Exhibit 3.2
BY-LAW NO. 1
a by-law relating generally to the transaction of the business and affairs of
STILE CONSOLIDATED CORP.
(the “Corporation”)
1 - INTERPRETATION
1.1 Definitions
In this by-law and all other by-laws of the Corporation:
(a) “the Act” means the Canada Business Corporations Act or any statute which may be substituted therefor, as amended from time to time;
(b) “articles” means the original or restated articles of incorporation, articles of amendment, articles of amalgamation, articles of continuance, articles of reorganization, articles of arrangement, articles of dissolution or articles of revival of the Corporation and includes any amendments thereto;
(c) “board” means the board of directors of the Corporation;
(d) “meeting of shareholders” means an annual meeting of shareholders or a special meeting of shareholders;
(e) “non-business day” means Saturday, Sunday and any other day that is a holiday as defined in the Interpretation Act (Canada);
(f) “officer” means any individual appointed as an officer by the board, the chairperson of the board, the president, a vice-president, the secretary, the treasurer, the comptroller, the general counsel, the general manager, a managing director of a corporation, or any other individual who performs functions for a corporation similar to those normally performed by an individual occupying any of those offices;
(g) “person” includes an individual, partnership, association, body corporate, trustee, executor, administrator or legal representative;
(h) “Regulations” means the regulations under the Act, as amended from time to time;
(i) “resident Canadian” means a Canadian citizen ordinarily resident in Canada or as otherwise defined in the Act;
(j) “unanimous shareholder agreement” means a written agreement among all the shareholders of the Corporation, or among all such shareholders and one or more persons who are not shareholders, or a written declaration by a person who is the
beneficial owner of all the issued shares of the Corporation, that restricts, in whole or in part, the powers of the directors to manage, or supervise the management of, the business and affairs of the Corporation, as from time to time amended;
(k) words importing the singular number also include the plural and vice-versa; words importing the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter genders;
(l) all words used in this by-law and defined in the Act shall have the meanings given to such words in the Act or in the related Parts thereof.
2 - GENERAL BUSINESS
2.1 Registered Office
Until changed in accordance with the Act, the registered office of the Corporation shall be in the province within Canada specified in the articles and at such place and address therein as the board may from time to time determine.
2.2 Seal
The Corporation may have a seal which shall be adopted and may be changed by the board.
2.3 Financial Year
Until changed by the board, the financial year of the Corporation shall end on the 31st day of December in each year.
2.4 Execution of Instruments
Deeds, transfers, assignments, contracts, obligations, certificates and other instruments shall be signed on behalf of the Corporation by any director or officer. In addition, the board may from time to time direct the manner in which and the person or persons by whom any particular instrument or class of instruments may or shall be signed.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the secretary or any other officer or any director may sign certificates and similar instruments (other than share certificates) on the Corporation’s behalf` with respect to any factual matters relating to the Corporation’s business and affairs, including certificates verifying copies of the articles, by-laws, resolutions and minutes of meetings of the Corporation.
2.5 Execution in Counterpart, by Facsimile, and by Electronic Signature
(a) Subject to the Act, any notice, resolution, requisition, statement or other document required or permitted to be executed by one or more persons may be signed by means of electronic signature (as defined in the Act) or the Corporation may accept a facsimile signature;
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(b) Execution of several copies of any notice, resolution, requisition, statement or other document, each of which is executed whether manually or electronically, by one or more of such persons, when duly executed by all persons required or permitted, shall constitute one and the same such document for purposes of the Act.
(c) Subject to the Act, wherever a notice, resolution, requisition, statement or other document or other information is required to be created in writing, that requirement is satisfied by the creation of an electronic document with electronic signatures.
2.6 Banking Arrangements
The banking business of the Corporation, or any part or division of the Corporation, shall be transacted with such bank, trust company or other firm or body corporate as the board may designate, appoint or authorize from time to time and all such banking business, or any part thereof, shall be transacted on the Corporation’s behalf by such one or more officers or other persons as the board may designate, direct or authorize from time to time and to the extent thereby provided.
3 - BORROWING
3.1 Borrowing
Without limit to the powers of the board as provided in the Act, the board may from time to time on behalf of the Corporation:
(a) borrow money upon the credit of the Corporation;
(b) issue, reissue, sell or pledge debt obligations of the Corporation;
(c) to the extent permitted by the Act, give, directly or indirectly, financial assistance to any person by means of a loan, a guarantee to secure the performance of an obligation or otherwise; and
(d) mortgage, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise create a security interest in all or any property of the Corporation, owned or subsequently acquired, to secure any obligation of the Corporation.
