at the Meeting as management's nominees and the persons named by management as proxyholders in the accompanying form of proxy intend to vote for the election of these nominees. Management does not contemplate that any of these nominees will be unable to serve as a director. Each director elected will hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company or until his successor is elected or appointed, unless his office is earlier vacated in accordance with the Articles of the Company or the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the " BCBCA ").
The following table and notes thereto set out the name of each of management’s nominees for election as a director, the province and country in which he is ordinarily resident, all offices of the Company now held by him, his principal occupation, the period of time he has been a director of the Company, and the number of shares of the Company beneficially owned by him, directly or indirectly, or over which he exercises control or direction, as at the date hereof.
| Name, Position and Province and Country of Residence(1) |
Principal Occupation and, if not at present an elected Director, Occupation during the past five years(1) |
Director Since | No. of Shares beneficially held(2) |
| PAUL GOW Chief Executive Officer and Director Queensland, Australia |
Geologist. CEO, Tribeca Resources Corp, October 2022 to present; Director & Principal, Gow Mineral Consultants, 2013 to present; Principal Research Fellow/Group Leader, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, February 2019 to March 2023. |
April 23, 2021 |
10,577,301(3) |
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| Name, Position and Province and Country of Residence(1) |
Principal Occupation and, if not at present an elected Director, Occupation during the past five years(1) |
Director Since | No. of Shares beneficially held(2) |
| THOMAS SCHMIDT President and Director London, United Kingdom |
President, Tribeca Resources Corp. October 2022 to present; director of Tribeca Resources Chile SPA January 2017 to present. M&A and Finance professional with wide ranging experience executing copper transactions across Latin America, including with Xstrata/Glencore’s Latin American copper business based in Santiago. Mr. Schmidt originally joined Xstrata in London in 2003 as a member of the Corporate Development team, from JP Morgan where he was an investment banking Associate. |
April 23, 2021 |
10,747,301 |
| NICK DEMARE Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary and Director British Columbia, Canada |
Chartered Professional Accountant. President of Chase Management Ltd. ("Chase") since 1991. Also a director and/or officer of other public companies. |
August 14, 2008 |
65,000 |
| LUIS TONDO(4) Director Goiânia, Brazil |
Chief Executive Officer of Marimaca Copper Corp., June, 2017 to December 2021; President of Marimaca Copper Corp., June, 2017 to July 20, 2020; Chief Operating Officer, Grupo Minera Las Cenizas, September, 2015 to June, 2017. |
October 26, 2022 |
Nil |
| DERRICK WEYRAUCH Director Nominee Ontario, Canada |
Chief Executive Officer & President of Palladium One Mining Inc., March, 2019 to present; CFO Cardinal Resources Ltd., July 2017 to November 2018; CFO of Magna Mining Inc., July 2018 to April 2023. |
N/A | Nil |
NOTES:
(1) The information as to province or state and country of residence and principal occupation, not being within the knowledge of the Company, has been furnished by the respective directors individually.
(2) The information as to shares beneficially owned or over which a director exercises control or direction, not being within the knowledge of the Company, has been furnished by the respective directors individually.
(3) Held through P&C Gow Investments Pty Ltd., a private company controlled by Mr. Gow. (4) Denotes member of Audit Committee.
Corporate Cease Trade Orders or Bankruptcies
Other than as disclosed below, none of the proposed directors of the Company or any of their personal holding companies:
- (a) is, as at the date of this Information Circular, or has been, within ten years before the date of this Information Circular, a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of any Company, including the Company, that:
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(i) was subject to a cease trade order or similar order or an order that denied the relevant Company access to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days while that person was acting in the capacity as director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer; or
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(ii) was subject to a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the company access to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, that was issued after the person ceased to be a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the Company 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; or
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(b) is as at the date of this Information Circular or has been within the 10 years before the date of this Information Circular, a director or executive officer of any Company, including the Company, that while that person was acting in that capacity, or within a year of that person ceasing to act in that 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
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(c) has, within the 10 years before the date of this Information Circular, become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangements or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of that person.
Derrick Weyrauch was a director of Banro Corporation (" Banro "). On November 20, 2017 Banro became subject to a general cease trade order issued by the Ontario Securities Commission (the " CTO ") for failure to file its interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the period ended September 30, 2017, and the certifications of such filings as required by National Instrument 52-109. The filings were not made due to significant uncertainty concerning Banro's ability to continue as a going concern. As part of a corporate turnaround and restructuring process, Banro declared insolvency and commenced a voluntary proceeding under the CCAA on December 22, 2017 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. This proceeding was commenced to implement a debt restructuring and sale and investment solicitation process (" SISP "). On May 3, 2018 Banro implemented the CCAA Plan and emerged from court protection under the CCAA
Mr. Weyrauch was elected to the board of directors of Jaguar Mining Inc. (" Jaguar ") in June 2013. As part of a corporate turnaround and restructuring process, Jaguar declared insolvency and commenced a voluntary proceeding under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the " CCAA ") on December 23, 2013 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. This proceeding was commenced to implement a debt restructuring and financing transaction (" CCAA Plan ") that was negotiated prior to the commencement of the CCAA proceeding. On April 22, 2014, Jaguar implemented the CCAA Plan and emerged from court protection under the CCAA. On May 2, 2014, the shares of Jaguar began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the “ TSX-V ”). Following the voluntary proceeding under the CCAA, the Toronto Stock Exchange advised that it is reviewing the common shares of Jaguar with respect to meeting the requirements for continued listing pursuant to the Expedited Review Process. The common shares were subsequently suspended from trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. In 2013, NYSE Regulations, Inc. (" NYSE Regulation ") reached a decision to delist Jaguar's common shares in view of the fact that Jaguar's common shares had fallen below the New York Stock Exchange's (" NYSE ") continued listing standard for an average closing price of less than US$1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading day period. As a result, on June 3, 2013, NYSE Regulation commenced proceedings to delist the common shares of Jaguar from the NYSE and trading in Jaguar's common shares was suspended prior to the opening on June 7, 2013.
None of the proposed directors or any of their personal holding companies has been subject to:
-
(a) any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory authority; or
-
(b) any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely be considered important to a reasonable securityholder in deciding whether to vote for a proposed director.
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STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
For the purposes of this Information Circular, a “ 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 (“ CEO ”), including an individual performing functions similar to a CEO;
-
(b) each individual who, in respect of the Company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief financial officer (“ CFO ”), including an individual performing functions similar to a CFO;
-
(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 $150,000, as determined in accordance with subsection 1.3(5), for that financial year; and
-
(d) each individual who would be a named executive officer under paragraph (c) but for the fact that the individual was not an executive officer of the Company, and was not acting in a similar capacity, at the end of that financial year.
During the financial year ended December 31, 2022, the Company had five NEOs: Dr. Paul Gow – CEO; Mr. Thomas Schmidt - President; Mr. Nick DeMare - CFO; Mr. Robert G. Atkinson – former Interim CEO; and the late Mr. John Nugent - former President and CEO.
During the financial year ended December 31, 2021, the Company had two NEOs: Mr. John Nugent - former President and CEO; and Mr. Nick DeMare - the CFO of the Company.
Director and NEO Compensation, Excluding Options and Compensation Securities
The following table of compensation, excluding options and compensation securities, provides a summary of the compensation paid by the Company to each NEO and director of the Company for the completed financial years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. Options and compensation securities are disclosed under the heading “ Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities ” below:
| Table of Compensation, Excluding Compensation | Securities | ||||||
| Name and position | Year(1) | Salary, consulting fee, retainer or commission ($)(2)(3) |
Bonus ($)(2) |
Committee or meeting fees ($)(2) |
Value of perquisites ($)(2) |
Value of all other compensation ($)(2) |
Total compensation ($)(2) |
| Paul Gow(4) CEO and Director |
2022 2021 |
27,016 Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
27,016 Nil |
| Thomas Schmidt(4) President and Director |
2022 2021 |
27,016 Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
27,016 Nil |
| Nick DeMare CFO, Corporate Secretary and Director |
2022 2021 |
5,413 Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
30,300(5) Nil |
35,713 Nil |
| Lisa Riley(4) Director |
2022 2021 |
2,705 N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
2,705 N/A |
| Tara Gilfillan(4) Director |
2022 2021 |
2,705 N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
2,705 N/A |
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| Table of Compensation, Excluding Compensation | Securities | ||||||
| Name and position | Year(1) | Salary, consulting fee, retainer or commission ($)(2)(3) |
Bonus ($)(2) |
Committee or meeting fees ($)(2) |
Value of perquisites ($)(2) |
Value of all other compensation ($)(2) |
Total compensation ($)(2) |
| Luis Tondo(4) Director |
2022 2021 |
2,705 N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
Nil N/A |
2,705 N/A |
| Robert G. Atkinson(4) (6) Former Interim CEO and former Director |
2022 2021 |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
| Donald Siemens(4) Former Director |
2022 2021 |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
| Paul DiPasquale(4) Former Director |
2022 2021 |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
| John Nugent(6) Former President, former CEO and former Director |
2022 2021 |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
Nil Nil |
NOTES:
-
(1) Financial years ended December 31.
-
(2) All amounts shown were paid in Canadian currency, the reporting currency of the Company.
-
(3) See also “Management Contracts”.
-
(4) On October 26, 2022, the Company completed a reverse takeover transaction (the “ RTO ”) with Tribeca Resources Holdings Ltd. (formerly Tribeca Resources Ltd.). Upon completion of the RTO, Dr. Gow, Mr. Schmidt, Ms. Riley, Ms. Gilfillan and Mr. Tondo became directors of the Company in place of Messrs. Atkinson, Siemens and DiPasquale who ceased to be directors. In addition, Dr. Gow was appointed CEO, replacing Mr. Atkinson as Interim CEO, and Mr. Schmidt was appointed President. Additional information relating to the RTO may be found in the Company’s filing statement filed on October 24, 2022.
-
(5) Paid $30,300 to Chase Management Ltd. (“ Chase ”), a private corporation owned by Mr. DeMare, for accounting and administrative services provided by Chase personnel, excluding the services of Mr. DeMare, and $670 for rent.
-
(6) Mr. Atkinson was appointed interim CEO on March 6, 2022 to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Mr. Nugent.
Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities
The following table of compensation securities provides a summary of compensation securities granted or issued by the Company to the NEOs and directors of the Company, current or former, for the financial year ended December 31, 2022, for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries:
| Compensation Securities | |||||||
| Name and Position | Type of compensation security |
Number of compensation securities, number of underlying securities, and percentage of class |
Date of issue or grant |
Issue, conversion or exercise price ($)(1) |
Closing price of security or underlying security on date of grant ($) |
Closing price of security or underlying security at year end ($)(2) |
Expiry Date |
| Paul Gow | Stock Options(3) | 400,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
| Thomas Schmidt | Stock Options(3) | 400,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
| Nick DeMare | Stock Options(4) | 150,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
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| Compensation Securities | |||||||
| Name and Position | Number of | ||||||
| compensation | |||||||
securities, |
Closing | Closing | |||||
| number of | price of |
price of |
|||||
| underlying | Issue, | security or |
security or |
||||
| Type of | securities, and |
Date of | conversion | underlying |
underlying |
||
compensation |
percentage | issue or | or exercise | security on |
security at |
||
security |
of class |
grant | price | date of grant |
year end |
Expiry Date | |
($)(1) |
($) |
($)(2) |
|||||
| Lisa Riley | Stock Options(5) | 125,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
| Tara Gilfillan | Stock Options(5) | 125,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
| Luis Albano Tondo | Stock Options(5) | 125,000 | Oct 26/22 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.30 | Oct 26/27 |
| Robert G. Atkinson | Stock Options(6) | Nil | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Donald Siemens | Stock Options(7) | Nil | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Paul DiPasquale | Stock Options(8) | Nil | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| John Nugent | Stock Options(9) | Nil | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
NOTES:
-
(1) Presented on a post-consolidation basis. In connection with the RTO, the Company completed a consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation common share for every five pre-consolidation shares.
-
(2) Market value of the securities underlying the stock options on December 30, 2022, being the last trading day of the Company’s common shares for the financial year.
-
(3) As at December 31, 2022, Paul Gow and Thomas Schmidt each held 400,000 stock options of the Company entitling them to acquire, upon exercise, 400,000 common shares each in the capital of the Company. None of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(4) As at December 31, 2022, Nick DeMare held 280,000 stock options of the Company, including 120,000 stock options granted to Chase, entitling him to acquire, upon exercise, 280,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. 130,000 of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(5) As at December 31, 2022, Lisa Riley, Tara Gilfillan and Luis Tondo each held 125,000 stock options of the Company entitling them to acquire, upon exercise, 125,000 common shares each in the capital of the Company. None of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(6) As at December 31, 2022, Robert G. Atkinson held 150,000 stock options of the Company entitling him to acquire, upon exercise, 150,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(7) As at December 31, 2022, Don Siemens held 120,000 stock options of the Company entitling him to acquire, upon exercise, 120,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(8) As at December 31, 2022, Paul DiPasquale held 100,000 stock options of the Company entitling him to acquire, upon exercise, 100,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
-
(9) As at December 31, 2022, the estate of John Nugent held 300,000 stock options of the Company entitling it to acquire, upon exercise, 300,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All of these stock options were vested as at December 31, 2022.
No compensation securities were exercised by the current or former NEOs and directors of the Company during the financial year ended December 31, 2022.
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Stock Option Plan and Other Incentive Plans
On October 26, 2022 the Company adopted a new "rolling" 10% long-term incentive plan (the “ Incentive Plan ”) to replace the previous stock option plan in place since 2017. For a description of the Incentive Plan, see “ Particulars of Other Matters to be Acted Upon – Ratification and Approval of Long-term Incentive Plan ”.
Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements
Other than as disclosed herein, management functions of the Company are substantially performed by directors or senior officers (or private companies controlled by them, either directly or indirectly) of the Company and not, to any substantial degree, by any other person with whom the Company has contracted.
Oversight and Description of Director and NEO Compensation
Compensation, Philosophy and Objectives
The Board meets to discuss and determine management compensation, without reference to formal objectives, criteria or analysis. The general objectives of the Company’s compensation strategy are to (a) compensate management in a manner that encourages and rewards a high level of performance and outstanding results with a view to increasing long-term shareholder value; (b) align management’s interests with the long-term interests of shareholders; and (c) ensure that the total compensation package is designed in a manner that takes into account the constraints that the Company is under by virtue of the fact that it is a junior mineral exploration company without a history of earnings.
The Board, as a whole, ensures that total compensation paid to all Named Executive Officers (or NEOs), as hereinafter defined, is fair and reasonable. The Board as a whole recommends levels of executive compensation that are competitive, motivating and commensurate with the time spent by executive officers in meeting their obligations. While the Board does not have direct experience related to executive compensation, the Board relies on their experience as officers and directors.
