MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
ENTERED INTO AS OF MARCH 15, 1999
Between
THE ALBERTA STOCK EXCHANGE ("ASE"),
THE MONTREAL EXCHANGE ("ME"),
THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE ("TSE"), both for itself
and on behalf of the Canadian Dealing Network Inc. ("CDN"),
and
VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE ("VSE")
(individually referred to herein as an "Exchange"
and collectively referred to herein as the "Exchanges")
1. AGREEMENT
1.1 The Exchanges have decided to jointly carry out a
restructuring program (the "Program") designed to restructure the trading
facilities and services which they provide, the Program being substantially defined in the
present Agreement.
1.2 The Program is intended to enhance the efficiency of the
trading facilities and services of the Exchanges, create new opportunities for the
Canadian market-place and improve the competitive position of the Canadian securities
industry in the context of the globalization of the securities and derivatives markets and
technological developments.
1.3 To this end, the Program is intended to eliminate
fragmentation of the Canadian market for exchange-traded securities and derivatives, avoid
duplication of services and leverage the strengths of each Exchange through
specialization.
1.4 The Program has been designed to take into account the
fact that each individual Exchange has developed areas of specialization and expertise
with the potential for further growth and stronger competitiveness.
1.5 The Program has also been designed to serve regional
needs within Canada, and particularly the need to ensure public access to the same range
of services in the same places where they are currently being provided by the Exchanges as
well as in other centres when dictated by market conditions.
1.6 The present Memorandum of Agreement shall be a contract
binding on the parties, each Exchange undertaking to use its best efforts to achieve what
needs to be done to implement the Program and meet the Program's objectives in a timely
manner and in a spirit of the utmost co-operation. Where the context requires that a more
detailed contract be entered into, the Steering Committee referred to in section 1.8 shall
appoint specialized personnel to act together as a team to work out the terms of ancillary
agreements, and the implementation of that aspect of the Program shall proceed
accordingly, without it being necessary for all aspects of the Program to be covered by a
single agreement other than the present Memorandum of Agreement.
1.7 Subject to the receipt of any necessary approvals, each
Exchange will adopt the by-law amendments and rules needed to implement the Program and
give effect to the provisions of the present Agreement.
1.8 A Steering Committee composed of the CEOs of each
Exchange is established to oversee the implementation of the Program and to deal with
ongoing issues thereafter.
1.9 The Program also contemplates that the ASE and the VSE
will enter into arrangements for the rationalization of their activities, the result of
which will be the creation of a single junior equities market which is referred to herein
as the "ASE/VSE".
1.10 The Exchanges view the Program and the present Agreement
as a co-operative venture and it is not their intention that this Agreement in any way
create a partnership or effect any form of corporate merger between them. Each Exchange
shall remain free to modify its own corporate structure as it sees fit. However, an
Exchange may not change its name in a material manner without first consulting the other
Exchanges to ensure that the proposed change would not have a material negative impact on
any other Exchange.
1.11 Each Exchange declares that it has been authorized to
enter into this Agreement by its board of governors and that, subject to the passage of
all requisite legislative changes and obtaining all consents, approvals and authorizations
as set forth in section 6.1b, it has the power and authority to perform its obligations
hereunder. The TSE further declares that it is authorized to enter into this Agreement on
behalf of the CDN and to bind the CDN hereunder and will use its best efforts to secure
approval for this Agreement by the Toronto Futures Exchange (the "TFE") as soon
as possible.
2. MARKET SECTOR SPECIALIZATION
2.1 It is the fundamental objective of the Program, and the
Exchanges agree, that, as of the earliest possible date (the "final implementation
date"), each will exclusively provide trading facilities and services in a single
market sector as follows:
a. The ME: all exchange-traded derivative products,
comprising (without limitation) any type of option and futures contracts, including
options and futures on index participation units;
b. The TSE: all senior securities, other than exchange-traded
derivatives products, including (without limitation) stocks, rights, convertible
debentures, trust and limited partnership units, warrants, bonds and mutual fund
securities and other products commonly traded on the cash market, including index
participation units. Senior securities means the securities of all issuers that qualify
for listing on the TSE;
c. The ASE/VSE: all junior securities, other than
exchange-traded derivatives products, being defined as the securities of all other
issuers, including (without limitation) stocks, rights, convertible debentures, trust and
limited partnership units, warrants, bonds and mutual fund securities and other products
commonly traded on the cash market, including junior securities under participation units.