3.2 Delegation
Subject to the Act, the articles, any by-laws and any unanimous shareholder agreement, the board may from time to time delegate to a director, a committee of directors or an officer or such other person or persons so designated by the board all or any of the powers conferred on the board by section 3.1 or by the Act to such extent and in such manner as the board shall determine at the time of each such delegation.
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4 - DIRECTORS
4.1 Duties of Directors
Subject to any unanimous shareholder agreement, the board shall manage, or supervise the management of, the business and affairs of the Corporation.
4.2 Qualifications of Directors
At least 25% of the directors on the board must be resident Canadians. If there are less than 4 directors, at least 1 director must be a resident Canadian. No person may be a director if such person is less than 18 years of age, of unsound mind and has been so found by a court in Canada or elsewhere, is not an individual, or has the status of bankrupt. A director is not required to hold shares of the Corporation.
4.3 Election and Term
Directors shall be elected by the shareholders at the first meeting of shareholders after the effective date of this by-law and at each succeeding annual meeting at which an election of directors is required and shall hold office for a term expiring not later than the close of the third annual meeting of shareholders following the election. The number of directors to be elected at any such meeting shall be that number most recently determined by the board. The election need not be by ballot unless a ballot is demanded by any shareholder or required by the chairperson in accordance with section 8.21. If directors are not elected at an annual meeting of shareholders at which such election is required, the directors then in office shall continue in office until their successors are elected. The directors may, if the articles of the Corporation so provide, appoint one or more additional directors within the limits permitted in the Act, who shall hold office for a term expiring not later than the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders.
4.4 Removal of Directors
Subject to the Act, the shareholders may, by ordinary resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at a special meeting of shareholders duly called for that purpose, remove any director and may at that meeting elect a qualified person for the remainder of such term.
4.5 Ceasing to Hold Office
A director may resign from office by notice in writing delivered or sent to the Corporation and such resignation shall become effective at the time the notice is delivered or sent or on such later date as may be specified in such notice. A director shall forthwith cease to hold office as a director should such director be found by a court in Canada or elsewhere to be of unsound mind, acquire the status of bankrupt, or be removed from office by the shareholders of the Corporation. Any attempt to amend or terminate any unanimous shareholder agreement without written consent of all persons who are then directors of the Corporation shall constitute the immediately effective resignation of all such directors who have not so consented.
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4.6 Vacancies
(a) A quorum of directors may fill a vacancy unless the vacancy arose from:
(i) an increase in the number or the minimum or maximum number of directors specified in the articles; or
(ii) a failure to elect the number or minimum number of directors provided for in the articles.
(b) Whenever a vacancy occurs on the board which results in the board not having a quorum, or there has been a failure to elect the number or minimum number of directors provided for in the articles, the remaining directors shall forthwith call a special meeting of shareholders to fill the vacancy. If the board fails to call such meeting or if there are no such directors then in office, any shareholder may call the meeting.
(c) The board may, if the articles of the Corporation so provide, appoint one or more additional directors, who shall hold office for a term expiring not later than the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders, but the total number of directors so appointed may not exceed one third of the number of directors elected at the previous annual meeting of shareholders.
4.7 Action by the Board
Subject to any unanimous shareholder agreement, and the Act, the board shall exercise its powers by or pursuant to a by-law or resolution passed at a meeting of directors at which a quorum is present and at which at least 25% of the directors present are resident Canadians or, if the Corporation has less than 4 directors, at least 1 of the directors present is a resident Canadian. The board may transact business at a meeting of directors where the required number of resident Canadian directors is not present if a resident Canadian director who is unable to be present approves in writing, or by telephonic, electronic or other communication facility, the business transacted at the meeting, and the required number of resident Canadian directors would have been present had that director been present at the meeting. Where the Corporation has only one director, that director may constitute a meeting.
4.8 Quorum
A majority of the number of directors fixed or elected by shareholders from time to time shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Notwithstanding vacancies, a quorum of directors may exercise all the powers of the board.
4.9 Action in Writing
A resolution in writing signed by all the directors entitled to vote thereon at a meeting of directors or of a committee of directors is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of directors.
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4.10 Meetings by Telephone, Electronic or other Communication Facility
A director may, in accordance with the Regulations, if any, and if all of the directors of the Corporation consent, participate in a meeting of directors or of a committee of directors by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during the meeting. A director who participates in such meeting by such means is deemed to be present at that meeting. Any such consent shall be effective whether given before or after the meeting to which it relates and may be given with respect to all meetings of the board held while a director holds office.
4.11 Place of Meetings
Meetings of the board may be held at the registered office of the Corporation or at any other place within or outside Canada.
4.12 Calling of Meetings
Meetings of the board shall be held from time to time at such place, on such day and at such time as the board, the chairperson of the board, the managing director, the president or any two directors may determine.