Analysis of Elements
Base salary is used to provide the NEOs a set amount of money during the year with the expectation that each NEO will perform his responsibilities to the best of his ability and in the best interests of the Company.
The Company considers the granting of incentive stock options to be a significant component of executive compensation as it allows the Company to reward each NEO’s efforts to increase value for shareholders without requiring the Company to use cash from its treasury. Stock options are generally awarded to executive officers at the commencement of employment and periodically thereafter. The terms and conditions of the Company’s stock option grants, including vesting provisions and exercise prices, are governed by the terms of the Company’s Incentive Plan. A description of the significant terms of the Incentive Plan is found under the heading “ Particulars of Other Matters to be Acted Upon – Ratification and Approval of Long-term Incentive Plan ”.
The Company does not determine executive compensation based on the share price performance. Overall the salaries or consulting fees payable to the NEOs, in particular to the Company’s CEO, are expected to have a minor upward trend in order to provide competitive levels of compensation necessary to attract and maintain executive talent.
The Board has considered the implications of the risks associated with the Company's compensation practices. The Board acknowledges that the Company, as a junior natural resource company, does not presently generate any revenues, and that all management compensation to date has been derived solely from cash in the Company's treasury, acquired by way of equity financings to date, and the grant of incentive stock options to directors, management, contractors and employees. Salary compensation to the NEOs is provided for under verbal understandings or written consulting agreements with the NEOs or management companies under their control. Upon the occurrence of certain events, the Company's early termination of these contracts may also trigger additional balloon payments, which could adversely impact the Company's working capital.
11
Option-Based Awards
The Company has a stock option plan (the “ Option Plan ”) in place under the Incentive Plan. The Company’s directors, employees, officers and certain consultants are entitled to participate in the Option Plan. The Option Plan is designed to encourage share ownership and entrepreneurship on the part of the senior management and other employees. The Board believes that the Option Plan aligns the interests of the NEOs and the Board with shareholders by linking a component of executive compensation to the longer term performance of the Company’s common shares.
Options are granted by the Board. In monitoring or adjusting the option allotments, the Board takes into account its own observations on individual performance (where possible) and its assessment of individual contribution to shareholder value, previous option grants and the objectives set for the NEOs and the Board. The scale of options is generally commensurate to the appropriate level of base compensation for each level of responsibility.
In addition to determining the number of options to be granted pursuant to the methodology outlined above, the Board also makes the following determinations:
-
parties who are entitled to participate in the Option Plan;
-
the exercise price for each stock option granted, subject to the provision that the exercise price cannot be lower than the prescribed discount permitted by the TSX Venture Exchange from the market price on the date of grant;
-
● the date on which each option is granted;
-
the vesting period, if any, for each stock option;
-
the other material terms and conditions of each stock option grant; and
-
any re pricing or amendment to a stock option grant.
The Board makes these determinations subject to and in accordance with the provisions of the Option Plan. The Board reviews and approves grants of options on an annual basis and periodically during a financial year.
There is no restriction on NEOs or Directors regarding the purchase of financial instruments, including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars or units or exchange funds that are designed to hedge or offset a decrease in market value of equity securities granted as compensation or held directly or indirectly by the NEO or Director for the financial year ended December 31, 2022.
No NEO or Director, directly or indirectly, purchased any financial instruments or employed a strategy to hedge or offset a decrease in market value of equity securities granted as compensation or held.
Termination and Change of Control Benefits
The Company does not have any plan contract, agreement or plan or arrangement that provides for payments to a NEO at, following or in connection with any termination (whether voluntary, involuntary or constructive), resignation, a change in control of the Company or a change in the NEO’s responsibilities.
Pension Plan Benefits
The Company does not have any form of pension plan that provides for payments or benefits to the NEOs at, following, or in connection with retirement. The Company does not have any form of deferred compensation plan.
SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS
The following table provides information regarding compensation plans under which securities of the Company are authorized for issuance to directors, officers, employees and consultants in effect as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year end:
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| Plan Category | Column (a) Number of Securities to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights |
Column (b) Weighted-Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights |
Column (c) Number of Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in Column (a))(1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Compensation Plans Approved by Securityholders |
2,125,000 | 0.26 | 3,063,659 |
| Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved by Securityholders |
N/A | - | - |
| Total | 2,125,000 | 0.26 | 3,063,659 |
NOTE:
- (1) Based upon the Company having 51,886,596 common shares issued and outstanding as at December 31, 2022. The Company’s existing Option Plan is a "rolling" stock option plan whereby the maximum number of common shares that may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the Option Plan will not exceed 10% of the issued shares of the Company at the time of the stock option grant. See " Particulars of Other Matters to be Acted Upon – Ratification and Approval of Long-term Incentive Plan " for further particulars of the Option Plan.
INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
As of November 6, 2023, the date of this Information Circular, no director, executive officer, employee, proposed management nominee for election as a director of the Company, nor any associate of any such director, executive officer, or proposed management nominee of the Company, or any former director, executive officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, was indebted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or indebted to another entity where such indebtedness was the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
Other than as set out below and elsewhere in this Information Circular, none of the proposed directors, directors or executive officers of the Company, a director or executive officer of a person or company that is itself an informed person (as defined in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations ) or subsidiary of the Company, nor any person or company who beneficially owns, or controls or directs, directly or indirectly, Common Shares or a combination of both, carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to the outstanding Common Shares nor an associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing persons has since January 1, 2022 (being the commencement of the Company’s last completed financial year) any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transactions which materially affected or would materially affect the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
Unless such authority is withheld, the persons named in the accompanying proxy intend to vote for the appointment of D&H Group LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the auditor of the Company for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be determined by the directors.
MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS
Management functions of the Company are substantially performed by directors or senior officers (or private companies controlled by them, either directly or indirectly) of the Company and not, to any substantial degree, by any other person with whom the Company has contracted.
The Company has not entered into any management contracts with its directors or senior officers.
13
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Under National Instrument 52-110 – Audit Committees (“ NI 52-110 ”), companies are required to provide disclosure with respect to their audit committee, including the text of the audit committee’s charter, the composition of the audit committee and the fees paid to the external auditor.
Audit Committee Charter
The Company has adopted a Charter of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, the text of which is set out in the attached Schedule “A” to this Information Circular.
Composition of the Audit Committee
The following are the current members of the Audit Committee:
| Name | Independent(1) | Financially Literate |
|---|---|---|
| LisaRiley | Yes | Yes |
| Tara Gilfillan | Yes | Yes |
| LuisTondo | Yes | Yes |
(1) As defined in NI 52-110.
Relevant Education and Experience
The education and experience of each audit committee member that is relevant to the performance of his responsibilities as an audit committee member and, in particular, education or experience that would provide the member with: (a) an understanding of the accounting principles used by the issuer to prepare its financial statements; (b) the ability to assess the general application of such accounting principles in connection with the accounting for estimates, accruals and reserves; (c) experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or evaluating financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company's financial statements, or experience actively supervising one or more individuals engaged in such activities; and (d) an understanding of internal controls and procedures for financial reporting, is as follows:
Lisa Riley has nearly 30 years of experience in global capital markets, finance, mining advisory and government relations. Currently, she serves as an independent consultant to mining companies in addition to her work developing investment products for launch in Argentina. Prior to consulting, Ms. Riley held senior roles in equity research and institutional sales with Santander Investment, Lehman Brothers, RBC Capital Markets, and TD Securities. Lisa has served as a director to several mining companies and is currently on the board of Star Diamond Corp and GFG Resources Inc. Ms. Riley holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto and is fluent in English, French and Spanish.
Luis Tondo is a highly experienced mining engineer with a Bachelor’s degree from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil; an MEngSc from the University of Queensland, Australia; and an MBA from the Fundacao Dom Cabral business school in Brazil. He is currently a director of Altiplano Metals Inc. He has 35 years of mining experience in Latin America, most recently spending almost 5 years with Marimaca, as COO and CEO & Director (from June 2017 to December 2021). Prior to joining Marimaca he spent seven years as Chief Operating Officer at mid-tier copper and gold producers in Chile, Uruguay and Brazil, where he was responsible for operations, projects and business development activities. Prior to this, he spent five years developing multi-million dollar capital projects for Kinross Gold Corporation in Brazil and Chile, and 16 years in operations roles with Rio Tinto in Brazil. He is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.
Tara Gilfillan is a CPA with over 25 years of experience as a financial executive and serial entrepreneur. She is currently the Founder and President of Optimize Group Inc. a mine-to-mill project development engineering company with offices in three continents. Ms Gilfillan is currently a Director of Nasdaq listed exploration and development company US Gold Corp. and a Director of privately held Minera Cobre Colombia SAS where she was nominated by Resource Capital Funds.
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Ms. Gilfillan has held executive positions including CFO and Controller of several mining companies, CFO, and interim CEO of a global engineering consulting company, co-founder of an engineering company, as well as senior executive positions outside of the mining industry. Ms. Gilfillan is a certified Independent Corporate Director, Director (ICD.D) with over 10 year of board experience including Chairperson and Chair of the audit committee of two gold junior mining companies, director of a global engineering company as well as several non-profit industry boards. She gained her CPA while working at PwC and received a Bachelor of Commerce from Queens University, Ontario Canada.
Each member of the audit committee has acquired knowledge and understanding of the financial issues and accounting principles that are relevant in assessing this Company’s financial disclosures and internal control systems.
Audit Committee Oversight
At no time since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year was a recommendation of the Audit Committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor not adopted by the Board.
Reliance on Certain Exemptions
At no time since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year has the Company relied on the exemption in Section 2.4 of NI 52-110 (De Minimis Non-audit Services), the exemptions in Subsection 6.1.1(4) (Circumstances Affecting the Business or Operations of the Venture Issuer), Subsection 6.1.1(5) (Events Outside Control of Member), Subsection 6.1.1(6) (Death, Incapacity or Resignation) or an exemption from NI 52-110, in whole or in part, granted under Part 8 of NI 52-110.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has adopted specific policies and procedures for the engagement of non-audit services as described in the attached Schedule "A" under the heading "External Auditors" in the Audit Committee Charter.
External Auditor Service Fees (By Category)
The aggregate fees billed by the Company's external auditors in each of the last two financial years for audit fees are as follows:
| Financial Year Ending | Audit Fees(1) | Audit Related Fees(2) | Tax Fees(3) | All Other Fees(4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2022 | $38,000 | $464 | - | $6,500 |
| December 31, 2021 | $9,500 | $115 | - | - |
NOTES:
(1) The aggregate audit fees billed. (2) The aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or the review of the Company’s financial statements are not included under the heading of “Audit Fees”.
(3) The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning, as well as the preparation of corporate income tax returns.
(4) The aggregate fees billed for products and services other than as set out under the headings “Audit Fees”, “Audit Related Fees” and “Tax Fees”.
Exemption
The Company is currently a “Venture Issuer”, as defined in Section 1.1 of NI 52-110. Accordingly, in providing the disclosure contained in this section titled “Audit Committee”, the Company is relying upon the exemption in Section 6.1 of NI 52-110 (which is available to all Venture Issuers).
15
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRACTICE
National Instrument 58-101, Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices (“ NI 58-101 ”) requires issuers to disclose their governance practices in accordance with that instrument. The Company is a “venture issuer” within the meaning of NI 58-101.
The Board has adopted certain corporate governance policies to reflect the Company’s commitment to good corporate governance, and to comply with NI 58-101, Form 58-101F2 - Corporate Governance Disclosure (Venture Issuers) and National Policy 58-201 - Corporate Governance Guidelines . The Board periodically reviews these policies and proposes modifications to the Board for consideration as appropriate. The Company considers good corporate governance to be central to the effective and efficient management and operation of the Company, and the Board is directly responsible for developing the Company’s approach to corporate governance issues. A discussion of the Company’s governance practices within the context of NI 58-101 is set out below:
Statement of Corporate Governance Practices
Corporate governance relates to the activities of the board of directors of the Company (the “ Board ”), the members of which are elected by and are accountable to the shareholders, and takes into account the role of the individual members of management who are appointed by the Board and who are charged with the day-to-day management of the Company. The Board is committed to sound corporate governance practices which are both in the interest of its shareholders and contribute to effective and efficient decision making. National Policy 58-201 Corporate Governance Guidelines establishes corporate governance guidelines which apply to all public companies. The Company has reviewed its own corporate governance practices in light of these guidelines. In certain cases, the Company’s practices comply with the guidelines, however, the Board considers that some of the guidelines are not suitable for the Company at its current stage of development and therefore these guidelines have not been adopted. National Instrument 58-101 Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices mandates disclosure of corporate governance practices for Venture Issuers in Form 58-101F2, which disclosure is set out below.
Board of Directors
The Company's Board presently consists of six (6) directors, three (3) of whom are independent, as defined by National Instrument 52-110 (" NI 52-110 "). Lisa Riley, Tara Gilfillan and Luis Tondo are independent directors. The Company has three (3) directors who are not independent because they are executive officers of the Company, namely: Paul Gow - CEO, Thomas Schmidt - President, and Nick DeMare - CFO and Corporate Secretary.
The Board facilitates the exercise of independent supervision over management through various Board meetings held throughout the year. The Board has a Compensation Committee, a Corporate Governance Committee and a Nominating Committee, in addition to the Audit Committee, all of which are made up of a majority of independent directors. When necessary, the Board will strike a special committee of independent directors to deal with matters requiring independence. The composition of the Board is such that the independent directors have significant experience in business affairs. As a result, these Board members are able to provide significant and valuable independent supervision over management.
Directorships
As of the date of this Information Circular, certain directors of the Company are also serving as directors of other reporting issuers, details of which are as follows:
, details of which are as |
follows: |
|---|---|
| Paul Gow: | N/A |
| Thomas Schmidt: | N/A |
| Nick DeMare: | Auscan Resources Inc., Cliffmont Resources Ltd., East West Petroleum |
| Corp., Hannan Metals Ltd., Mirasol Resources Ltd., Rochester Resources | |
| Ltd., Salazar Resources Limited, T2 Metals Corp., Tinka Resources Limited | |
| and Whitewater Acquisition Corp. |
16
Lisa Riley: GFG Resources Inc., Star Diamond Corporation, Vital Metals Ltd. Tara Gilfillan: U.S. Gold Corp., Minera Cobre Colombia SAS Luis Tondo: Altiplano Metals Inc.
Orientation and Continuing Education
The CEO and/or the CFO are responsible for providing an orientation for new directors. Director orientation and ongoing training will include presentations by senior management to familiarize directors with the Company's strategic plans, its significant financial, accounting and risk management issues, its compliance programs, its principal officers and its internal and independent auditors.