For greater clarity, current ME issuers that do not qualify for transfer to the TSE will
be transferred to the ASE/VSE (and not CDN) .
2.2 The Exchanges agree to cooperate to facilitate listings
based on the areas of market sector specialization as defined above and minimize
duplication of listing standards. For greater clarity, the TSE will not decrease its
minimum published original listing requirements and, following the resolution of
discussions described in the next sentence, will increase its guidelines for continued
listing. The ASE, TSE and VSE will immediately work together to establish demarcations
between senior and junior securities and, thereafter, will encourage, on an ongoing basis,
listings to migrate to the appropriate market.
2.3 The Exchanges will cooperate and enter into such
ancillary agreements as may be necessary to avoid duplicative costs to listed companies
and to ensure the prompt and seamless transfer and ongoing management of the listing,
trading and other functions necessary to implement this Agreement.
2.4 Until such time as the derivatives trading system
referred to in section 8 is operational on the ME in Montreal, the ME and the TSE will
(and the TSE will use its best efforts to cause the TFE to) agree on arrangements whereby
the ME will carry out those functions using the facilities and systems of the TSE and TFE
in Toronto. As of the date hereof, no new derivative product will be listed for trading on
the TSE and the TSE will use its best efforts to ensure that no new derivative product
will be listed for trading on the TFE.
2.5 The Exchanges will enter into such ancillary agreements
and adopt such trading rules in respect of underlying securities as are reasonably
necessary to facilitate the creation by the ME of new derivative products.
3. MARKET ACCESS FOR ISSUERS
3.1 The Exchanges agree to cooperate on an ongoing basis to
implement such arrangements as are necessary to provide issuers with the quality of
service with respect to access to the Canadian capital markets equivalent to that provided
today, while minimizing duplication of Exchange infrastructure. Interim arrangements to
ensure that the responsible Exchanges (in accordance with the areas of market sector
specialization referred to in section 2.1) can achieve these objectives will be
facilitated by appropriate contractual relationships between the Exchanges.
3.2 The fees established by an Exchange for the listing or
maintenance of the listing of a security shall be non-discriminatory.
3.3 As indicated in section 1.5, the Exchanges will enter
into such further agreements as may be dictated by market considerations with respect to
providing additional services in other centres in Canada.
4. ACCESS FOR MARKET PARTICIPANTS
4.1 Existing members of each Exchange and, with respect to
the ME, members of the TFE, having access to one Exchange shall be entitled to access the
trading facilities of the other Exchanges on a non-discriminatory basis.
4.2 To facilitate access pursuant to section 4.1, the
Exchanges shall enter into such ancillary agreements as may be required.
4.3 No Exchange will adopt trading rules which in any way
discriminate against members covered by section 4.1.
5. TIMETABLE AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION
5.1 The Exchanges will work towards a final implementation
date within the first quarter of the year 2000. To that end, the Steering Committee will
ensure that the teams referred to in section 1.6 will start meeting no later than one week
from the date of this Agreement, their target being to finalize the terms of all ancillary
agreements by June 1, 1999.
5.2 To the extent they are legally permitted, the Exchanges
agree to give each other access to all information relevant to their respective areas of
specialization so that each Exchange can work out the details necessary to the
implementation of the Program. The Exchanges shall hold in confidence all such information
and restrict its use to the purposes of this Agreement.
6. CONDITIONS
6.1 The respective obligations of the Exchanges to complete
the Program shall be subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions: a. the
Exchanges shall be satisfied that the rationalization of the activities of the ASE and the
VSE will proceed as contemplated in section 1.9 or as otherwise agreed by the Exchanges;
and b. subject to section 6.2, all requisite legislative changes shall have been passed
and all consents, approvals and authorizations, including approval of the members of each
Exchange and the authorization of any securities commission and other governmental or
regulatory authority required for the completion of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall have been obtained and received from the persons, authorities and bodies
having jurisdiction in the circumstances.
6.2 In the event that contractual rights cannot be assigned
or a consent, approval or authorization which is required under the terms of a contract
with a third party cannot be obtained, the Exchanges concerned will enter into such agency
or other arrangements as will enable them to complete the Program.