4.13 Notice of Meetings
Notice of the time and place of each meeting of the board shall be given to each director not less than 48 hours before the time when the meeting is to be held. A notice of a meeting of directors need not specify the purpose of or the business to be transacted at the meeting except where the Act requires such purpose or business to be specified, including any proposal to:
(a) submit to the shareholders any question or matter requiring the approval of the shareholders;
(b) fill a vacancy among the directors or in the office of auditor, or appoint additional directors;
(c) issue securities, except as authorized by the directors;
(d) issue shares of a series, except as authorized by the directors;
(e) declare dividends;
(f) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of the Corporation;
(g) pay a commission for the sale of shares, except as authorized by the directors;
(h) approve a management proxy circular;
(i) approve a take-over bid or directors’ circular;
(j) approve any annual financial statements; or
(k) adopt, amend or repeal by-laws.
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4.14 First Meeting of New Board
Provided a quorum of directors is present, each newly elected board may without notice hold its first meeting following the meeting of shareholders at which such board is elected.
4.15 Adjourned Meeting
Notice of an adjourned meeting of the board is not required if the time and place of the adjourned meeting is announced at the original meeting.
4.16 Votes to Govern
At all meetings of the board any question shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast on the question and in the case of an equality of votes the chairperson of the meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote. Any question at a meeting of the board shall be decided by a show of hands unless a ballot is required or demanded.
4.17 Chairperson and Secretary
The chairperson of the board or, in the chairperson’s absence, the president or, in the president’s absence, a vice-president shall be chairperson of any meeting of the board. If none of these officers are present, the directors present shall choose one of their number to be chairperson. The secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at any meeting of the board and, if the secretary of the Corporation is absent, the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint a person who need not be a director to act as secretary of the meeting.
4.18 Remuneration and Expenses
Subject to any unanimous shareholder agreement, the directors shall be paid such remuneration for their services as directors as the board may from time to time authorize.
4.19 Conflict of Interest
(a) A director or an officer of the Corporation shall disclose to the Corporation, either in writing or by requesting to have it entered in the minutes of meetings of directors or of meetings of committees of directors, the nature and extent of any interest that he or she has in a material contract or material transaction, whether made or proposed, with the Corporation, if the director or officer:
(i) is a party of the contract or transaction;
(ii) is a director or an officer, or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of a party to the contract or transaction; or
(iii) has a material interest in a party to the contract or transaction.
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(b) A director shall make such disclosure at the meeting at which a proposed contract or transaction is first considered, or if the director was not interested in the contract at that time, at the first meeting after he or she becomes so interested, even if the contract or transaction has already been made. If a person who is interested in a contract or transaction later becomes a director, the disclosure must be made at the first meeting after he or she becomes a director.
(c) An officer who is not a director shall disclose his or her interest immediately after becoming aware that the contract, transaction, proposed contract or proposed transaction is to be or has been considered at a meeting, or, if the officer becomes interested after a contract or transaction has already been made, immediately after he or she becomes interested. An individual who is interested in a contract and later becomes an officer must disclose his or her interest immediately after becoming an officer.
(d) If a material contract or material transaction, whether entered into or proposed, is one that, in the ordinary course of the Corporation’s business, would not require approval by the board or shareholders, a director or officer shall disclose, in writing to the Corporation or request to have it entered in the minutes of meetings of the board or of meetings of committees of directors, the nature and extent of his or her interest immediately after he or she becomes aware of the contract or transaction.
(e) A director or officer may satisfy their disclosure obligation by giving a general notice to the directors declaring that the director or officer is to be regarded as interested in a contract or transaction (entered into or proposed) made with a party because (a) he or she is a director or officer of the party or is acting in a similar capacity; (b) he or she has a material interest in the party; or (c) there has been a material change in the nature of the director’s or officer’s interest in the party.
(f) The shareholders may examine the portions of any minutes of meetings of directors or committees of directors that contain conflict of interest disclosures, and any other documents that contain such disclosures, during the usual business hours of the Corporation.
(g) A director required to make a disclosure under (a) shall not vote on any resolution to approve the contract or transaction unless the contract or transaction:
(i) relates primarily to his or her remuneration as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or an affiliate;
(ii) is for indemnity or insurance; or
(iii) is with an affiliate.
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5 - COMMITTEES
5.1 Committees of Directors
The board may appoint a committee or committees of directors, however designated, and delegate to such committee or committees any of the powers of the board except powers to:
(a) submit to the shareholders any question or matter requiring the approval of the shareholders;
(b) fill a vacancy among the directors or in the office of auditor or appoint additional directors;
(c) issue securities, including shares of a series, except as authorized by the board;
(d) declare dividends;
(e) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares issued by the Corporation;
(f) pay a commission for the sale of shares of the Corporation, except as authorized by the board;
(g) approve a management proxy circular;
(h) approve a take-over bid or directors’ circular;
(i) approve any annual financial statements; or
(j) adopt, amend or repeal by-laws.