Ethical Business Conduct
On August 25, 2023, the Board adopted a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for its directors, officers and employees. Each director, officer and employee is expected to comply with relevant corporate and securities laws and, where applicable, the terms of their employment agreements. In addition to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the Board adopted an Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, Diversity Policy, Insider Trading Policy and Majority Voting Policy.
The Corporate Governance Committee monitors the compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, Diversity Policy, Insider Trading Policy and Majority Voting Policy and also ensures that management encourages and promotes a culture of ethical business conduct.
Nomination of Directors
When a Board vacancy occurs or is contemplated, the Nominating Committee may make recommendations to the Board as to qualified individuals for nomination to the Board.
In identifying new candidates, the directors will take into account the mix of director characteristics and diverse experiences, perspectives and skills appropriate for the Company at that time.
Compensation
From time to time, the Compensation Committee will review the compensation payable to the CEO, President and CFO. Compensation for Board members is determined by the Board as a whole and in accordance with industry norms and with reference to each individual director’s level of involvement with the Company.
Other Board Committees
Other than the Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees, the Company also has a Corporate Governance Committee which monitors the compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and other Company policies.
Assessments
The Board does not conduct any formal evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of the members of the Board, the Board as a whole or any committee of the Board. These matters are dealt with on a case by case basis at the Board level.
17
PARTICULARS OF OTHER MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
A. Ratification and Approval of Long-term Incentive Plan
On October 26, 2022 the Company adopted a new "rolling" 10% long-term incentive plan (the “ Incentive Plan ”) to replace the previous stock option plan in place since 2017. The Incentive Plan was approved by the TSX Venture Exchange (the “ Exchange ”) as part of its acceptance of the Filing Statement, dated October 24, 2022, filed by the Company pursuant to the reverse takeover transaction that took effect on October 26, 2022. In accordance with the Exchange’s Policy 4.4 – Security Based Compensation, a “rolling” plan requires annual shareholder and Exchange approval.
At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to ratify and approve the Company’s rolling Incentive Plan . A summary of certain provisions of the Incentive Plan is set out below and a full copy of the Incentive Plan is attached hereto as Schedule“B” .
The purpose of the Incentive Plan is to promote the long-term success of the Company and the creation of shareholder value by: (a) encouraging the attraction and retention of Eligible Persons (as defined below); (b) encouraging such Eligible Persons to focus on critical long-term objectives; and (c) promoting greater alignment of the interests of such Eligible Persons with the interests of the Company, in each case as applicable to the type of Eligible Person to whom an Award (as defined below) is granted.
The Incentive Plan shall provide for the award of Restricted Share Units (" RSUs "), Performance Share Units (" PSUs "), Deferred Share Units (" DSUs "), Stock Appreciation Rights (" SARs ") and options to purchase common shares of the Company (" Options " and together with RSUs, PSUs, DSUs and SARs, " Awards ") to Directors, Officers, Employees, Management Company Employees and Consultants (as such terms are defined by Policy 4.4 – Security Based Compensation (“ Exchange Policy 4.4 ”) of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or an Eligible Charitable Organization (as defined by Exchange Policy 4.4) (collectively, " Eligible Persons "), as further described in the following summary. The Awards issuable to any participant (a “ Participant ”) under the Incentive Plan shall be hereinafter referred to as " Incentive Securities ".
All capitalized terms used but not defined in this section have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Incentive Plan.
Plan Administration
The Incentive Plan shall be administered and interpreted by the Board or, if the Board by resolution so decides, by a committee appointed by the Board. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made or approved by the Board in good faith shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding on any Participants of the Incentive Plan and the Company, subject to any required approval of the Exchange.
Shares Available for Awards
Unless otherwise approved by the Exchange and the shareholders of the Company (disinterested, if required) from time to time, the maximum aggregate number of common shares issuable in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under the Company’s Security Based Compensation Plans (as defined under Exchange Policy 4.4), at any point, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis at such point in time. For greater certainty, this limitation applies to all Incentive Securities granted or issued under the Company’s Security Based Compensation Plans at any point in time, including those held by Insiders (as a group, as defined under Exchange Policy 4.4) at any point in time.
Participation Limits
The Incentive Plan provides the following limitations on grants:
- (a) The aggregate number of common shares issuable to any one consultant in any twelve (12) month period in respect of Incentive Securities shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the issued and outstanding common shares on a nondiluted basis, calculated at the date an Award is granted to the consultant.
18
-
(b) The aggregate number of common shares issuable to any one person in any twelve (12) month period in respect of Incentive Securities shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the issued and outstanding common shares on a nondiluted basis, calculated on the date an Award is granted to the person, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval.
-
(c) The aggregate number of common shares issuable to all Insiders (as a group) in any twelve (12) month period in respect of Incentive Securities, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis, calculated on the date an Award is granted to a particular Insider, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval.
-
(d) Eligible Persons who are Investor Relations Service Providers (as defined in Exchange Policy 4.4) may only receive Options as Awards under the Incentive Plan (if the common shares are listed on the Exchange) and the aggregate number of common shares issuable to all Investor Relations Service Providers in respect of Incentive Securities in any twelve (12) month period shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis, calculated on the date an Award is granted to the Investor Relations Service Provider.
-
(e) Eligible Persons who are Eligible Charitable Organizations may only receive Options as Awards under the Incentive Plan (if the common shares are listed on the Exchange) and the aggregate number of common shares issuable to all Eligible Charitable Organizations at any point in time in respect of Incentive Securities shall not exceed one (1%) of the issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis at such point in time. Options granted to Eligible Charitable Organizations will not be included in the other limits set out in the Incentive Plan.
Eligibility and Participation
Subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan (including, without limitation, restrictions on grants to Investor Relations Service Providers and Eligible Charitable Organizations) and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, the Board may, from time to time, grant Awards to all categories of Eligible Persons.
General Vesting Requirement
No Award granted or issued under the Incentive Plan, other than Options, may vest before the date that is one year following the date it is granted or issued. Subject to the approval of the Exchange with respect to Awards held by Investor Relations Service Providers, vesting may be accelerated by the Board for Awards held by a Participant in the event of death or who ceases to be an Eligible Person under the Incentive Plan in connection with a change of control, take-over bid, reverse takeover or other similar transaction. All Options granted to Investor Relations Service Providers must vest and become exercisable in stages over a period of not less than twelve (12) months, with no more than one-quarter (1/4) of such Options vesting and becoming exercisable in any three (3) month period.
Description of RSUs
A RSU is an Award that is a bonus for services rendered in the year of grant that, upon settlement, entitles the recipient Participant to receive a number of common shares equal to the number of RSUs credited to a Participant's account on certain vesting dates.
RSUs shall be subject to such restrictions as the Board, in its discretion, may establish or determine in the applicable Award agreement or at the time an Award is granted. Unless otherwise provided for in an Award agreement, all RSUs will vest and become payable by the issuance of common shares at the end of the restricted period as specified by the Board in the applicable Award agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, upon the occurrence of a change of control event, all restrictions upon any RSUs shall lapse immediately and all such RSUs shall become fully vested.
Effect of Termination on RSUs
Except as otherwise set forth in an applicable Award agreement and subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan, RSUs shall be subject to the following conditions:
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Death: Upon death of a Participant, any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Participant's death, had not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. Any RSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to the Participant's death, had vested, will accrue to the Participant's estate in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
Termination of Employment or Service for Cause: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant's breach, all RSUs granted to such Participant will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled.
Termination of Employment or Service Without Cause, Voluntary Termination, Retirement or Disability: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination, due to retirement or due to disability, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant's breach or due to disability, any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to termination, had not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. Any RSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to termination, had vested, will accrue to the Participant in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
Directorships: Where a Participant ceases to be a director for any reason, any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to cessation, have not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. Any RSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to cessation, have vested, will accrue to the Participant in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
Description of PSUs
A PSU is an Award that is awarded based on the attainment of performance criteria within a certain period, which criteria and period shall be selected, settled and determined by the Board. An Award agreement may provide the Board with the right during a Performance Cycle (as defined in the Incentive Plan) or after it has ended, to revise Performance Criteria (as defined in the Incentive Plan)and Award amounts if unforeseen events occur.
All PSUs will vest and become payable to the extent that the Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement are satisfied for a Performance Cycle, as determined by the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, upon the occurrence of a change of control event, all PSUs shall become fully vested.
Effect of Termination on PSUs
Except as otherwise set forth in an applicable Award agreement and subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan, PSUs shall be subject to the following conditions:
Death: Upon death of a Participant, any PSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Participant's death, had not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. However, the Board may determine that certain PSUs have vested based on the extent which Performance Criteria have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. Any PSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to the Participant's death, had vested, will accrue to the Participant's estate in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
Termination of Employment or Service for Cause: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant's breach, all PSUs granted to such Participant will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled.
Termination of Employment or Service Without Cause, Voluntary Termination, Retirement or Disability: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination, due to retirement or due to disability, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant's breach or due to disability, any PSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to termination, had not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. However, the Board may determine that certain PSUs have vested based on the extent which Performance Criteria have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. Any PSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to termination, had vested, will accrue to the Participant in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
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Directorships: Where a Participant ceases to be a director for any reason, any PSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to cessation, had not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled. However, the Board may determine that certain PSUs have vested based on the extent which Performance Criteria have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. Any PSUs granted to such Participant, which prior to cessation, had vested, will accrue to the Participant in accordance with the provisions of the Incentive Plan.
Description of DSUs
A DSU is an Award that is payable after the effective date that a Participant ceases to be an Eligible Person under the Incentive Plan, subject to certain vesting criteria. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, upon the occurrence of a change of control event, all DSUs shall become fully vested.
The payment of DSUs will occur on the date that is designated by the Participant and communicated to the Company by the Participant in writing at least fifteen (15) days prior to the designated day, or such earlier date as the Participant and the Company may agree. If no notice is given by the Participant for a designated day, the DSUs shall be payable on the first anniversary of the date on which the Participant ceases to be an Eligible Person for any reason or any earlier period on which the DSUs vested, as the case may be, at the sole discretion of the Participant.
Election by Directors ‐ DSUs
Under the Incentive Plan, directors may elect to receive directorship fees in the form of DSUs which election must be made within certain timeframes as specified in the Incentive Plan. In case of an election by a director, the number of DSUs to be credited shall be determined by dividing applicable directorship fees with the Market Price (as defined in the Incentive Plan) on the grant date of the DSUs or if more appropriate, another trading range that best represents the period for which the DSUs were earned (subject to minimum pricing requirements under Exchange policies). No fractional DSUs shall be credited to any director.
Description of Options
An Option is an Award that gives a Participant the right to purchase one common share at a specified price in accordance with the terms of the Option and the Incentive Plan. The exercise price of the Options shall be determined by the Board at the time the Option is granted but in no event shall such exercise price be lower than the discounted Market Price permitted by the Exchange.
The maximum term of any Option shall not exceed ten (10) years and the Board shall determine the vesting, performance and other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised, subject to any vesting restrictions set out in Exchange Policy 4.4. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, upon the occurrence of a change of control event, all Options shall become fully vested except for Options held by Investor Relations Service Providers which acceleration is subject to acceptance of the Exchange.
Options will be exercised pursuant to their applicable Award agreement which exercise shall be contingent upon receipt by the Company of a written notice of exercise set forth in the applicable Award agreement and of a form of cash payment acceptable to the Company for the full purchase price of the common shares to be issued.
Effect of Termination on Options
Except as otherwise set forth in an applicable Award agreement and subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan, Options shall be subject to the following conditions:
Death: Upon death of a Participant, any Options held by such Participant at the date of death shall be exercisable (by an inheritor or the Participant's estate) for a period of one year after the date of death or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of death of such Participant.
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Termination of Employment or Service for Cause: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant's breach, no Option shall be exercisable from the date of termination as determined by the Board.
Termination of Employment or Service Without Cause, Voluntary Termination or Retirement: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination, due to retirement, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant's breach, any Options held by such Participant at the date of termination shall be exercisable for a period of 90 days after the date of termination determined by the Board or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination.
Disability: Where a Participant's employment or consulting agreement is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company due to disability, any Options held by such Participant at the date of termination shall be exercisable for a period of 120 days after the date of termination determined by the Board or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination.
Directorships: Where a Participant ceases to be a director for any reason, any Options held by such Participant on such cessation date shall be exercisable for a period of 90 days (120 days in case of termination due to disability) after such cessation date or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the director was entitled to exercise the Option at the cessation date.
Description of SARs
A SAR is an Award that gives a Participant the right to receive payment equal to the excess of the Market Price at the date which a SAR is exercised over the applicable grant price of a SAR. The grant price of a SAR shall be determined by the Board at the time the SAR is granted, which in no event shall be lower than the discounted Market Price permitted by the Exchange. Where a SAR is granted in relation to an Option, it shall be a right in respect of the same number of common shares and the grant price shall be the same as the exercise price of the Option it is granted in relation to. The actual number of common shares to be granted to the Participant upon payment of a SAR shall be the aggregate SAR excess amount (Market Price at the date of exercise over grant price of a SAR) divided by the Market Price at the time of exercise.
The maximum term of any SAR shall not exceed ten (10) years and the Board shall determine the vesting, settlement and other terms of any SAR. SARs granted in relation to an Option shall only be exercisable at the same time and to the same extent the related Option is exercisable. In the sole discretion of the Board, the Award agreement for a SAR may provide that the Company may elect to satisfy the exercise of a SAR by paying to the Participant case in the amount equal to the SAR excess amount in lieu of common shares.
SARs will be exercised pursuant to their applicable Award agreement which exercise shall be contingent upon receipt by the Company of a written notice of exercise set forth in the applicable Award agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, upon the occurrence of a change of control event, all SARs shall become fully vested, subject to the policies of the Exchange.
Effect of Termination on SARs
Except as otherwise set forth in an applicable Award agreement and subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan, SARs shall be subject to the following conditions:
Death: Upon death of a Participant, any SARs held by such Participant at the date of death shall be exercisable (by an inheritor or the Participant's estate) for a period of one year after the date of death or prior to the expiration of the SAR, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of death of such Participant.
Termination of Employment or Service for Cause: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant's breach, no SAR shall be exercisable from the date of termination as determined by the Board.
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Termination of Employment or Service Without Cause, Voluntary Termination or Retirement: Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination, due to retirement, or where a Participant's consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant's breach, any SARs held by such Participant at the date of termination shall be exercisable for a period of 90 days after the date of termination determined by the Board or prior to the expiration of the SAR, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of termination.