7. INVESTMENTS AND TRANSFERS
In order to give effect to the provisions of this Agreement,
the Exchanges will invest the amounts and effect the transfers listed in Schedule A, which
forms part of this Agreement.
8. INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND MARKET DATA
8.1 The TSE will transfer the OM derivatives trading system
to the ME, and the ME will endeavor to adapt it to its own use. To that end, the TSE
undertakes to use its best efforts to make all necessary contractual arrangements with the
supplier of OM in respect of licensing and product support for the ME.
8.2 Each Exchange shall, subject to existing licensing
restrictions, use its best efforts to make its existing technology available to the others
and lend the expertise of its personnel to that end. In particular, the TSE shall provide
to the ME, during a reasonable transition period, the services of TSE personnel familiar
with OM and able to assist in integrating it at the ME.
8.3 The Exchanges will use their best efforts to amend any
contractual arrangement which any of them may have with third parties in order to achieve
the objectives of the Program.
9. TERMINATION
9.1 Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, this Agreement may be terminated by a written notice by any Exchange, if any of
the legislative changes contemplated by section 6.1b has not been passed or if, subject to
section 6.2, any of the consents, approvals or authorizations contemplated by section 6.1b
has not been granted by the competent body by March 31, 2000 or if the condition set forth
in section 6.1a is not satisfied by such date.
9.2 In the event of the termination of this Agreement, this
Agreement (except for the confidentiality undertaking referred to in section 5.2) shall
become void and of no further force and effect and, subject to section 9.3, there shall be
no liability on the part of any Exchange, except to the extent that any such Exchange is
in default of any of its obligations hereunder.
9.3 In the event of the termination of this Agreement, the
investments and transfers mentioned in section 7 will be cancelled and the ME will
reimburse any instalment payments received by it from the other Exchanges, with interest
at a rate equal to the average of the best commercial prime rates of the Royal Bank of
Canada in effect on the first day of each month of the calculation period.
10. OTHER
10.1 Each Exchange shall continue as a separate
self-regulatory organization, and shall carry out the responsibilities entrusted to it
pursuant to provincial legislation or by agreement in respect of the surveillance and
regulation of its respective market.
10.2 The Exchanges agree to consult and cooperate with regard
to opportunities for alliances with any other exchange or competing market operator within
or outside Canada. The Exchanges agree to enter into such confidentiality agreements as
may be required for such purposes.
11. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
11.1 The Exchanges have, concurrently with the signing of
this Agreement, agreed upon the terms of a joint press release in the form shown in
Schedule B.
11.2 The substance and tenor of all further notices to third
parties and all publicity, announcements or statements concerning this Agreement as well
as the timing thereof shall be jointly planned and co-ordinated by the Exchanges and no
Exchange shall act unilaterally in this regard without the prior approval of all the other
Exchanges except where required to do so by law or by the applicable regulations or
policies of any governmental or regulatory authority. 11.3 Without limiting the generality
of section 11.2, the Exchanges shall cause the public relations firms or consultants which
may be retained by each of them in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement to comply with the provisions of section 11.2 and to consult and co-operate with
each other in order to ensure that the public disclosure of information relating to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby is consistent between the Exchanges.
12. NOTICES
Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be
given hereunder shall be sufficiently given if delivered in person or if sent by facsimile
transmission:
12.1 in the case of the ASE, at the following address:
The Alberta Stock Exchange
The Alberta Stock Exchange Tower, 10th Floor
300-5th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3C4
Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile No: (403) 234-4304
12.2 in the case of the ME, at the following address:
The Montreal Exchange
The Stock Exchange Tower
800 Square Victoria, 4th Floor
Montréal, Quebec H4Z 1A9
Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile No: (514) 871-3568
12.3 in the case of the TSE, at the following address:
The Toronto Stock Exchange
Exchange Tower 2 First Canadian Place
P.O. Box 450, 4th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5X 1J2
Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile No: (416) 947-4332
12.4 in the case of the VSE, at the following address:
Vancouver Stock Exchange
Stock Exchange Tower 609 Granville Street
P.O. Box 10333 Vancouver,
British Columbia V7Y 1H1
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No: (604) 688-5041
or at such other address as the Exchange to which such notice
or other communication is to be given has last notified to the other Exchanges in the
manner provided in this section, and if so given the same shall be deemed to have been
received on the date of such delivery or sending.