5.2 Transaction of Business
The powers of a committee of directors may be exercised by a meeting at which a quorum is present or by resolution in writing signed by all the members of such committee who would have been entitled to vote on that resolution at a meeting of the committee. Meetings of such committee may be held at any place in or outside Canada.
5.3 Committee Meetings by Telephone, Electronic or other Communication Facility
The provisions of section 4.10 shall also apply to meetings of committees.
5.4 Procedure
Unless otherwise determined by the board, each committee shall have the power to fix its quorum at not less than a majority of its members, to elect its chairperson and to regulate its procedure.
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6 - OFFICERS
6.1 Appointment of Officers
Subject to any unanimous shareholder agreement, the board may from time to time appoint a chairperson of the board, a managing director (who shall be a resident Canadian), a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and such other officers as the board may determine, including one or more assistants to any of the officers so appointed. The board may specify the duties of and, in accordance with this by-law and subject to the Act, delegate to such officers powers to manage, or supervise the management of, the business and affairs of the Corporation other than any of the powers listed in section 5.1. Except for a managing director and a. chairperson of the board, an officer may but need not be a director and any person may hold more than one office.
6.2 Conflict of Interest
Officers, as defined in this by-law, shall disclose their interest in any material contract or proposed material contract with the Corporation in accordance with section 4.19.
7 - PROTECTION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
7.1 Indemnity of Directors and Officers
(a) The Corporation shall indemnify a director or officer of the Corporation, a former director or officer of the Corporation or another individual who acts or acted at the Corporation’s request as a director or officer or in a similar capacity, of another entity, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by such individual in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative, investigative or other proceeding in which the individual is involved because of that association with the Corporation or other entity.
(b) The Corporation shall advance monies to such individual for the costs, charges and expenses of a proceeding referred to in (a) provided such individual agrees in advance, in writing, to repay the monies if the individual does not fulfill the condition of paragraph (c).
(c) The Corporation may not indemnify an individual under paragraph (a) unless the individual:
(i) acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Corporation or other entity for which the individual acted as a director or officer or in a similar capacity at the Corporation’s request, as the case may be; and
(ii) in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her conduct was lawful.
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(d) The Corporation shall also seek the approval of a court to indemnify an individual referred to in paragraph (a), or advance monies under paragraph (b) in respect of an action by or on behalf of the Corporation or other entity to procure a judgment in its favour, to which such individual is made a party because of the individual’s association with the Corporation or other entity as described in paragraph (a) against all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by the individual in connection with such action, if the individual fulfills the conditions set out in paragraph (c).
7.2 Insurance
The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of an individual referred to in section 7.1(a) against any liability incurred by the individual:
(a) in the individual’s capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation; or
(b) in the individual’s capacity as a director or officer, or similar capacity, of another entity, if the individual acts or acted in that capacity at the Corporation’s request.
8 - MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
8.1 Annual Meetings
Subject to the Act, the annual meeting of shareholders shall be held on such day and at such time in each year as the board, or the chairperson of the board, or the president in the absence of the chairperson of the board, may from time to time determine, for the purpose of considering the financial statements and reports required by the Act to be placed before the annual meeting, electing directors, appointing auditors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting provided, in the case of any annual meeting called other than by the board the board shall approve the submission to the meeting of any question or matter requiring the approval of the shareholders.
8.2 Special Meetings
The board shall have power to call a special meeting of shareholders at any time.
8.3 Resolution in lieu of meeting
A resolution in writing signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote thereon at a meeting of shareholders is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of the shareholders.
8.4 Place of Meetings
Meetings of shareholders shall be held at such place within Canada as the directors shall determine or at any place outside Canada that may be specified in the articles or agreed to by all of the shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting. A shareholder who attends a meeting held outside Canada is deemed to have agreed to it being held outside Canada unless the shareholder
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attends for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully held.
8.5 Participation in Meeting by Electronic Means
(a) Any person entitled to attend a meeting of shareholders may participate in the meeting, in accordance with the Regulations, if any, by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during the meeting, if the Corporation makes such a communication facility available. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed for the purposes of the Act to be present at the meeting.
(b) If the directors or the shareholders of the Corporation call a meeting of shareholders pursuant to the Act, those directors or shareholders, as the case may be, may determine that the meeting shall be held, in accordance with the Regulations, if any, entirely by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during the meeting.