Disability: Where a Participant's employment or consulting agreement is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company due to disability, any SARs held by such Participant at the date of termination shall be exercisable for a period of 120 days after the date of termination determined by the Board or prior to the expiration of the SAR, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of termination.
Directorships: Where a Participant ceases to be a director for any reason, any SARs held by such Participant on such cessation date shall be exercisable for a period of 90 days (120 days in case of termination by disability) after the cessation date or prior to the expiration of the SAR, whichever is sooner, only to the extent the director was entitled to exercise the SAR at the cessation date.
Non‐Transferability of Awards
No Award and no right under any such Award, shall be assignable, alienable, saleable, or transferable by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. No Award and no right under any such Award, may be pledged, alienated, attached, or otherwise encumbered, and any purported pledge, alienation, attachment, or encumbrance thereof shall be void and unenforceable against the Company.
Amendment and Termination of the New Long‐Term Incentive Plan
The Board may at any time or from time to time, in its sole and absolute discretion, amend, suspend, terminate or discontinue the Incentive Plan and may amend the terms and conditions of any Awards granted thereunder, subject to (a) any required approval of any applicable regulatory authority or Exchange, and (b) any required approval of shareholders in accordance with Exchange Policy 4.4 or applicable law. Without limitation, shareholder approval shall not be required for the following amendments:
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(a) amendments to fix typographical errors;
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(b) amendments to clarify existing provisions of the Incentive Plan that do not have the effect of altering the scope, nature and intent of such provisions; and
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(c) amendments that are necessary to comply with applicable law or the requirements of the Exchange.
Long-term Incentive Plan Resolution
At the Meeting, the Shareholders of the Company will be asked to consider and approve an ordinary resolution, in substantially the following form, in order to approve the Long-term Incentive Plan, which resolution requires approval of greater than 50% of the votes cast by the Shareholders who, being entitled to do so, vote, in person or by proxy, on the ordinary resolution at the Meeting:
"RESOLVED, as an ordinary resolution, that:
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(a) subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “ Exchange ”), the Company’s long-term incentive plan (the “ Incentive Plan ”), substantially in the form attached as Schedule “B” to the management information circular of Tribeca Resources Corporation (the “ Company ”) dated November 6, 2023, is hereby approved;
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(b) the Company is authorized to award Restricted Share Units (" RSU s"), Performance Share Units (" PSU s"), Deferred Share Units (" DSU s"), Stock Appreciation Rights (" SAR s") and options to purchase
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common shares of the Company (“ Options ”), pursuant and subject to the terms and conditions of the Incentive Plan, to those eligible to receive RSUs, PSUs, DSUs, SARs and Options thereunder;
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(c) any one of the directors or officers of the Company be authorized and directed to perform all such acts, deeds and things and execute, under the seal of the Company or otherwise, all such documents and other writings, including treasury orders, stock exchange and securities commission forms, as may be required to give effect to the true intent of this resolution; and
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(d) notwithstanding that this resolution be passed by the shareholders of the Company, the approval of the Incentive Plan is conditional upon receipt of final approval of the Exchange, and the directors of the Company are hereby authorized and empowered to revoke this resolution, without any further approval of the shareholders of the Company, at any time if such revocation is considered necessary or desirable to the directors.”
An ordinary resolution is a resolution passed by a majority of at least 50% of the votes cast by those Shareholders, who being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy in respect of that resolution at the Meeting.
Management of the Company recommends that the shareholders vote in favour of the Approval of the Long-term Incentive Plan Resolution. It is the intention of persons named in the enclosed form of proxy, if not expressly directed otherwise in such form of proxy, to vote such proxy FOR the Long-term Incentive Plan Resolution.
B. Ratification and Approval of Advance Notice Policy
Effective August 25, 2023, the Board adopted an advance notice policy (the “ Advance Notice Policy ”) with immediate effect, a copy of which is attached as Schedule “C” to this Circular. In order for the Advance Notice Policy to remain in effect following termination of the Meeting, the Advance Notice Policy must be ratified and approved at the Meeting.
Purpose of the Advance Notice Policy
The Corporation is committed to: (i) facilitating an orderly and efficient process for holding annual general meetings and, when the need arises, special meetings of its shareholders; (ii) ensuring that all shareholders receive adequate advance notice of director nominations and sufficient information regarding all director nominees; and (iii) allowing shareholders to register an informed vote for directors of the Corporation after having been afforded reasonable time for appropriate deliberation.
The purpose of this Advance Notice Policy (the " Policy ") is to provide shareholders, directors and management of the Corporation with a clear framework for nominating directors of the Corporation. This Policy fixes a deadline by which director nominations must be submitted to the Corporation prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders and sets forth the information that must be included in the notice to the Corporation for the notice to be in proper written form, which in turn ensures that any director nominee is eligible for election at any annual or special meeting of shareholders.
Terms of the Advance Notice Policy
The following information is intended as a brief description of the Advance Notice Policy and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Advance Notice Policy. Briefly, the Advance Notice Policy:
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provides that at any annual meeting of shareholders, or at any special meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, nominations of eligible persons for election to the Board may be made only:
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a) by or at the direction of the Board, including pursuant to a notice of meeting;
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b) by or at the direction or request of one or more shareholders pursuant to a valid "proposal" as defined in the Act and made in accordance with Part 5, Division 7 of the Act;
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c) pursuant to a requisition of the shareholders that complies with and is made in accordance with section 167 of the Act, as such provisions may be amended from time to time;
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fixes a deadline by which a registered shareholder may submit director nominations to the Company prior to any annual or special general meeting and sets out the specific information that must be included in the written notice to the Company for an effective nomination to occur;
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provides that, in the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixtyfive (65) days prior to the date of the annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of shareholders is to be held on a date that is less than fifty (50) days after the date (the " Notice Date ") on which the first public announcement (as defined below) of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice by the Nominating Shareholder may be given not later than the close of business on the tenth (10[th] ) day following the Notice Date;
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provides that in the case of a special meeting (which is not also an annual meeting) of shareholders called for the purpose of electing directors (whether or not called for other purposes), not later than the close of business on the fifteenth (15[th] ) day following the day on which the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting of shareholders was made; and
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provides that the Board, in its sole discretion, may waive any requirement of the Advance Notice Policy.
Ratification and Approval of Advance Notice Policy Resolution
If the Advance Notice Policy is ratified and approved by the shareholders at the Meeting, it will be subject to an annual review by the Board. The Board will update the Advance Notice Policy to reflect any changes required by securities regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges or as otherwise determined to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
Accordingly, at the Meeting, the shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought appropriate, to pass, with or without amendment, an ordinary resolution as follows:
"RESOLVED, as an ordinary resolution, that:
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(a) the Company’s Advance Notice Policy (the “ Advance Notice Policy ”), a copy of which is attached as Schedule “C” to the information circular of the Company dated November 6, 2023, be and is hereby ratified and approved;
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(b) the board of directors of the Company be and is authorized in its absolute discretion to administer the Advance Notice Policy and to amend or modify the Advance Notice Policy to the extent needed to reflect changes required by securities regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges, or as otherwise determined to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and
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(c) any one director or officer of the Company be and is hereby authorized and directed to do all such acts and things and to execute and deliver all such documents, instruments and assurances as in the opinion of such director or officer may be necessary or desirable to give effect to the foregoing resolutions.”
An ordinary resolution is a resolution passed by a majority of at least 50% of the votes cast by those Shareholders, who being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy in respect of that resolution at the Meeting.
Management of the Company recommends that the shareholders vote in favour of the Ratification and Approval of the Advance Notice Policy Resolution. It is the intention of persons named in the enclosed form of proxy, if not expressly directed otherwise in such form of proxy, to vote such proxy FOR the Advance Notice Policy Resolution.
ANY OTHER MATTERS
Management of the Company knows of no matters to come before the Meeting other than those referred to in the Notice of Meeting accompanying this Information Circular. However, if any other matters properly come before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the form of proxy accompanying this Information Circular to vote the same in accordance with their best judgment of such matters.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information relating to the Company is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.tribecaresources.com . Financial information is provided in the Company's comparative financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2022. Shareholders may also contact the Company to request copies by facsimile, telephone or mail, of the Company's financial statements and management's discussion and analysis at Tribeca Resources Corporation, Suite 1305, 1090 W. Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 3V7, Tel: (604) 685-9316, Fax: (604) 683-1585.
SCHEDULE “A”
TRIBECA RESOURCES CORPORATION
(the “Corporation”)
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
The Audit Committee (the “ Committee ”) is a committee of the board of directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”). The role of the Committee, subject to applicable laws and obligations imposed by the Corporation’s constating documents, is to:
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a) provide independent and objective oversight of the Corporation’s financial management and of the design and implementation of an effective system of internal financial controls;
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b) to review and report to the Board on the integrity of the financial statements of the Corporation, its subsidiaries and associated companies, including:
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i. helping directors meet their responsibilities;
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ii. facilitating better communication between directors and the external auditor;
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iii. enhancing the independence of the external auditor;
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iv. increasing the credibility and objectivity of financial reports; and
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v. strengthening the role of the directors by facilitating in-depth discussions among directors, management and the external auditor; and
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c) provide a platform for communication among the Corporation’s auditors, financial and senior management, the Committee and the Board.
While the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, management is responsible for establishing and maintaining those controls, procedures and processes and the Committee is appointed by the Board to review and monitor them.
1. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
Membership
The Committee shall be composed of at least three members of the Board, the majority of whom the Board shall determine is free from any relationship that could reasonably be expected to interfere with the exercise of their judgment as a member of the Committee and is otherwise “independent” as required under applicable securities rules and stock exchange rules, including within the meaning of National Instrument 52-110 –
Audit Committees .
Members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by the Board and may be removed from office or replaced at any time by the Board. Any member shall cease to be a member upon ceasing to be a director. Each member of the Committee shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation or until the member ceases to be a director, resigns or is replaced, whichever first occurs.
Where a vacancy occurs at any time in the membership of the Committee, it may be filled by the Board. The Board shall fill any vacancy whenever necessary to maintain a Committee membership of at least three directors.
All members of the Committee must be “financially literate”; for the purposes of this Charter “financially literate” shall mean the ability to read and understand a set of financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of
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accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of the issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Corporation’s financial statements.
Procedures
The Board shall appoint one of the directors elected to the Committee as the Chair of the Committee (the “ Chair ”). In the absence of the appointed Chair from any meeting of the Committee, the members shall elect a Chair from those in attendance to act as Chair of the meeting.
The Chair will appoint a secretary (the “ Secretary ”) who will keep minutes of all meetings. The Secretary does not have to be a member of the Committee or a director and can be changed by simple notice from the Chair. Minutes of each Committee meeting shall be kept and made available to the Board.
No business may be transacted by the Committee except at a meeting of its members at which a quorum of the Committee is present or by resolution in writing signed by all members of the Committee. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, provided that if the number of members of the Committee is an even number, onehalf of the number of members plus one shall constitute a quorum.
The Committee will meet at least once each fiscal quarter, and as many times as is necessary to carry out its responsibilities. Any member of the Committee or the external auditor may call meetings.
The time and place of the meetings of the Committee, the calling of meetings and the procedure in all respects of such meetings shall be determined by the Committee, unless otherwise provided for in the articles of the Corporation or otherwise determined by resolution of the Board.
The Corporation shall provide the Committee with the resources necessary to discharge its duties and responsibilities, including the authority to select, retain, terminate, and approve the fees and other retention terms (including termination) of special counsel, advisors or other experts or consultants, as it deems appropriate.
The Committee shall have unrestricted access to the Corporation’s personnel and documents and shall be provided with the resources necessary to carry out its responsibilities and shall discuss with the CEO or CFO such records and other matters considered appropriate.
The Committee shall have the authority to seek any information it requires from employees – all of whom are directed to cooperate with the Committee’s requests.
At the invitation of the Chair, individuals who are not members of the Committee may attend any meeting of the Committee.
2. OPERATION OF THE COMMITTEE
Responsibility for the Corporation’s financial reporting, accounting systems and internal controls is vested in the officers of the Corporation and is overseen by the Board.
The responsibility of the Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Committee will have the following duties and responsibilities:
External Auditor
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To recommend to the Board, for shareholder approval, an external auditor to examine the Corporation’s accounts, controls and financial statements on the basis that the external auditor is accountable to the Board and the Committee as representatives of the shareholders of the Corporation, with the external auditor reporting directly to the Committee.
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To evaluate and recommend to the Board the compensation of the external auditor, which shall be approved by the Board.
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To oversee the work of the external auditor engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an auditor’s report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Corporation, including the resolution of disagreements between management and the external auditor regarding financial reporting.
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To evaluate the audit services provided by the external auditor, pre-approve all audit fees and recommend to the Board, if necessary, the replacement of the external auditor
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To pre-approve any non-audit services to be provided to the Corporation by the external auditor and the fees for those services.
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To obtain and review, at least annually, a written report by the external auditor setting out the auditor’s internal quality-control procedures, any material issues raised by the auditor’s internal quality-control reviews and the steps taken to resolve those issues.
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To review and approve the Corporation’s hiring policies regarding partners, employees and former partners and employees of the present and former external auditor of the Corporation. The Committee has adopted the following guidelines regarding the hiring of any partner, employee, reviewing tax professional or other person providing audit assurance to the external auditor of the Corporation on any aspect of its certification of the Corporation’s financial statements:
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subject to the discretion of the Committee, no member of the audit team that is auditing a business of the Corporation can be hired into that business or into a position to which that business reports for a period of three years after the audit;
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subject to the discretion of the Committee, no former partner or employee of the external auditor may be made an officer of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries for three years following the end of the individual’s association with the external auditor;
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the CEO must approve all officer hires from the external auditor; and
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the CEO must report annually to the Committee on any hires within these guidelines during the preceding year.
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To review, at least annually, the relationships between the Corporation and the external auditor in order to establish the independence of the external auditor, including receipt from the external auditor of a formal written statement delineating all relationships between the Corporation and the external auditor.
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To review and discuss with the external auditors any disclosed relationships or services that may affect the objectivity and independence of the external auditors.
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To take, or recommend that the Board take, any other appropriate action to oversee the independence of the external auditor.
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To provide the opportunity for open communication between the Corporation, the external auditor and the Board.
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To review and assist in the resolution of any significant disagreement between management and the external auditors in connection with the preparation of the financial statements and financial reporting generally.
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To discuss the planning of the audit with the external auditor including:
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the general approach taken in conducting the audit including any areas of particular concern or interest to the Committee or management and any extensions to the audit scope requested by the Committee or management;
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areas of the financial statements identified as having a high risk of material misstatement and the auditor’s response thereto;
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the materiality and audit risk level on which the audit is based;
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the extent of audit work related to internal controls;
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the planned reliance on the work of other auditors, how the expectations shall be communicated to the other auditors and how their findings shall be communicated to the Committee; and
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the timing and estimated fees of the audit.
