Summary

On August 19, 2011, the Federal Minister of Finance released a significant package of proposed amendments to Canada’s income tax rules applicable to Canadian multinational corporations with foreign affiliates (the Proposals).  The Proposals apply to most distributions from, and reorganizations of, foreign subsidiaries of Canadian corporations and contain new rules applicable to certain loans received from foreign subsidiaries that remain outstanding for at least two years, among other significant changes.  In addition to certain important new measures, the Proposals replace numero

A nominee director of a corporation appointed by one of its creditors may encounter risk of liability where that creditor is engaged with the corporation in efforts to restructure its debt. Steps can be taken to minimize the risk of such liability.

Nominee Directors in Canada

In relation to the Great Lakes UK Limited Pension Plan a settlement was again reached before a full hearing with the Determination Panel could take place as reported by tPR on 13 July 2011.

Toward the end of 2009 the Republic of Ireland’s then government passed legislation which would lead to the creation of the National Assets Management Agency (NAMA). The role of NAMA was a simple one: to remove toxic debt from the books of the Irish banks to assist in attempts to revive the national economy. The security would be acquired at a discount and purchased with Government backed bonds. In the first phase of NAMA (focusing on mortgages and other secured facilities with a minimum value of £20m) over £80bn in toxic debts were acquired.

A CVA was introduced as one of the rescue arrangements under the Insolvency Act 1986. It allows a company to settle unsecured debts by paying only a proportion of the amount owed, or to vary the terms on which it pays its unsecured creditors. Whilst a CVA only requires approval of a 75% majority of the creditors by value, it binds every unsecured creditor of the company, including any that voted against it or did not vote at all.

It is an age old problem for creditors who are faced with debtors who ask for more time to pay their debts. The Civil Procedural Rules (CPR) 14.9 and 14.10 allow for a debtor, following the admission of their debt, to request time to pay. It is open for a claimant to choose whether or not to accept a defendant’s proposals; if the claimant does not accept the defendant’s proposals, it is for the court to determine the time and rate of payment. The court’s discretion conferred by CPR 14.10 to extend time for payment has not, until now, been examined.

Corporate insolvencies are set to rise over the coming months and years as the effects of the cuts in Government expenditure begin to infiltrate the private sector.

The Ontario Court of Appeal decision in Indalex Limited (Re) has created considerable uncertainty over the priority status afforded to pension plan wind-up deficits, particularly in insolvency proceedings involving the plan sponsor.

Certain provisions of Bill C-9, last year's Budget Bill, which amended the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act (PBSA), have been proclaimed in force.