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众所周知,采矿业面临着艰难的局面。在最近几年的市场繁荣时期,矿业公司承担了空前庞大的债务。目前,随着商品价格的下降和再融资来源的枯竭,这些巨额的债务令许多公司步履维艰,严重威胁着它们的生存。

加拿大

若无法与债权人商定业务解决方案,公司应该考虑向债权人寻求破产法项下的保护。在加拿大拥有资产或在加拿大经营业务且债务金额在五百万以上的公司可获得联邦《公司债权人安排法》(简称,“CCAA”)项下的保护。

CCAA允许公司在重组公司事务时暂缓债权人追诉,同时根据某些条件维持对公司经营的控制。公司,特别是未达到五百万债务门槛的公司,还可以考虑联邦《破产法》项下的和解机制。在本文中,我们将讨论CCAA项下的程序。

CCAA项下程序的第一步是获得法院命令,该命令将暂缓债权人在三十日的初始期限内行使其权利,从而允许公司制定重组方案。在获得首个暂缓命令前,公司无需通知债权人,尽管在许多情况下,建议公司通知其债权人。

若公司能够证明其很有可能将提交重组方案,并且延期不会有损于债权人的整体利益,暂缓命令的期限还可以延长。下达暂缓命令时,法院还将任命独立第三方在命令生效期间,监控公司业务及财务事宜。监控人须向法院报告公司的业务行为,但并不管理或指导公司业务。

BACKGROUND

A fruit and vegetable supplier supplied the defendants’ company with fruit and vegetables over a number of years.  The defendants, who were brothers, were the directors of the company to whom the fruit and vegetables were supplied.

The company fell behind in its payments to the fruit and vegetable supplier.  A guarantee was provided by the brothers in order to secure the payment of debts owed by their company and ensure further supply.

BACKGROUND

Stephanie Roebuck As Executor Of The Deceased Estate Of Suzanne Florence Bulwinkel (Roebuck) served Bulwinkel Enterprises Pty Ltd (Bulwinkel) with a statutory demand for the payment of $990,377.63 monies owing in connection with an unpaid trust distribution and loan between the parties. 

Background

Coin Co International PLC (Administrators Appointed) (Coin Co) was a company incorporated in the UK which conducted a cash services business in the UK and a global currency exchange business in various countries, including Australia.

WHAT HAPPENED?

On 4 February 2013, Stansfield DIY Wealth Pty Ltd (in liquidation) was wound up, and a liquidator was appointed. At that time, the only function of the company was acting as trustee of a self-managed superannuation fund. It had no assets or liabilities, save in its capacity as trustee of the super fund.

BACKGROUND

Mr Featherstone was recorded as director of Ashala Pty Ltd (Ashala) from 10 March 2004 to 7 October 2005 and from 28 November 2005 to 12 December 2005. Ashala occupied premises which Mr Featherstone owned as trustee for his family trust.

On 7 October 2005, Mr Featherstone agreed to transfer his shares in Ashala and two other related companies to Ms Kristy Marks and for Ms Marks to become the sole director of the three companies. This agreement was recorded in an “agreement letter” and ASIC was notified accordingly.

It is no secret that the mining sector is facing tough times. In recent boom years, mining companies took on unprecedented amounts of debt. Now that commodity prices have dropped and sources of refinancing have dried up, debt obligations have become overwhelming for many companies, posing a serious risk to their survival.

Canada

The Federal Court has recently handed down a decision that clarifies the power of receivers to administer trust property under a debenture. In Benton, in the matter of Mackay Rural Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) [2014] FCA 1285, the Federal Court confirmed that section 420 of the Corporations Act 2001 (“the Act”) confers upon receivers a power to dispose of trust property, provided that this is necessary for the purpose for which they have been appointed.

FACTS

The Supreme Court of Western Australia recently handed down its decision in Soil and Contracting Pty Ltd v Boban Pty Ltd [2014] WASC 402 which confirmed that, notwithstanding the operation of s 459R of the Corporations Act, the slip rule is available to extend the time limit within which a winding up application may be determined.

SECTION 459R