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Financial Information and Reporting
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To review the financial statements and related notes of the Corporation before their submission to the Board, including the annual and interim financial statements, auditors’ opinion, management letters, management’s discussion and analysis of operations and financial press releases for the purpose of recommending approval by the Board prior to its release. Meet with the external auditor, with and without management present, to review the financial statements and the results of their audit, including:
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assessing the risk that the financial statements contain material misstatements;
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assessing the accounting principles used and their application, as well as being aware of new and developing accounting standards that may affect the Corporation;
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assessing the significant estimates made by management; and
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assessing the disclosures in the financial statements.
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Consider the external auditor’s judgments about the quality and appropriateness of the Corporation’s accounting principles, practices and internal controls as applied in its financial reporting.
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To review the quality and not just the acceptability of the Corporation’s financial reporting and accounting standards and principles and any proposed material changes to them or their application.
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To disclose annually in the Corporation’s Annual Information Form (and by cross-reference, in the Management Information Circular) information on the carrying out of its responsibilities under this Charter and on other matters as required by applicable securities regulatory authorities.
Oversight
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To review and provide appropriate oversight of any related party or conflicted transactions, whether actual or perceived.
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To review the internal audit staff functions, including:
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the purpose, authority and organizational reporting lines; and
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the annual audit plan, budget and staffing.
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To review, with the CEO and the CFO and others, as appropriate, the Corporation’s internal system of audit controls and the results of internal audits.
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To review and monitor the Corporation’s major financial risks and risk management policies, the effectiveness and efficiency of such policies, and the steps taken by management to mitigate those risks.
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To review the Corporation’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (the “ Controls ”), and consider whether the Controls:
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provide reasonable assurance that material information relating to the Corporation, including its consolidated subsidiaries, if any, is made known to the Corporation’s CEO and CFO, particularly during the period in which the Corporation’s annual filings are being prepared; and
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provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with the Corporation’s GAAP.
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To meet at least annually with management (including the CEO and CFO), the internal audit staff, and the external auditor in separate executive sessions and review issues and matters of concern respecting audits and financial reporting.
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In connection with the annual audit, review material written matters between the external auditor and management, such as management letters, schedules of unadjusted differences and analyses of alternative assumptions, estimates or generally accepted accounting methods.
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In connection with its review of the annual audited financial statements and interim financial statements, the Committee will also review the process for the CEO and CFO certifications (if required by law or regulation)
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with respect to the financial statements and the Corporation’s disclosure and internal controls, including any material deficiencies or changes in those controls.
Other Responsibilities
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Review with management the Corporation’s financial fraud risk assessment, including an annual review of the top fraud risks identified by management, and the policies and practices adopted by the Corporation to mitigate those risks.
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Establish procedures for:
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the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Corporation regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and
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the confidential anonymous submission by employees of the Corporation of concerns regarding potential fraud or questionable accounting or auditing matters;
and review periodically with management and the internal auditors these procedures and any significant complaints received.
3. REPORTS
The Committee shall produce the following reports and provide them to the Board:
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a) an annual performance evaluation of the Committee. The performance evaluation by the Committee shall be conducted in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate however shall consider this Charter. The report to the Board may take the form of an oral report by the Chair or any other member of the Committee designated by the Committee to make this report; and
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b) a summary of the actions taken at each Committee meeting, which shall be presented to the Board at the next Board meeting.
4. REVIEW OF CHARTER, AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
The Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter at least annually and otherwise as it deems appropriate and recommend changes to the Board.
This Charter may be amended or modified by the Board, subject to disclosure and other policies and guidelines of relevant securities regulators and applicable securities laws and stock exchange rules.
5. CURRENCY OF THIS CHARTER
This Charter was adopted by the Board on August 25, 2023.
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SCHEDULE “B”
TRIBECA RESOURCES CORPORATION
(the "Company")
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
SECTION 1 ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF THE PLAN
The Company wishes to establish this long-term incentive plan ("Plan"). The purpose of this Plan is to promote the longterm success of the Company and the creation of shareholder value by: (a) encouraging the attraction and retention of Eligible Persons; (b) encouraging such Eligible Persons to focus on critical long-term objectives; and (c) promoting greater alignment of the interests of such Eligible Persons with the interests of the Company, in each case as applicable to the type of Eligible Person to whom an Award is granted.
This Plan provides for the grant of Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units, Deferred Share Units, Stock Appreciation Rights and Options to Eligible Persons, as further described herein.
This Plan and the Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units, Deferred Share Units, Stock Appreciation Rights and Options issuable under the Plan are subject to Policy 4.4 – Security Based Compensation of the Exchange (the “ Policy ”).
This Plan is a “ rolling up to 10% ” security based compensation plan, as such term is used in the Policy, permitting outstanding Incentive Securities in a maximum aggregate amount that is equal to ten percent (10%) of the issued and outstanding Shares at the date of any Award.
SECTION 2 DEFINITIONS
As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
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(a) " Award ” means any award of RSUs, PSUs, DSUs, Options or SARs granted under this Plan or, in the case of Options, any pre-existing stock option plan of the Company;
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(b) " Award Agreement " means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document, including an electronic communication, as may from time to time be designated by the Company as evidencing any Award granted under this Plan;
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(c) " Board " means the board of directors of the Company;
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(d) " Blackout Period " means an interval of time during which the Company has determined that one or more Participants may not trade any securities of the Company because they may be in possession of publicly undisclosed confidential information pertaining to the Company;
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(e) " Cessation Date " means the effective date on which a Participant ceases to be an Eligible Person for any reason;
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(f) " Change of Control " means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events:
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(i) a consolidation, reorganization, amalgamation, merger, acquisition or other business combination (or a plan of arrangement in connection with any of the foregoing), other than solely involving the Company and any one or more of its affiliates, with respect to which all or substantially all of the persons who were the beneficial owners of the Shares and other securities of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation, reorganization, amalgamation, merger, acquisition, business combination or plan of arrangement do not, following the completion of such consolidation, reorganization, amalgamation, merger, acquisition, business combination or plan of arrangement, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the resulting voting rights (on a fully-diluted basis) of the Company or its successor;
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(ii) the sale, exchange or other disposition to a person other than an affiliate of the Company of all, or substantially all of the Company’s assets;
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(iii) a resolution is adopted to wind-up, dissolve or liquidate the Company;
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(iv) a change in the composition of the Board, which occurs at a single meeting of the shareholders of the Company or upon the execution of a shareholders’ resolution, such that individuals who are members of the Board immediately prior to such meeting or resolution cease to constitute a majority of the Board, without the Board, as constituted immediately prior to such meeting or resolution, having approved of such change; or
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(v) any person, entity or group of persons or entities acting jointly or in concert (an “Acquiror”) acquires or acquires control (including, without limitation, the right to vote or direct the voting) of Voting Securities of the Company which, when added to the Voting Securities owned of record or beneficially by the Acquiror or which the Acquiror has the right to vote or in respect of which the Acquiror has the right to direct the voting, would entitle the Acquiror and/or associates and/or affiliates of the Acquiror to cast or to direct the casting of 20% or more of the votes attached to all of the Company's outstanding Voting Securities which may be cast to elect directors of the Company or the successor Company (regardless of whether a meeting has been called to elect directors);
For the purposes of the foregoing, “Voting Securities” means Shares and any other shares entitled to vote for the election of directors and shall include any security, whether or not issued by the Company, which are not shares entitled to vote for the election of directors but are convertible into or exchangeable for shares which are entitled to vote for the election of directors including any options or rights to purchase such shares or securities;
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(g) " Committee " means such committee of the Board performing functions in respect of compensation as may be determined by the Board from time to time;
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(h) " Company " means Hansa Resources Limited, a company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), and any of its successors or assigns;
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(i) " Consultant " means a “Consultant” as defined in the Policy;
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(j) " Deferred Share Unit " or " DSU " means a right to receive on a deferred basis a payment in Shares as provided in Subsection 5.3 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement;
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(k) " Determination Date " means a date determined by the Board in its sole discretion but not later than 90 days after the expiry of a Performance Cycle;
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(l) " Director " means a “Director” as defined in the Policy;
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(m) " Disability " means any disability with respect to a Participant which the Board, in its sole and unfettered discretion, considers likely to prevent permanently the Participant from:
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(i) being employed or engaged by the Company, its subsidiaries or another employer, in a position the same as or similar to that in which he was last employed or engaged by the Company or its subsidiaries; or
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(ii) acting as a Director or Officer;
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(n) “ Discounted Market Price ” means “Discounted Market Price” as defined in Policy 1.1 – Interpretation of the TSX Venture Exchange;
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(o) " DSU Payment Date " has the meaning set out in Subsection 5.3.5;
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(p) " Effective Date " has the meaning set out in Section 8;
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(q) " Election Form " means the form to be completed by a Director specifying the amount of Fees he or she wishes to receive in DSUs under this Plan;
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(r) " Eligible Person " means a Director, Officer, Employee, Management Company Employee or Consultant of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or an Eligible Charitable Organization;
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(s) " Employee " means an “Employee” as defined in the Policy;
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(t) " Exchange " means the TSX Venture Exchange and, if applicable, any other stock exchange on which the Shares are listed;
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(u) " Exchange Hold Period " means “Exchange Hold Period” as defined in Policy 1.1 – Interpretation of the TSX Venture Exchange;
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(v) “ Extension Period ” has the meaning set out in Section 5.4.5;
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(w) " Fees " means the annual board retainer, chair fees, meeting attendance fees or any other fees payable to a Director by the Company;
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(x) " Grant Date " means, for any Award, the date specified in an Award Agreement as the date on which an Award is granted;
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(y) " Incentive Securities " means the Options, DSUs, RSUs, PSUs and SARs issuable to any Participant under this Plan or, in the case of Options, any pre-existing stock option plan of the Company;
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(z) " Insider " means an “Insider” as defined in Policy 1.1 – Interpretation of the TSX Venture Exchange;
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(aa) " Investor Relations Activities " means "Investor Relations Activities" as defined in Policy 1.1 – Interpretation of the TSX Venture Exchange;
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(bb) " Investor Relations Service Provider " means "Investor Relations Service Provider" as defined in the Policy;
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(cc) " Management Company Employee " means a "Management Company Employee" as defined in the Policy;
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(dd) " Market Price " of Shares at any Grant Date means the market price per Share as determined by the Board, provided that if the Company is listed on an Exchange, such price shall not be less than the market price determined in accordance with the rules of such Exchange;
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(ee) “ Officer ” means an “Officer” as defined in the Policy;
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(ff) " Option " means an option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to, or governed by, this Plan and any pre-existing stock option plan of the Company;
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(gg) “ Option Plan ” means the Company’s Stock Option Plan dated September 22, 2021, as may be amended or restated from time to time;
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(hh) " Participant " means any Eligible Person to whom Awards are granted;
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(ii) " Participant's Account " means a notional account maintained for each Participant's participation in this Plan which will show any Incentive Securities credited to a Participant from time to time;
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(jj) " Performance Criteria " means criteria established by the Board which, without limitation, may include criteria based on the Participant's personal performance and/or financial performance of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and that are to be used to determine the vesting of the PSUs;
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(kk) " Performance Cycle " means the applicable performance cycle of the PSUs as may be specified by the Board in the applicable Award Agreement;
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(ll) " Performance Share Unit " or " PSU " means a right awarded to a Participant to receive a payment in Shares as provided in Section 5.2 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement;
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(mm) " Person " means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, or governmental authority or body;
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(nn) " Restriction Period " means the time period between the Grant Date and the Vesting Date of an Award of RSUs specified by the Board in the applicable Award Agreement, which is subject to the requirements of this Plan with respect to vesting;
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(oo) " Restricted Share Unit " or " RSU " means a right awarded to a Participant to receive a payment in Shares as provided in Subsection 5.1 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement;
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(pp) " Retirement " means retirement from active employment with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company with the consent of an Officer;
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(qq) " Security Based Compensation " means "Security Based Compensation" as defined in the Policy;
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(rr) " Security Based Compensation Plans " has the meaning set out in Subsection 4.1.1;
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(ss) " Stock Appreciation Right " or “ SAR " means a right awarded to a Participant to receive a payment in Shares as provided in Subsection 5.5 hereof and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement;
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(tt) " SAR Amount " has the meaning set out in Subsection 5.5.3;
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(uu) " SAR Grant Price " has the meaning set out in Subsection 5.5.2;
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(vv) " Securities Act " means the Securities Act (British Columbia), as amended from time to time;
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(ww) " Shares " means the common shares of the Company;
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(xx) " Trading Day " means any date on which the Exchange is open for trading; and
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(yy) " Vesting Date " means, for any Award, the date when the Award is fully vested in accordance with the provisions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
SECTION 3 ADMINISTRATION
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3.1 BOARD TO ADMINISTER PLAN. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Plan shall be administered by the Board and the Board shall have full authority to administer this Plan, including the authority to interpret and construe any provision of this Plan and to adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations for administering this Plan as the Board may deem necessary in order to comply with the requirements of this Plan.
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3.2 DELEGATION TO COMMITTEE. All of the powers exercisable hereunder by the Board may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by resolution of the Board, be delegated to and exercised by the Committee or such other committee as the Board may determine.
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3.3 INTERPRETATION. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made or approved by the Board in good faith shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding on the Participants and the Company, subject to any required approval of the Exchange.
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3.4 NO LIABILITY. No Director shall be personally liable for any action taken or determination or interpretation made or approved in good faith in connection with this Plan and the Directors shall, in addition to their rights as
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Directors, be fully protected, indemnified and held harmless by the Company with respect to any such action taken or determination or interpretation made. The appropriate officers of the Company are hereby authorized and empowered to do all things and execute and deliver all instruments, undertakings and applications and writings as they, in their absolute discretion, consider necessary for the implementation of this Plan and of the rules and regulations established for administering this Plan. All costs incurred in connection with this Plan shall be for the account of the Company.
SECTION 4 SHARES AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS
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4.1 LIMITATIONS ON SHARES AVAILABLE FOR ISSUANCE.
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4.1.1 The maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under this Plan and all of the Company’s other previously established or proposed Security Based Compensation plans to which these limitations apply under Exchange policies (collectively, “ Security Based Compensation Plans ”), at any point in time, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis at such point in time.
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4.1.2 The maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to any one Consultant in any twelve (12) month period in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under Security Based Compensation Plans shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date.
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4.1.3 The maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to any one Participant in any twelve (12) month period in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under Security Based Compensation Plans shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval pursuant to the Policy.
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4.1.4 The maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to all Insiders (as a group) at any point in time in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under Security Based Compensation Plans shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis at such point in time.