8.6 Record Date for Notice
The board may fix in advance a record date, preceding the date of any meeting of shareholders by not more than 60 days and not less than 21 days or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of the meeting. Notice of any such record date must be given, not less than 7 days, or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, before such record date, by newspaper advertisement published or distributed in the place where the registered office of the Corporation is situate and in each place in Canada where a transfer of the Corporation’s shares may be recorded, unless notice of such record date is waived in writing by every holder of a share of the class or series affected whose name is set out in the securities register of the Corporation at the close of business on the day the directors fix the record date.
8.7 Notices of Meetings
Notice of the time and place of every meeting of shareholders shall be sent not less than 21 days nor more than 60 days before the meeting or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting, to each director and to the auditor of the Corporation. Notice of a meeting of shareholders at which special business is to be transacted shall state the nature of that business in sufficient detail to permit the shareholder to form a reasoned judgment thereon and the text of any special resolution to be submitted to the meeting. All business transacted at a special meeting of the shareholders and all business transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders, except consideration of the financial statements and auditor’s report, election of directors and reappointment of the incumbent auditor, is deemed to be special business.
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8.8 List of Shareholders Entitled to Notice
For every meeting of shareholders, the Corporation shall prepare an alphabetical list of shareholders entitled to receive notice of the meeting, showing the number of shares held by each shareholder. If a record date for the meeting is fixed in advance by the directors in accordance with paragraph 8.6, the shareholders listed shall be those registered at the close of business on such record date and such list shall be prepared not later than 10 days after such record date. If no record date is fixed, the shareholders listed shall be those registered at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the notice of the meeting is given and such list shall be prepared on that date. The list shall be available for examination by any shareholder during usual business hours at the registered office of the Corporation or at the place where the securities register is kept and at the meeting for which the list is prepared. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where no notice of meeting is given, the shareholders listed shall be those registered on the day on which the meeting is held and such list shall be prepared so that it is available at such meeting.
8.9 Record Date for Shareholders Entitled to Vote
The board may fix in advance a record date, preceding the date of any meeting of shareholders by not more than 60 days and not less than 21 days, or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, for the determination of the shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders.
8.10 List of Shareholders Entitled to Vote
For every meeting of shareholders, the Corporation shall prepare an alphabetical list of shareholders entitled as of the record date to vote at a meeting of shareholders, showing the number of shares held by each shareholder. If a record date for voting is fixed in advance by the directors in accordance with paragraph 8.9, the shareholders listed shall be those registered at the close of business on such record date and such list shall be prepared not later than 10 days after a record date. If no record date for voting is fixed, the Corporation shall prepare such list no later than 10 days after a record date is fixed for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of the meeting, and if no record date is fixed for notice, then the list of shareholders entitled to vote shall be prepared no later than the close of business immediately preceding the day on which the notice is given or if no notice is given, the day on which the meeting is held.
8.11 Chairperson and Secretary
The chairperson of the board or, in the chairperson’s absence, the president or, in the president’s absence, a vice-president shall be chairperson of any meeting of shareholders. If none of these officers are present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the persons present and entitled to vote shall choose a chairperson from amongst themselves. The secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at any meeting of shareholders or, if the secretary of the Corporation be absent, the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint some person, who need not be a shareholder, to act as secretary of the meeting. If desired, one or more scrutineers, who need not be shareholders, may be appointed by resolution or by the chairperson with the consent of the meeting.
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8.12 Persons Entitled to be Present
The only persons entitled to be present at a meeting of shareholders shall be those entitled to vote thereat, the directors and auditors of the Corporation and others who, although not entitled to vote, are entitled or required under any provision of the Act or the articles or by-laws to be present at the meeting. Any other person may be admitted only on the invitation of the chairperson of the meeting or with the consent of the meeting.
8.13 Quorum
A quorum of shareholders is present at a meeting of shareholders irrespective of the number of persons actually present at the meeting, if the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting are present in person or represented by proxy. A quorum need not be present throughout the meeting provided a quorum is present at the opening of the meeting.
8.14 Right to Vote
At any meeting of shareholders every person who is named in the list prepared in accordance with section 8.10 shall be entitled to vote the shares shown thereon opposite such person’s name except to the extent that such person has transferred any of such shares and the transferee, upon producing properly endorsed certificates evidencing such shares or otherwise establishing that the transferee owns such shares, demands not later than 10 days before the meeting that the transferee’s name be included on the list to vote the transferred shares at the meeting. In the absence of a list prepared as aforesaid in respect of a meeting of shareholders, every person shall be entitled to vote at the meeting who at the time is entered in the securities register as the holder of one or more shares carrying the right to vote at such meeting.