13. EXPENSES
All costs and expenses incurred by a Exchange in connection
with the negotiation, preparation and implementation of this Agreement and the ancillary
agreements shall be paid by the Exchange incurring such costs and expenses.
14. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
This Agreement can only be amended with the consent in
writing of all Exchanges and no Exchange shall be deemed to have waived any provision of
this Agreement unless such waiver is in writing.
15. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
15.1 The Exchanges agree to create a committee of four
individuals (the "Guidance Committee") consisting of each Exchange's chair or
vice-chair or a person designated by the chair or vice-chair with the mandate to attempt
to resolve any disputes, controversies and conflicts between the Exchanges, whether before
or after the final implementation date, in connection with this Agreement or any ancillary
agreement or the implementation of the Program.
15.2 Any and all disputes, controversies and conflicts
between any or all Exchanges in connection with this Agreement, any ancillary agreement or
the implementation of the Program, whether before or after the final implementation date,
shall, so far as is possible, be settled amicably through management. If the issue is not
resolved through this process within a reasonable time frame, any of the Exchanges
involved may bring the matter to the attention of the Guidance Committee. If the Guidance
Committee cannot reach a settlement within ten business days (or such other time frame as
the Exchanges involved may mutually agree) from the date on which the matter was brought
to its attention, any Exchange involved may, upon concluding in good faith that a
settlement through continued negotiation does not appear likely, submit the matter to
arbitration in accordance with section 15.3.
15.3 Subject to sections 15.5 and 15.6, any dispute,
controversy or conflict that has proceeded to be resolved pursuant to the provisions of
section 15.2 without resolution may be submitted to arbitration by any Exchange involved
by a written notice (the "Arbitration Notice") to the other Exchanges. Subject
to the provisions hereinafter set forth, the arbitration will be conducted and determined
in accordance with the rules of the Arbitrations Act (Ontario), as amended from time to
time (the "Arbitrations Act"). The procedure mandated by the Arbitrations Act
shall be modified as follows:
a. if the dispute, controversy or conflict involves two
Exchanges, the arbitration will be conducted by three arbitrators, each Exchange
designating one arbitrator and the two arbitrators so selected designating the third
arbitrator. If the dispute, controversy or conflict involves more than two Exchanges, the
arbitration will be conducted by three arbitrators to be appointed jointly by the
Exchanges or, failing such joint appointment, to be appointed by the Court pursuant to
section 10 of the Arbitrations Act.;
b. the arbitration will be conducted in the city, in Canada,
chosen by the panel of arbitrators;
c. any procedural rules which the arbitrators wish to
establish for the arbitration shall be determined by the arbitrators, including without
limitation, rules governing the availability and manner of pre-hearing discovery and
disclosure proceedings. The arbitrators shall commence the arbitration hearing within 45
business days of their appointment, provided that the arbitrators are satisfied that all
pre-hearing discovery and disclosure proceedings have been completed in accordance with
the arbitrators' procedural rules. The arbitrators shall render a written decision within
10 days after the arbitration hearing is completed and such decision shall be final and
binding on the Exchanges and, subject to appeal rights on questions of law only, no
Exchange shall appeal the decision on any basis to any court;
d. upon removal, death, resignation, failure, refusal or
inability of any arbitrator to act, his or her successor shall be appointed in the same
manner as provided his or her original appointment;
e. the arbitrators shall render their decision in writing
with counterpart copies to all Exchanges. The arbitrators shall have no right to modify
the provisions of this Agreement; and
f. the costs of the arbitration, including the fees and
expenses of counsel, expert and witness fees, and costs of the arbitrators shall be in the
discretion of the arbitrators, who shall have the power to make any award regarding costs
which is just in the circumstances.
15.4 Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, all
Exchanges shall continue the performance of their respective obligations during the
resolution of any dispute or disagreement, including during any period of arbitration,
unless and until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms and conditions.
15.5 The following matters shall be excluded from mandatory
arbitration under this section 15:
a. a decision by any Exchange to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to section 9;
b. the right to amend, change or vary any terms of this
Agreement; and
c. section 17 of this Agreement.
15.6 Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section
15, the Exchanges shall have the right to go to court for injunctive or other
extraordinary relief.