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4.1.5 The maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to all Insiders (as a group) in any twelve (12) month period in respective of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under Security Based Compensation Plans shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval pursuant to the Policy.
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4.1.6 Eligible Persons who are Investor Relations Service Providers may only receive Options as Awards under this Plan if the Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange at the time of issuance or grant, and the maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to all Investor Relations Service Providers in any twelve (12) month period pursuant to the exercise of Options shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date.
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4.1.7 Eligible Persons who are Eligible Charitable Organizations may only receive Options as Awards under this Plan if the Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange at the time of issuance or grant, and the maximum aggregate number of Shares issuable to all Eligible Charitable Organizations at any point in time in respect of all Incentive Securities granted or issued under Security Based Compensation Plans shall not exceed one percent (1%) of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis at such point in time. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan, Options granted to Eligible Charitable Organizations will not be included in the other limits set out in this Section 4 or elsewhere in this Plan.
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4.2 ACCOUNTING FOR AWARDS. The number of Shares underlying an Award, or to which such Award relates, shall be counted on the Grant Date of such Award against the aggregate number of Shares available for granting or issuing Awards under this Plan. As this Plan is a “rolling up to 10%” Security Based Compensation plan, as such term is used in the Policy, the number of Incentive Securities issuable under this Plan will replenish in an
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amount equal to the number of Shares issued pursuant to the exercise or vesting, as applicable, of such Incentive Securities at any point in time. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Shares related to Awards which have been settled in cash, cancelled, surrendered, forfeited, expired or otherwise terminated without the issuance of such Shares shall be available again for granting Awards under this Plan.
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4.3 ADJUSTMENTS FOR SHARE SPLITS AND CONSOLIDATIONS. If the number of outstanding Shares is increased or decreased as a result of a Share split or consolidation, the Board may make appropriate adjustments, in accordance with the terms of this Plan, the policies of the Exchange, and applicable laws, to the number and price (or other basis upon which an Award is measured) of Incentive Securities credited to a Participant. Any determinations by the Board as to the required adjustments shall be made in its sole discretion and all such adjustments shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes under this Plan.
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4.4 OTHER ADJUSTMENTS. Any adjustment, other than as noted in section 4.3, to an Award granted or issued under this Plan must be subject to the prior acceptance of the Exchange, including adjustments related to an amalgamation, merger, arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, dividend or other distribution. Any increase in the number of Shares underlying outstanding Awards as a result of the adjustment provisions provided in this section 4.3 or 4.4 is subject to compliance with the limits set out in section 4.1 and, if any increase in the number of Shares underlying outstanding Awards as a result of the adjustment provisions provided in section 4.3 or 4.4 would result in any limit set out in section 4.1 being exceeded, then the Company may, if determined by the Board in its sole and unfettered discretion (subject to the prior approval of the Exchanges, if applicable), make payment in cash to the Participant in lieu of increasing the number of Shares underlying outstanding Awards in order to properly reflect any diminution in value of the underlying Shares as a result of the event that triggers the adjustment.
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4.5 VESTING REQUIREMENT. No Award granted or issued under this Plan, other than Options, may vest before the date that is one year following the date it is granted or issued. Notwithstanding this provision, subject to the approval of the Exchange with respect to Awards held by Investor Relations Service Providers, vesting may be accelerated by the Board in its sole discretion for Awards held by a Participant who dies or who ceases to be an Eligible Person under this Plan in connection with a change of control, take-over bid, reverse takeover or other similar transaction. All Options granted to Investor Relations Service Providers must vest and become exercisable in stages over a period of not less than twelve (12) months, with no more than one-quarter (1/4) of such Options vesting and becoming exercisable in any three (3) month period.
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4.6 OPTION PLAN. As of the Effective Date, Options which are outstanding under the Option Plan shall continue to be exercisable and shall be deemed to be governed by and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan except to the extent that the terms of this Plan are more restrictive than the terms of the Option Plan under which such Options were originally granted, in which case the Option Plan shall govern, provided that any Options granted, issued or amended after November 23, 2021 must comply with the Policy (as at November 24, 2021).
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4.7 RESALE RESTRICTIONS. All Incentive Securities shall be subject to any applicable resale restrictions pursuant to applicable securities laws. In addition, Incentive Securities and Shares underlying Incentive Securities that are subject to the Exchange Hold Period pursuant to Exchange Policy 1.1 must contain a legend with the Exchange Hold Period commencing on the Grant Date, and the Award Agreement shall contain any applicable resale restriction or Exchange Hold Period.
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4.8 BONA FIDE PARTICIPANTS. In respect of Awards granted to Employees, Consultants, Consultant Companies or Management Company Employees, the Company and the Participant is representing herein and in the applicable Award Agreement that the Participant is a bona fide Employee, Consultant, Consultant Company or Management Company Employee, as the case may be, of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company. The execution of an Award Agreement shall constitute conclusive evidence that it has been completed in compliance with this Plan.
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SECTION 5. AWARDS
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5.1 RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS
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5.1.1 ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, the Board may, from time to time, grant Awards of RSUs to Eligible Persons. RSUs granted to a Participant shall be credited, as of the Grant Date, to the Participant's Account. The number of RSUs to be credited to each Participant shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion in accordance with this Plan. Each RSU shall, contingent upon the lapse of any restrictions, represent one (1) Share, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The number of RSUs granted pursuant to an Award and the Restriction Period in respect of such RSUs shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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5.1.2 RESTRICTIONS. RSUs shall be subject to such restrictions as the Board, in its sole discretion, may establish in the applicable Award Agreement, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times and on such terms, conditions and satisfaction of objectives as the Board may, in its discretion, determine at the time an Award is granted.
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5.1.3 VESTING. All RSUs will vest and become payable by the issuance of Shares at the end of the Restriction Period if all applicable restrictions have lapsed, as such restrictions may be specified in the Award Agreement.
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5.1.4 CHANGE OF CONTROL. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, in the event of a Change of Control, all restrictions upon any RSUs shall lapse immediately and all such RSUs shall become fully vested in the Participant and will accrue to the Participant in accordance with Subsection 5.1.9.
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5.1.5 DEATH. Other than as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, upon the death of a Participant, any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Participant's death, have not vested, will be immediately and automatically forfeited and cancelled without further action and without any cost or payment, and the Participant or his or her estate, as the case may be, shall have no right, title or interest therein whatsoever. Any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Participant's death, had vested pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement will accrue to the Participant's estate in accordance with Subsection 5.1.9 hereof.
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5.1.6 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE.
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(a) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant's breach, all RSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan will immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(b) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination or due to Retirement by the Participant, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant’s breach, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, all RSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan that have not vested will immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the date of termination determined by the Board, provided, however, that any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Participant's termination without cause, voluntary termination, Retirement or breach of agreement, had vested pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement will accrue to the Participant in accordance with Subsection 5.1.9 hereof.
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5.1.7 DISABILITY. Where a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all RSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such RSUs, provided, however, that no RSUs may be redeemed during a leave of absence. Where a Participant's employment or
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consulting agreement with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company is terminated due to Disability, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, all RSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan that have not vested will immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the date of termination determined by the Board, provided, however, that any RSUs granted to such Participant that, prior to the Participant's termination due to Disability, had vested pursuant to term of the applicable Award Agreement will accrue to the Participant in accordance with Subsection 5.1.9 hereof.
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5.1.8 CESSATION OF DIRECTORSHIP. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant ceases to be a Director for any reason, any RSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan that have not yet vested will, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the Cessation Date, provided, however, that any RSUs granted to such Participant which, prior to the Cessation Date for any reason, had vested pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement will accrue to the Participant in accordance with Subsection 5.1.9 hereof.
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5.1.9 PAYMENT OF AWARD. As soon as practicable after each Vesting Date of an Award of RSUs, and subject to the applicable Award Agreement, the Company shall issue from treasury to the Participant, or if Subsection 5.1.5 applies, to the Participant's estate, a number of Shares equal to the number of RSUs credited to the Participant's Account that become payable on the Vesting Date. As of the Vesting Date, the RSUs in respect of which such Shares are issued shall be cancelled and no further payments shall be made to the Participant under this Plan in relation to such RSUs. Such payments shall be made entirely in Shares, unless otherwise provided for in the applicable Award Agreement.
5.2 PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS
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5.2.1 ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, the Board may, from time to time, grant Awards of PSUs to Eligible Persons. PSUs granted to a Participant shall be credited, as of the Grant Date, to the Participant's Account. The number of PSUs to be credited to each Participant shall be determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, in accordance with this Plan. Each PSU shall, contingent upon the attainment of the Performance Criteria within the Performance Cycle, represent one (1) Share, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The number of PSUs granted pursuant to an Award, the Performance Criteria that must be satisfied in order for the PSUs to vest and the Performance Cycle in respect of such PSUs shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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5.2.2 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. The Board will select, settle and determine the Performance Criteria (including without limitation the attainment thereof), for purposes of the vesting of the PSUs, in its sole discretion. An Award Agreement may provide the Board with the right, during a Performance Cycle or after it has ended, to revise the Performance Criteria and the Award amounts if unforeseen events (including, without limitation, changes in capitalization, an equity restructuring, an acquisition or a divestiture) occur which have a substantial effect on the financial results and which in the sole judgment of the Board make the application of the original Performance Criteria unfair or inappropriate unless a revision is made. Notices will be provided by the Company to the Exchange, if required, with respect to the foregoing.
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5.2.3 VESTING. All PSUs will vest and become payable to the extent that the Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement are satisfied for the Performance Cycle, the determination of which shall be made by the Board on the Determination Date.
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5.2.4 CHANGE OF CONTROL. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, in the event of a Change of Control, all PSUs granted to a Participant shall become fully vested in such Participant (without regard to the attainment of any Performance Criteria) and shall become payable to the Participant in accordance with Subsection 5.2.9 hereof.
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5.2.5 DEATH. Other than as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement and below, upon the death of a Participant, all PSUs granted to the Participant which, prior to the Participant's death, have not
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vested, will immediately and automatically be forfeited and cancelled without further action and without any cost or payment, and the Participant or his or her estate, as the case may be, shall have no right, title or interest therein whatsoever, provided, however, the Board may determine, in its sole discretion, the number of the Participant's PSUs that will vest based on the extent to which the applicable Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. The PSUs that the Board determines to have vested shall become payable in accordance with Subsection 5.2.9 hereof.
5.2.6 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE.
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(a) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant’s breach, all PSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan will immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(b) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination or due to Retirement by the Participant, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant’s breach, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, all PSUs granted to the Participant which, prior to the Participant's termination, have not vested, will immediately and automatically be forfeited and cancelled without further action and without any cost or payment, and the Participant shall have no right, title or interest therein whatsoever as of the date of termination determined by the Board, provided, however, the Board may determine, in its sole discretion, the number of the Participant's PSUs that will vest based on the extent to which the applicable Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. The PSUs that the Board determines to have vested shall become payable in accordance with Subsection 5.2.9 hereof.
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5.2.7 DISABILITY. Where a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all PSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such PSUs, provided, however, that no PSUs may be redeemed during a leave of absence. Where a Participant's employment or consulting agreement with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company is terminated due to Disability, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, all PSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan that have not vested will immediately and automatically be forfeited and cancelled without further action and without any cost or payment, and the Participant shall have no right, title or interest therein whatsoever as of the Termination Date, provided, however, that the Board may determine, in its sole discretion, the number of the Participant's PSUs that will vest based on the extent to which the applicable Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. The PSUs that the Board determines to have vested shall become payable in accordance with Subsection 5.2.9 hereof.
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5.2.8 CESSATION OF DIRECTORSHIP. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant ceases to be a Director for any reason, any PSUs granted to the Participant under this Plan that have not yet vested will, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, immediately terminate without payment, be forfeited and cancelled and shall be of no further force or effect as of the Cessation Date, provided, however, that the Board may determine, in its sole discretion, the number of the Participant's PSUs that will vest based on the extent to which the applicable Performance Criteria set forth in the Award Agreement have been satisfied in that portion of the Performance Cycle that has lapsed. The PSUs that the Board determines to have vested shall become payable in accordance with Subsection 5.2.9 hereof.
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5.2.9 PAYMENT OF AWARD. Subject to the applicable Award Agreement, payment to Participants in respect of vested PSUs shall be made after the Determination Date for the applicable Award and in any case within ninety (90) days after the last day of the Performance Cycle to which such Award relates. Such payments shall be made entirely in Shares, unless otherwise provided for in the applicable Award Agreement. The Company shall issue from treasury to the Participant, or if Subsection 5.2.5 applies, to
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the Participant's estate, a number of Shares equal to the number of PSUs that have vested. As of the Vesting Date, the PSUs in respect of which such Shares are issued shall be cancelled and no further payments shall be made to the Participant under this Plan in relation to such PSUs.
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5.2.10 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION; ADJUSTMENT OF GOALS. At the time that a PSU is first issued, the Board, in the Award Agreement or in another written document, may specify whether performance will be evaluated including or excluding the effect of any of the following events that occur during the Performance Cycle or Restriction Period, as the case may be: (A) judgments entered or settlements reached in litigation; (B) the write down of assets; (C) the impact of any reorganization or restructuring; (D) the impact of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, regulatory actions or other laws affecting reported results; (E) extraordinary non-recurring items as may be described in the Company's management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the applicable financial year; (F) the impact of any mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs or other divestitures; (G) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (H) other extraordinary events having a similar impact on a Participant’s ability to satisfy Performance Criteria, as determined in the discretion of the Board.
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5.2.11 ADJUSTMENT OF PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS. The Board shall have the sole discretion to adjust the determination of the degree of attainment of the pre-established Performance Criteria or restrictions, as the case may be, as may be set out in the applicable Award Agreement governing the relevant PSU. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Board may not make any adjustment or take any other action with respect to any PSU that will increase the amount payable under any such PSU. The Board shall retain the sole discretion to adjust PSUs downward or to otherwise reduce the amount payable with respect to any Award of PSUs.
5.3 DEFERRED SHARE UNITS
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5.3.1 ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, the Board may, from time to time, grant Awards of DSUs to Eligible Persons. DSUs granted to a Participant shall be credited, as of the Grant Date, to the Participant's Account. The number of DSUs to be credited to each Participant shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion in accordance with this Plan. Each DSU shall, contingent upon the occurrence of the applicable vesting criteria, represent one (1) Share. The number of DSUs granted pursuant to an Award and the vesting criteria in respect of such DSUs shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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5.3.2 ELECTION BY DIRECTORS. Each Director may elect to receive any part or all of his or her Fees in DSUs under this Plan. Elections by Participants regarding the amount of their Fees that they wish to receive in DSUs shall be made no later than 90 days after this Plan is adopted by the Board, and thereafter no later than December 31 of any given year with respect to Fees for the following year. Any Director who becomes a Participant during a fiscal year and wishes to receive an amount of his or her Fees for the remainder of that year in DSUs must make his or her election within 60 days of becoming a Director.