8.15 Proxies and Representatives
Every shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders may, by means of a proxy, appoint a proxyholder, or one or mare alternate proxyholders, who need not be shareholders, to attend and act at the meeting in the manner and to the extent authorized and with the authority conferred by the proxy. A proxy shall be in writing executed by the shareholder or the shareholder’s attorney. A body corporate or association which is a shareholder of the Corporation may be represented at a meeting of shareholders by any individual authorized by a resolution of its directors or governing body and such individual may exercise on behalf of the body corporate or association which such individual represents all the powers it could exercise if it were an individual shareholder.
8.16 Time for Deposit of Proxies
The board may specify in a notice calling a meeting of shareholders a time, preceding the time of such meeting by not more than 48 hours exclusive of non business days, before which time proxies to be used at such meeting must be deposited. A proxy shall be acted upon only if, prior to the time so specified, it shall have been deposited with the Corporation or an agent thereof specified in such notice or, if no such time is specified in such notice, it shall have been received by the secretary of the Corporation or by the chairperson of the meeting or any adjournment thereof prior to the time of voting.
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8.17 Joint Shareholders
If two or more persons hold shares jointly, one of those holders present at a meeting of shareholders may in the absence of the others vote the share, but if two or more of those persons who are present, in person or by proxy, vote, they shall vote as one on the shares jointly held by them.
8.18 Votes to Govern
Except as otherwise required by the Act, all questions proposed for the consideration of shareholders at a meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the majority of the votes cast.
8.19 Casting Vote
In case of an equality of votes at any meeting of shareholders either upon a show of hands or upon a ballot, the chairperson of the meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.
8.20 Show of Hands
Any question at a meeting of shareholders shall be decided by a show of hands unless a ballot is required or demanded. Upon a show of hands every person who is present and entitled to vote shall have one vote. Whenever a vote by show of hands has been taken upon a question, unless a ballot is so required or demanded, a declaration by the chairperson of the meeting that the vote upon the question has been carried or carried by a particular majority or not carried and an entry to that effect in the minutes of the meeting shall be prima facie evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against any resolution or other proceeding in respect of the said question, and the result of the vote so taken shall be the decision of the shareholders upon the said question. Any vote may be held, in accordance with the Regulations, if any, entirely by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility if the Corporation makes available such a communication facility. Any person participating in a meeting of shareholders electronically and entitled to vote at the meeting may vote, in accordance with the Regulations, if any, by means of the telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that the Corporation has made available for that purpose.
8.21 Ballots
On any question proposed for consideration at a meeting of shareholders, and whether or not a show of hands has been taken thereon, the chairperson may require, or any shareholder or proxyholder entitled to vote at the meeting may demand, a ballot. A ballot so required or demanded shall be taken in such manner as the chairperson shall direct. A requirement or demand for a ballot may be withdrawn at any time prior to the taking of the ballot. If a ballot is taken each person present shall be entitled, in respect of the shares which each person is entitled to vote at the meeting upon the question, to that number of votes provided by the Act or the articles, and the result of the ballot so taken shall be the decision of the shareholders upon that question.
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8.22 Adjournment
If a meeting of shareholders is adjourned for less than 30 days, it shall not be necessary to give notice of the adjourned meeting, other than by announcement at the earliest meeting that is adjourned. If a meeting of shareholders is adjourned by one or more adjournments for an aggregate of 30 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as for an original meeting.
8.23 One Shareholder
Where the Corporation has only one shareholder or only one holder of any class or series of shares, the shareholder present in person or by proxy constitutes a meeting.
9 - SHARES
9.1 Issuance
Subject to the Act, the articles and any unanimous shareholder agreement, the board may from time to time issue or grant options to purchase unissued shares of the Corporation at such times and to such persons and for such consideration as the board shall determine, provided that no share shall be issued until it is fully paid.
9.2 Commissions
The board may from time to time authorize the Corporation to pay a reasonable commission to any person in consideration of their purchasing or agreeing to purchase shares of the Corporation, whether from the Corporation or from any other person, or procuring or agreeing to procure purchasers for any such shares.
9.3 Securities Records
The Corporation shall maintain a register of shares and other securities in which it records the shares and other securities issued by it in registered form, showing with respect to each class or series of shares and other securities:
(a) the names, alphabetically arranged, and the latest known address of each person who is or has been a holder;
(b) the number of shares or other securities held by each holder; and
(c) the date and particulars of the issue and transfer of each share or other security.
The share register shall be maintained at the registered office of the Corporation or at any other place within Canada designated by the directors, or at a place outside Canada designated by the directors if: (a) the records are available for inspection, by means of a computer terminal or other technology, during regular office hours at the registered office or any other place in Canada designated by the directors, and (b) the Corporation provides technical assistance to facilitate an inspection.