16. FURTHER ASSURANCES
The Exchanges agree to do or cause to be done all such acts
and things and provide or cause to be provided all such reasonable assurances and execute
all such ancillary agreements and other documents and instruments as may be necessary or
desirable to effect the purpose of this Agreement and carry out its provisions. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Exchanges agree that they will not
authorize, condone or perform or cause to be performed any act nor enter into any
transaction or negotiation which, if performed or entered into, would prevent or frustrate
the performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
therein or which would be inconsistent with the intent and purpose of this Agreement.
17. TERM
This Agreement and those entered into pursuant thereto shall
remain in effect for a period of ten years from the date hereof unless otherwise agreed
upon by the Exchanges.
18. APPLICABLE LAW
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable
therein.
19. COUNTERPARTS AND FACSIMILE SIGNATURE
19.1 This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts
and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
19.2 The Exchanges agree that executed copies of this
Agreement may be delivered by fax or similar device and that the signatures appearing on
the copies so delivered will be as binding as if copies bearing original signatures had
been delivered; each Exchange undertakes to deliver to the other Exchanges a copy of this
Agreement bearing original signatures, forthwith upon demand.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Exchanges have
hereunto duly executed this Agreement.
THE ALBERTA STOCK EXCHANGE
by: __________________________________________
Thomas A. Cumming
President & Chief Executive Officer
and by:__________________________________________
Ian S. Brown, Vice-Chair
THE MONTREAL EXCHANGE
by: __________________________________________
Luc Bertrand, Chair
and
by:__________________________________________
Gérald A. Lacoste, Q.C.
President and Chief Executive Officer
THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE
by: __________________________________________
Barbara Stymiest, Chair
and by:__________________________________________
Rowland W. Fleming
President and Chief Executive Officer
VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE
by: __________________________________________
J. Christopher Lay, Vice-Chair
and by:__________________________________________
Michael E. Johnson
President and Chief Executive Officer
SCHEDULE A
Investments and Transfers
1. DERIVATIVES MARKET DEVELOPMENT COSTS
It is recognized that the ME will need to commit substantial
resources in order to develop the derivatives market contemplated by the Program. To
reallocate industry resources accordingly, the Exchanges agree as follows:
1.1 The ME will receive, from the other Exchanges, an amount
of $28,000,000.
1.2 This amount of $28,000,000 will be made up of a transfer
of $21,000,000 from the TSE and a transfer of $3,500,000 from each of the ASE and the VSE.
1.3 The first cash transfer will be made to the ME on May 1,
1999 as follows:
1.3.1 The TSE: $10,000,000;
1.3.2 The ASE: $1,750,000;
1.3.3 The VSE: $1,750,000.
1.4 The second cash transfer will be made to the ME on May 1,
2000 as follows:
1.4.1 The TSE: $5,500,000;
1.4.2 The ASE: $875,000;
1.4.3 The VSE: $875,000.
1.5 The third cash transfer will be made to the ME on May 1,
2001 as follows:
1.5.1 The TSE: $5,500,000;
1.5.2 The ASE: $875,000;
1.5.3 The VSE: $875,000.
1.6 The second and third cash transfers will be accompanied
by interest payments at a rate equal to the average of the best commercial prime rates of
the Royal Bank of Canada calculated from May 1, 1999 on the first day of each month of the
calculation period.
2. OTHER
2.1 The TSE will transfer CDN to the VSE and the ASE.
2.2 The TSE will transfer OM to the ME as contemplated in
section 8.1.
2.3 Subject to section 6.2, the Exchanges (and with respect
to the TFE, the TSE will use its best efforts to cause it to do so) will transfer, or
arrange the transfer to each other, of all other existing contractual arrangements, as
dictated by the market sector specialization provided for in the Agremeent.
2.4 The TSE will transfer to the ME the shares held by the
TSE in Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation (CDCC).
2.5 The ME will transfer to the TSE the shares held by the ME
in The Canadian Depository for Securities Ltd (CDS).
2.6 The Exchanges will transfer to one another, in accordance
with their respective fields of market specialization, any intellectual property or trade
names relating exclusively to a field not retained by an Exchange as a result of the
Memorandum of Agreement.
2.7 The Exchanges agree to renegotiate the Canadian Exchange
Group Participant Agreement so that the revenue streams are consistent with the exclusive
fields of market specialization established by the Memorandum of Agreement.
SCHEDULE B
Joint Press Release
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