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5.3.3 CALCULATION. In the case of an election by a Director, the number of DSUs to be credited to the Participant's Account shall be calculated by dividing the amount of Fees selected by an Director in the applicable Election Form by the Market Price on the Grant Date, or if more appropriate, another trading range that best represents the period for which the award was earned (subject to minimum pricing requirements under Exchange policies). If, as a result of the foregoing calculation, a Participant shall become entitled to a fractional DSU, the Participant shall only be credited with a full number of DSUs (rounded down) and no payment or other adjustment will be made with respect to the fractional DSU.
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5.3.4 CHANGE OF CONTROL. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, in the event of a Change of Control, all DSUs granted to a Participant shall become fully vested in such Participant and shall become payable to the Participant in accordance with Subsection hereof.
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5.3.5 PAYMENT OF AWARD. After the effective date that the Participant ceases to be an Eligible Person for any reason or any earlier vesting period(s) as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement,
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each Participant shall be entitled to receive on the DSU Payment Date that number of Shares equal to the number of DSUs credited to the Participant's Account, such Shares to be issued from treasury of the Company. The aforementioned payment will occur on the date (the “ DSU Payment Date ”) that is one of two (2) dates designated by the Participant and communicated to the Company by the Participant in writing at least fifteen (15) days prior to the designated day (or such earlier date as the Participant and the Company may agree, which dates shall be no earlier than then ninetieth (90) day following the year of the Cessation Date and no later than the end of the calendar year following the year of the Cessation Date, or any earlier period in which the DSUs vested, as the case may be) and if no such notice is given, then on the first anniversary of the Cessation Date or any earlier period on which the DSUs vested, as the case may be, at the sole discretion of the Participant.
- 5.3.6 DEATH. Upon death of a Participant, the Participant's estate shall be entitled to receive, within 120 days after the Participant's death and at the sole discretion of the Board, such Shares that would have otherwise been payable in accordance with Subsection 5.3.5 hereof to the Participant upon such Participant ceasing to be an Eligible Person.
5.4 OPTIONS
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5.4.1 ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, the Board may, from time to time, grant Awards of Options to Eligible Persons. Options granted to a Participant shall be credited, as of the Grant Date, to the Participant's Account. The number of Options to be credited to each Participant shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion in accordance with this Plan. Each vested Option shall represent the right to purchase one (1) Share in accordance with its terms and the terms of this Plan. The number of Options granted pursuant to an Award shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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5.4.2 EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of the Options shall be determined by the Board at the time the Option is granted. In no event shall such exercise price be lower than the discounted Market Price permitted by the Exchange, which shall be the Discounted Market Price if the Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange at the time of grant. The Board shall not reprice any Options granted under this Plan, except in accordance with the rules and policies of the Exchange. For greater certainty, the Company will be required to obtain disinterested shareholder approval in accordance with the Policy in respect of any extension or reduction in the exercise price of Options granted to any Participant if the Participant is an Insider at the time of the proposed reduction or extension.
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5.4.3 TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Board shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, provided that the term of any Option granted under this Plan shall not exceed ten years. In the case of an Option granted to an Eligible Charitable Organization, such Option must be exercised on or before the earlier of (a) ten years from the date of grant and (b) the 90th day following the date that the holder ceases to be an Eligible Charitable Organization. The Board shall also determine the vesting, performance and/or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised. Vesting provisions applied to Options granted to Participants who are Investor Relations Service Providers must be in compliance with Section 4.5.
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5.4.4 EVIDENCE OF GRANT. All Options shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement. The Award Agreement shall reflect the Board's determinations regarding the exercise price, time and conditions of exercise (including vesting provisions) and such additional provisions as may be specified by the Board.
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5.4.5 EXERCISE. The exercise of any Option will be contingent upon receipt by the Company of a written notice of exercise in the manner and in the form set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, which written notice shall specify the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised, and which shall be accompanied by a cheque, bank draft or other method of cash payment as is acceptable to the Company for the full purchase price of such Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised. Certificates for such Shares shall be issued and delivered to the Participant within a reasonable time following the receipt of such notice and payment. Neither the Participants nor their legal representatives, legatees or distributees will be, or will be deemed to be, a holder of any Shares unless and until the certificates for the Shares issuable pursuant to Options under this Plan are issued to
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such Participants under the terms of this Plan. In the event that the expiry date of an Option falls during a Blackout Period, the expiry date of such Option shall automatically be extended to a date which is ten (10) trading days following the end of such Blackout Period (the “Extension Period”), subject to no cease trade order being in place under applicable securities laws; provided that if an additional Blackout Period is subsequently imposed by the Company during the Extension Period, then such Extension Period shall be deemed to commence following the end of such additional Blackout Period to enable the exercise of such Option within ten (10) trading days following the end of the last imposed Blackout Period.
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5.4.6 CHANGE OF CONTROL. In the event of a Change of Control, each outstanding Option, to the extent that it has not otherwise become vested and exercisable, and subject to the applicable Award Agreement, shall automatically become fully and immediately vested and exercisable, without regard to any other applicable vesting requirement, subject to the Policy. For greater certainty, any acceleration of vesting of Options held by a Participant who is a Investor Relations Servicer Provider is subject to prior Exchange acceptance.
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5.4.7 DEATH. Where a Participant shall die, any Option held by such Participant at the date of death shall be exercisable in whole or in part only by the person or persons to whom the rights of the Participant under the Option shall pass by the will of the Participant or the laws of descent and distribution for a period of 1 year after the date of death of the Participant or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of death of such Participant.
5.4.8 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE.
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(a) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant’s breach, no Option held by such Participant shall be exercisable from the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(b) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination or due to Retirement by the Participant, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant’s breach, any Option held by such Participant at such time shall remain exercisable in full at any time, and in part from time to time, for a period of 90 days after the date of termination determined by the Board (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the date of termination determined by the Board) or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(c) Where a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all Options granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such Options. Where a Participant's employment or consulting agreement with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company is terminated due to Disability, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise and subject to the provisions below, any Option held by such Participant shall remain exercisable for a period of 120 days after the date of termination determined by the Board (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the date of termination determined by the Board) or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination determined by the Board.
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5.4.9 CESSATION OF DIRECTORSHIP. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant ceases to be a Director for any reason, any Option held by such Participant at such time shall, subject to the applicable Award Agreement and the provisions below, remain exercisable in full at any time, and in part from time to time, for a period of 90 days after the Cessation Date (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the
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Cessation Date) or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the Option as of the Cessation Date. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all Options granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such Options, provided that if a Participant ceases to be a Director due to Disability, subject to the applicable Award Agreement, any Option held by such Participant shall remain exercisable for a period of 120 days after the Cessation Date (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the Cessation Date) or prior to the expiration of the Option, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the Option as of the Cessation Date.
5.5 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
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5.5.1 ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board may determine, the Board may, from time to time, in its discretion, grant Awards of SARs to Eligible Persons either on a stand-alone basis or in relation to any Option. SARs granted to a Participant shall be credited, as of the Grant Date, to the Participant's Account. The number of SARs to be credited to each Participant shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion in accordance with this Plan. The number of SARs granted pursuant to an Award shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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5.5.2 SAR GRANT PRICE. The exercise price of the SAR (the " SAR Grant Price ") shall be determined by the Board at the time the SAR is granted. In no event shall the SAR Grant Price be lower than the discounted Market Pricepermitted by the Exchange, which shall be the Discounted Market Price if the Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange at the time of grant. Where a SAR is granted in relation to an Option, it shall be a right in respect of the same number of Shares, and the SAR Grant Price shall be the same as the exercise price of the Option it is granted in relation to. The Board shall not reprice the SAR Grant Price of any SAR granted under this Plan, except in accordance with the rules and policies of the Exchange. For greater certainty, the Company will be required to obtain disinterested shareholder approval in accordance with the Policy in respect of any reduction in the SAR Grant Price applicable to SARs granted to any Participant if the Participant is an Insider at the time of the proposed reduction.
5.5.3 PAYMENT.
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(a) Subject to the provisions hereof, a SAR is the right to receive a payment in Shares equal to the excess, if any, of:
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(i) the Market Price at the date such SAR is exercised; over
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(ii) the SAR Grant Price,
multiplied by the number of Shares in respect of which the SAR is being exercised (less any amount required to be withheld for taxes by applicable law) (the " SAR Amount ").
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(b) For greater clarity, the actual number of Shares to be granted to the Participant pursuant to Subsection 5.5.3(a) shall be equal to the aggregate SAR Amount divided by the Market Price at the time of exercise.
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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the sole discretion of the Board, the Award Agreement may provide that the Company may elect to satisfy the exercise of a SAR (in whole or in part) by paying to the Participant cash in an amount equal to the SAR Amount in lieu of Shares.
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5.5.4 TERMS OF SARs GRANTED IN CONNECTION WITH AN OPTION. SARs may be granted in relation to an Option either at the time of the grant of the Option or by adding the SAR to an existing Option. SARs granted in relation to an Option shall be exercisable only at the same time, by the same persons and to the same extent, that the related Option is exercisable. Upon the exercise of any SAR
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related to an Option, the corresponding portion of the related Option shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled, and upon the exercise of any Option which has an accompanying SAR, the corresponding portion of the related SAR shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled.
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5.5.5 TERMS OF SARs GRANTED ON A STAND-ALONE BASIS. SARs shall be granted on such terms as shall be determined by the Board and set out in the Award Agreement (including any terms pertaining to vesting and settlement), provided the term of any SAR granted under this Plan shall not exceed ten (10) years.
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5.5.6 EXERCISE. The exercise of any SAR will be contingent upon receipt by the Company of a written notice of exercise in the manner and in the form set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, which written notice shall specify the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is being exercised. If the Participant is to receive Shares, certificates for such Shares shall be issued and delivered to the Participant within a reasonable time following the receipt of such notice. Neither the Participant nor his legal representatives, legatees or distributees will be, or will be deemed to be, a holder of any Shares unless an until the certificates for the Shares issuable pursuant to SARs under this Plan are issued to such Participant under the terms of this Plan. In the event that the expiry date of a SAR falls during a Blackout Period, the expiry date of such SAR shall automatically be extended to the Extension Period, subject to no cease trade order being in place under applicable securities laws; provided that if an additional Blackout Period is subsequently imposed by the Company during the Extension Period, then such Extension Period shall be deemed to commence following the end of such additional Blackout Period to enable the exercise of such SAR within ten (10) trading days following the end of the last imposed Blackout Period.
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5.5.7 CHANGE OF CONTROL. In the event of a Change of Control, each outstanding SAR issued to Eligible Persons, to the extent that it shall not otherwise have become vested and exercisable, and subject to the applicable Award Agreement, shall automatically become fully and immediately vested and exercisable, without regard to any otherwise applicable vesting requirement, but subject to the policies of the Exchange.
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5.5.8 DEATH. Where a Participant shall die while holding a SAR, any SAR held by such Participant at the date of death shall be exercisable in whole or in part only by the person or persons to whom the rights of the Participant under the SAR shall pass by the will of the Participant or the laws of descent and distribution for a period of 1 year after the date of death of the Participant or prior to the expiration of the exercise period in respect of the SAR, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of death of such Participant.
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5.5.9 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE.
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(a) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company for cause, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated as a result of the Participant’s breach, no SAR held by such Participant shall be exercisable from the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(b) Where a Participant's employment is terminated by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company without cause, by voluntary termination or due to Retirement by the Participant, or where a Participant’s consulting agreement is terminated for a reason other than the Participant’s breach, any SAR held by such Participant at such time shall remain exercisable in full at any time, and in part from time to time, for a period of 90 days after the date of termination determined by the Board (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the date of termination determined by the Board) or prior to the expiration of the exercise period in respect of the SAR, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of termination determined by the Board.
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(c) Where a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all SARs granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such SARs. Where a Participant's
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employment or consulting agreement with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company is terminated due to Disability, subject to the applicable Award Agreement, any SAR held by such Participant shall remain exercisable for a period of 120 days after the date of termination determined by the Board (subject to any longer period set out in the applicable Award Agreement, which period shall not, in any event, exceed twelve (12) months from the date of termination determined by the Board) or prior to the expiration of the exercise period in respect of the SAR, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR at the date of termination determined by the Board.
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5.5.10 CESSATION OF DIRECTORSHIP. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant ceases to be a Director for any reason, any SAR held by such Participant at such time shall, subject to the applicable Award Agreement and the provisions below, remain exercisable in full at any time, and in part from time to time, for a period of 90 days after the Cessation Date or prior to the expiration of the exercise period in respect of the SAR, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR as of the Cessation Date. Where, in the case of Directors, a Participant becomes afflicted by a Disability, all SARs granted to the Participant under this Plan will continue to vest in accordance with the terms of such SARs, provided that if a Participant ceases to be a Director due to Disability, subject to the applicable Award Agreement, any SAR held by such Participant shall remain exercisable for a period of 120 days after the Cessation Date or prior to the expiration of the exercise period in respect of the SAR, whichever is sooner, and then only to the extent that such Participant was entitled to exercise the SAR as of the Cessation Date.
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5.6 GENERAL TERMS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
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5.6.1 FORFEITURE EVENTS. The Board will specify in an Award Agreement at the time of the Award that the Participant's rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events shall include, but shall not be limited to, termination of employment for cause, violation of material Company policies, fraud, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company.
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5.6.2 AWARDS MAY BE GRANTED SEPARATELY OR TOGETHER. Without limiting Subsection 5.5, Awards may, in the discretion of the Board, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for any other Award. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards, may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.
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5.6.3 NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS. No Award and no right under any such Award, shall be assignable, alienable, saleable, or transferable by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. No Award and no right under any such Award, may be pledged, alienated, attached, or otherwise encumbered, and any purported pledge, alienation, attachment, or encumbrance thereof shall be void and unenforceable against the Company. The Company does not intend to make Awards assignable or transferable, except where required by law or in certain estate proceedings described herein.
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5.6.4 CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS UPON SECURITIES SUBJECT TO AWARDS. The Board may provide that the Shares issued under an Award shall be subject to such further agreements, restrictions, conditions or limitations as the Board in its sole discretion may specify, including without limitation, conditions on vesting or transferability and forfeiture or repurchase provisions or provisions on payment of taxes arising in connection with an Award. Without limiting the foregoing, such restrictions may address the timing and manner of any resales by the Participant or other subsequent transfers by the Participant of any Shares issued under an Award, including without limitation: (A) restrictions under an insider trading policy or pursuant to applicable law; (B) restrictions designed to delay and/or coordinate the timing and manner of sales by Participant; (C) restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers; and (D) provisions requiring Shares to be sold on the open market or to the Company in order to satisfy tax withholding or other obligations.