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9.4 Registration of Transfer
Subject to the Act and the articles, no transfer of shares shall be registered unless:
(a) the share or other security is endorsed by an appropriate person;
(b) reasonable assurance is given that the endorsement is genuine and effective;
(c) any applicable law relating to the collection of taxes has been complied with;
(d) the transfer is rightful or is to a bona fide purchaser; and
(e) any fee for a share or other security certificate prescribed by the board or in accordance with the Act has been paid.
The issuer has no duty to inquire into adverse claims or has discharged any such duty.
9.5 Lien for Indebtedness
If the articles provide that the Corporation shall have a lien on shares registered in the name of a shareholder indebted to the Corporation, such lien may be enforced, subject to any other provision of the articles and to any unanimous shareholder agreement, by the sale of the shares thereby affected or by any other action, suit, remedy or proceeding authorized or permitted by law or by equity and, pending such enforcement, the Corporation may refuse to register a transfer of the whole or any part of such shares.
9.6 Non-recognition of Trusts
Subject to the Act, the Corporation may treat the registered owner of a share as the person exclusively entitled to vote, to receive notices, to receive any dividend or other payments in respect thereof and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of an owner of a share.
9.7 Share Certificates
Every holder of one or more shares of the Corporation shall be entitled, at the holder’s option, to a share certificate, or to a non-transferable written acknowledgement of the holder’s right to obtain a share certificate, stating the number and class or series of shares held by such shareholder as shown on the securities register. Share certificates and acknowledgements of a shareholder’s right to a share certificate, respectively, shall be in such form as the board may from time to time approve. Unless otherwise ordered by the board, any share certificates shall be signed by any director or officer of the Corporation and need not be under corporate seal. Signatures may be printed or otherwise mechanically reproduced on the share certificates and such signature shall for all purposes be deemed to be the signature of the officer whose signature it reproduces and shall be binding upon the Corporation. If a share certificate contains a printed or mechanically reproduced signature of a person, the Corporation may issue the share certificate, notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or an officer of the Corporation, and the share certificate is as valid as if the person were a director or an officer at the date of its issue.
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9.8 Replacement of Share Certificates
Subject to the Act, the board or any officer or agent designated by the board may in its or such officer or agent’s discretion direct the issue of a new share certificate in lieu of and upon cancellation of a share certificate claimed to have been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken on payment of such fee, not exceeding the amount prescribed by the Act or Regulations, and on such terms as to indemnity, reimbursement of expenses and evidence of loss and of title as the board may from time to time prescribe, whether generally or in any particular case.
9.9 Joint Shareholders
If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any share, the Corporation shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate in respect thereof, and delivery of such certificate to one of such persons shall be sufficient delivery to all of them. Any one of such persons may give effectual receipts for the certificate issued in respect thereof or for any dividend, bonus, return of capital or other money payable or warrant issuable in respect of such share.
9.10 Deceased Shareholders
In the event of the death of a holder, or of one of the joint holders, of any share, the Corporation shall not be required to make any entry in the securities register in respect thereof or to make payment of any dividends thereon except upon production of all such documents as may be required by the Act and upon compliance with the reasonable requirements of the Corporation.
10 - DIVIDENDS AND RIGHTS
10.1 Dividends
Subject to the Act, the board may from time to time declare dividends payable to the shareholders according to their respective rights and interests in the Corporation. Dividends may be paid in money or property or by issuing fully paid shares of the Corporation.
10.2 Dividend Cheques
A dividend payable in cash shall be paid by cheque drawn on the Corporation’s bankers or one of them to the order of each registered holder of shares of the class or series in respect of which it has been declared and mailed by prepaid ordinary mail to such registered holder at such holder’s address recorded in the Corporation’s securities register, unless in each case such holder otherwise directs. In the case of joint holders the cheque shall, unless such joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of all of such joint holders and mailed to them at their address recorded in the securities register of the Corporation. The mailing of such cheque, in such manner, unless the cheque is not paid on due presentation, shall satisfy and discharge the liability for the dividend to the extent of the sum represented thereby plus the amount of any tax which the Corporation is required to and does withhold.
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10.3 Non-receipt of Cheques
In the event of non-receipt or loss of any dividend cheque by the person to whom it is sent, the Corporation shall issue to such person a replacement cheque for a like amount on such terms as to indemnity, reimbursement of expenses and evidence of non-receipt or loss and of title as the board may from time to time prescribe, whether generally or in any particular case.