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5.6.5 SHARE CERTIFICATES. All Shares delivered under this Plan pursuant to any Award shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Board may deem advisable under this Plan or the rules , regulations, and other requirements of any securities commission, the Exchange, and any applicable securities legislation, regulations, rules, policies or orders, and the Board may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
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5.6.6 CONFORMITY TO PLAN. In the event that an Award is granted which does not conform in all particulars with the provisions of this Plan, or purports to grant an Award on terms different from those set out in this Plan, the Award shall not be in any way void or invalidated, but the Award shall be adjusted by the Board to become, in all respects, in conformity with this Plan.
SECTION 6 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
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6.1 SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL OF PLAN. This Plan is subject to annual shareholder approval in accordance with the Policy. The initial shareholder approval requirements and related matters are set out in section 8.1 of this Plan.
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6.2 AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION OF THIS PLAN. The Board may at any time or from time to time, in its sole and absolute discretion, amend, suspend, terminate or discontinue this Plan and may amend the terms and conditions of any Awards granted hereunder, subject to (a) any required approval of any applicable regulatory authority or Exchange, and (b) any required approval of shareholders of the Company in accordance with the Policy or applicable law. Without limitation, shareholder approval shall not be required for the following amendments:
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6.2.1 amendments to fix typographical errors;
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6.2.2 amendments to clarify existing provisions of the Plan that do not have the effect of altering the scope, nature and intent of such provisions; and
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6.2.3 amendments that are necessary to comply with applicable law or the requirements of the Exchange.
If this Plan is terminated, Awards granted or issued prior to the date of termination shall remain outstanding and in effect in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions.
- 6.3 AMENDMENTS TO AWARDS. Subject to compliance with applicable laws and Exchange policies, the Board may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate, any Awards theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively. No such amendment or alteration shall be made which would impair the rights of any Participant, without such Participant's consent, under any Award theretofore granted, provided that no such consent shall be required with respect to any amendment or alteration if the Board determines in its sole discretion that such amendment or alteration either (i) is required or advisable in order for the Company, this Plan or the Award to satisfy or conform to any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of any accounting standard, or (ii) is not reasonably likely to significantly diminish the benefits provided under such Award.
SECTION 7 GENERAL PROVISIONS
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7.1 NO RIGHTS TO AWARDS. No Eligible Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under this Plan, or, having been selected to receive an Award under this Plan, to be selected to receive a future Award, and further there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Persons under this Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient, subject to compliance with the terms of this Plan and the Policy.
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7.2 WITHHOLDING. The Company shall be authorized to withhold from any Award granted or any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under this Plan the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, or other Awards) of withholding taxes due in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under such Award or under this Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy statutory withholding obligations for the payment of such taxes. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing,
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whenever cash is to be paid on the redemption, exercise or vesting of an Award, the Company shall have the right to deduct from all cash payments made to a Participant any taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such payments. Whenever Shares are to be delivered on the redemption, exercise or vesting of an Award, the Company shall have the right to deduct from any other amounts payable to the Participant any taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such delivery of Shares, or if any payment due to the Participant is not sufficient to satisfy the withholding obligation, to require the Participant to remit to the Company in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy any taxes required by law to be withheld. At the sole discretion of the Board, a Participant may be permitted to satisfy the foregoing requirement by:
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7.2.1 electing to have the Company withhold from delivery Shares having a value equal to the amount of tax required to be withheld, or
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7.2.2 delivering (on a form prescribed by the Company) an irrevocable direction to a securities broker approved by the Company to sell all or a portion of the Shares and to deliver to the Company from the sales proceeds an amount sufficient to pay the required withholding taxes.
For greater certainty, the application of this Section 7.2 to any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under this Plan shall not conflict with the policies of the Exchange that are in effect at the relevant time and the Company will obtain prior Exchange acceptance and/or shareholder approval of any application of this Section 7.2 if required pursuant to such policies.
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7.3 NO LIMIT ON OTHER SECURITY-BASED COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS. Subject to compliance with the Policy, nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Company or a subsidiary of the Company from adopting or continuing in effect other security-based compensation arrangements, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
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7.4 NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT. The grant of an Award shall not constitute an employment contract nor be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company. Further, the Company may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment, free from any liability, or any claim under this Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in this Plan or in any Award Agreement.
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7.5 NO RIGHT AS SHAREHOLDER. Neither the Participant nor any representatives of a Participant's estate shall have any rights whatsoever as shareholders in respect of any Shares covered by such Participant's Award, until the date of issuance of a share certificate to such Participant or representatives of a Participant's estate for such Shares.
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7.6
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CURRENCY. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all dollars amounts in this Plan are in Canadian dollars.
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7.7 GOVERNING LAW. This Plan and all of the rights and obligations arising here from shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with thelaws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
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7.8 SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify this Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Board, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Board, materially altering the intent of this Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person, or Award, and the remainder of this Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
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7.9 NO TRUST OR FUND CREATED. Neither this Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured creditor of the Company.
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7.10 NO FRACTIONAL SHARES. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award, and the Board shall determine whether cash, or other securities shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares, or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be cancelled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.
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7.11 HEADINGS. Headings are given to the Sections and Subsections of this Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of this Plan or any provision thereof.
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7.12 NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY. The Company makes no representation or warranty as to the value of any Award granted pursuant to this Plan or as to the future value of any Shares issued pursuant to any Award.
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7.13 NO REPRESENTATIONS OR COVENANTS WITH RESPECT TO TAX QUALIFICATION. Although the Company may, in its discretion, endeavor to (i) qualify an Award for favourable Canadian tax treatment or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment, the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment. The Company shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on holders of Awards under this Plan.
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7.14 CONFLICT WITH AWARD AGREEMENT. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the provisions of this Plan and an Award Agreement, the provisions of this Plan shall govern for all purposes.
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7.15 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under this Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or stock exchanges on which the Company is listed as may be required. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under this Plan prior to:
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7.15.1 obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and
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7.15.2 completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable or at a time when any such registration or qualification is not current, has been suspended or otherwise has ceased to be effective.
The inability or impracticability of the Company to obtain or maintain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
SECTION 8 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PLAN AND SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL
- 8.1 EFFECTIVE DATE AND SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. This Plan shall become effective upon the date (the " Effective Date ") of approval by the Board and will remain subject to shareholder approval and Exchange approval, provided that, if the Company grants or issues Awards under this Plan that it would not otherwise be permitted to grant under its existing Option Plan prior to the requisite shareholder approval for this Plan having been obtained, the Company must also obtain specific (and separate) shareholder approval for such grants or issuances. If shareholder approval for this Plan is obtained after the Effective Date, no right under any Award (other than an Option, which was or could have been granted under the Option Plan) that is granted or issued under this Plan prior to such shareholder approval may vest or be exercised, as applicable, before the date of the shareholders’ meeting held to approve this Plan and such grants or issuances (as applicable). The requisite shareholder approvals must be obtained in accordance with the Policy and, if the requisite shareholder approvals are not obtained, this Plan and all Awards granted hereunder (other than Options, which were or could have been granted under the Option Plan), will terminate.
Approved by the Board of Directors of the Company effective October 26, 2022.
Approved by the shareholders of the Company on
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SCHEDULE “C”
ADVANCE NOTICE POLICY
(Adopted by the Board of Directors on August 25, 2023)
TRIBECA RESOURCES CORPORATION
(the “ Corporation ”)
INTRODUCTION
The Corporation is committed to: (i) facilitating an orderly and efficient process for holding annual general meetings and, when the need arises, special meetings of its shareholders; (ii) ensuring that all shareholders receive adequate advance notice of director nominations and sufficient information regarding all director nominees; and (iii) allowing shareholders to register an informed vote for directors of the Corporation after having been afforded reasonable time for appropriate deliberation.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Advance Notice Policy (the " Policy ") is to provide shareholders, directors and management of the Corporation with a clear framework for nominating directors of the Corporation. This Policy fixes a deadline by which director nominations must be submitted to the Corporation prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders and sets forth the information that must be included in the notice to the Corporation for the notice to be in proper written form, which in turn ensures that any director nominee is eligible for election at any annual or special meeting of shareholders.
It is the position of the board of directors of the Corporation (the " Board ") that this Policy is in the best interests of the Corporation, its shareholders and other stakeholders. This Policy will be subject to an annual review by the Board, which shall revise the Policy if required to reflect changes mandated by securities regulatory authorities or stock exchanges, and to address changes in industry standards from time to time as determined by the Board.
NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS
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Only persons who are qualified to act as directors under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the " Act ") and who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation. At any annual meeting of shareholders, or at any special meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made only:
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a) by or at the direction of the Board, including pursuant to a notice of meeting;
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b) by or at the direction or request of one or more shareholders pursuant to a valid "proposal" as defined in the Act and made in accordance with Part 5, Division 7 of the Act;
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c) pursuant to a requisition of the shareholders that complies with and is made in accordance with section 167 of the Act, as such provisions may be amended from time to time; or
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d) by any person (a " Nominating Shareholder ") who:
- (i) at the close of business on the date of the giving by the Nominating Shareholder of the notice provided for in paragraph 4 below and at the close of business on the record date fixed by the Corporation for such meeting: (a) is a "registered owner" (as defined in the Act) of one or more shares of the Corporation carrying the right to vote at such meeting, or (b) beneficially owns shares carrying the right to vote at such meeting and provides evidence of such ownership that is satisfactory to the Corporation, acting reasonably. In cases where a Nominating Shareholder is not an individual, the notice set forth in paragraph 4 below must be signed by an authorized representative, being a duly authorized director, officer, manager, trustee or partner of such entity who provides such evidence of such authorization that is satisfactory to the Corporation, acting reasonably; and
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(ii) in either case, complies with the notice procedures set forth below in this Policy.
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In addition to any other requirements under applicable laws, for a nomination to be validly made by a Nominating Shareholder in accordance with this Policy, the Nominating Shareholder must have given notice thereof that is both timely (in accordance with paragraph 3 below) and in proper written form (in accordance with paragraph 4 below) to the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation.
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To be timely, a Nominating Shareholder's notice to the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation must be made:
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a) in the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixtyfive (65) days prior to the date of the annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of shareholders is to be held on a date that is less than fifty (50) days after the date (the " Notice Date ") on which the first public announcement (as defined below) of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice by the Nominating Shareholder may be given not later than the close of business on the tenth (10[th] ) day following the Notice Date; and
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b) in the case of a special meeting (which is not also an annual meeting) of shareholders called for the purpose of electing directors (whether or not called for other purposes), not later than the close of business on the fifteenth (15[th] ) day following the day on which the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting of shareholders was made.
The time periods for the giving of a Nominating Shareholder's notice set forth above shall in all cases be determined based on the original date of the applicable annual meeting or special meeting of shareholders, and in no event shall any adjournment or postponement of a meeting of shareholders, or the reconvening of any adjourned or postponed meeting of shareholders, or the announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a Nominating Shareholder's notice as described above.
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To be in proper written form, a Nominating Shareholder's notice must be addressed to the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation, and must set forth:
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a) as to each person whom the Nominating Shareholder proposes to nominate for election as a director: (i) the name, age, business address and residential address of the person; (ii) the present principal occupation or employment of the person and the principal occupation or employment within the five years preceding the notice; (iii) the citizenship of such person; (iv) the class or series and number of shares in the capital of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, controlled or directed or which are owned, beneficially or of record, by the person as of the record date for the meeting of shareholders (if such date shall then have been made publicly available and shall have occurred) and as of the date of such notice; and (v) a statement as to whether such person would be "independent" of the Corporation (within the meaning of sections 1.4 and 1.5 of National Instrument 52-110, Audit Committees , of the Canadian Securities Administrators, as such provisions may be amended from time to time) if elected as a director at such meeting and the reasons and basis for such determination;
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b) the full particulars regarding any oral or written proxy, contract, agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such Nominating Shareholder has a right to vote or direct the voting of any shares of the Corporation; and
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c) any other information relating to such Nominating Shareholder that would be required to be made in a dissident's proxy circular in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to the Act and Applicable Securities Laws.
The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation or that would reasonably be expected to be material to a reasonable shareholder's understanding of the experience, independence and qualifications, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.
As soon as practicable following receipt of a Nominating Shareholder's notice (and such other information referred to above, as applicable) that complies with this Policy, the Corporation shall publish through a public announcement the names of the nominees named in such notice and such other details of such notice as the Corporation may deem appropriate.
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No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the provisions of this Policy; provided, however, that nothing in this Policy shall be deemed to preclude discussion by a shareholder (as distinct from the nomination of directors) at a meeting of shareholders of any matter in respect of which such shareholder would have been entitled to submit a proposal pursuant to the provisions of the Act or at the discretion of the Chairman. The Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in the provisions of this Policy and, if the Chairman determines that any proposed nomination was not made in compliance with this Policy, to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded.
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For purposes of this Policy:
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a) " public announcement " shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service in Canada, or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation under its profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedarplus.ca; and
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b) " Applicable Securities Laws " means, collectively, the applicable securities statutes of each relevant province and territory of Canada, as amended from time to time, the rules, regulations and forms made or promulgated under any such statute and the published national instruments, multilateral instruments, policies, bulletins and notices of the securities commission and similar regulatory authority of each relevant province and territory of Canada, and all applicable securities laws of the United States.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Policy, notice given to the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation pursuant to this Policy may only be given by personal delivery, facsimile transmission or by email (at such email address as may be stipulated from time to time by the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation for purposes of this notice), and shall be deemed to have been given and made only at the time it is served by personal delivery to the Corporate Secretary at the address of the principal executive offices of the Corporation, sent by facsimile transmission (provided that receipt of confirmation of such transmission has been received) or received by email (at the address as aforesaid); provided that if such delivery or electronic communication is made on a day which is not a business day or later than 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on a business day, then such delivery or electronic communication shall be deemed to have been made on the next business day.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may, in its sole discretion, waive any provision or requirement of this Policy.
GOVERNING LAW
This Policy shall be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Policy was approved and adopted by the Board on August 25, 2023 and is and shall be effective and in full force and effect in accordance with its terms and conditions from and after such date, provided that if this Policy is not ratified and approved by an ordinary resolution of shareholders of the Corporation at the Corporation's next shareholder meeting following the effective date of this Policy, the Policy shall, from and after the date of such shareholder meeting, cease to be of any force and effect.