10.4 Record Date for Dividends
The board may fix in advance a date, preceding by not more than 60 days, or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, the date for the payment of any dividend as a record date for the determination of the persons entitled to receive payment of such dividend, provided that notice of any such record date is given, not less than 7 days, or such other period as may be prescribed by the Regulations, before such record date, by advertisement in a newspaper published or distributed in the place where the Corporation has its registered office and in each place in Canada where a transfer of the Corporation’s shares may be recorded, unless notice of such record date is waived in writing by every holder of a share of the class or series affected whose name is set out in the securities register of the Corporation at the close of business on the day the directors fix the record date. If no record date is fixed in advance the record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend shall be at the close of business on the day on which the resolution relating to such dividend is passed by the board.
10.5 Unclaimed Dividends
Any dividend unclaimed after a period of six years from the date on which the dividend has been declared to be payable shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Corporation.
11 - NOTICES
11.1 Method of Giving Notices
Any notice, communication or document (“notice”) to be given, sent, delivered or served pursuant to the Act, the articles, the by-laws or otherwise to or on a shareholder, director, officer, auditor or member of a committee of the board shall be sufficiently given, sent, delivered or served if delivered personally (whether in person, by courier service or other personal method of delivery) to the person to whom it is to be given or if delivered to such person’s latest address, as shown in the securities register or in the records of the Corporation, as the case may be, or if mailed to such person at such address by prepaid ordinary or air mail or, subject to the Act regarding electronic documents, if sent to such person at such address by any means of prepaid transmitted, electronic or recorded communication, except where the Act requires a notice to be sent by registered mail.
A notice so delivered by prepaid mail or delivered personally is deemed to be received at the time it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of mail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the shareholder or director did not receive the notice or document at that time or at all.
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Subject to the Regulations, a notice so delivered by prepaid transmitted, electronic or recorded communication is deemed to have been provided when it leaves an information system within the control of the originator or another person who sent it on behalf of the originator and is deemed to be received when it enters the information system designated by the addressee or, if the notice is posted on or made available through a generally accessible electronic source, when it is accessed by the addressee.
The secretary may change or cause to be changed the recorded address of any shareholder, director, officer, auditor or member of a committee of the board in accordance with any information believed by the secretary to be reliable.
11.2 Notice to Joint Shareholders
If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any share, any notice shall be addressed to all of such joint holders but notice to one of such persons shall be sufficient notice to all of them.
11.3 Computation of Time
In computing the date when notice must be given under any provision requiring a specified number of days’ notice of any meeting or other event, both the date of giving the notice and the date of the meeting or other event shall be excluded.
11.4 Undelivered Notices
If any notice given to a shareholder pursuant to section 11.1 is returned on two consecutive occasions because the shareholder cannot be found, the Corporation shall not be required to give any further notice to such shareholder until such shareholder informs the Corporation in writing of the shareholder’s new address.
11.5 Omissions and Errors
The accidental omission to give any notice to any shareholder, director, officer, auditor or member of a committee of the board or the non-receipt of any notice by any such person or any error in any notice not affecting the substance thereof shall not invalidate any action taken at any meeting held pursuant to such notice or otherwise based thereon.
11.6 Persons Entitled by Death or Operation of Law
Every person who, by operation of law, transfer, death of a shareholder or any other means whatsoever, shall become entitled to any share, shall be bound by every notice in respect of such share which shall have been duly given to the shareholder from whom such person derives title to such share prior to such person’s name and address being entered on the securities register (whether such notice was given before or after the happening of the event upon which such person became so entitled) and prior to such person furnishing to the Corporation the proof of authority or evidence of such person’s entitlement prescribed by the Act.
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11.7 Waiver of Notice
Any shareholder (or such shareholder’s duly appointed proxyholder), director, officer, auditor or member of a committee of the board may at any time waive the sending of any notice, or waive or abridge the time for any notice, required to be given to such person under any provision of the Act, the articles, the by-laws or otherwise and such waiver or abridgement shall cure any default in the giving or in the time of such notice, as the case may be. Any such waiver or abridgement shall be in writing except a waiver of notice of a meeting of shareholders or of the board which may be given in any manner. Attendance of a director at a meeting of directors or of a shareholder or any other person entitled to attend a meeting of shareholders is a waiver of notice of the meeting except where such director, shareholder or other person, as the case may be, attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called.
The foregoing By-law No. 1 is passed as evidenced by the signatures of the directors of the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act.
DATED February 2 , 2005. |
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/s/ Paul E. Raether |
| /s/ Glenn Murphy |
Paul E. Raether |
| Glenn Murphy |
The foregoing By-law No. 1 is confirmed as evidenced by the signature of the shareholder entitled to vote pursuant to the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act.
DATED February 2 , 2005. | ||
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| STILE HOLDING CORP. | |
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| By: | /s/ Glenn Murphy |
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| Glenn Murphy |
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| Director |
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