Written by- Thomas H. Curran, Thomas H. Curran Associates

The Federal Court declined to approve a creditors' scheme of arrangement by Twinza Oil Limited (Twinza). The scheme, supported by all scheme creditors, proceeded on the assumption that the ordinary and preference shares were worthless.

Key takeouts

At 11 p.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2020, the United Kingdom left the European Union.

This has since enabled staff in many airports in continental Europe, often with unconcealed delight, to direct British citizens to much longer queues than they would have needed to join had the U.K. remained an EU Member State.

In August 2025, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) launched a Restructuring and Insolvency Arbitration Protocol, designed to provide a framework for arbitration of matters arising in the context of restructuring, adjustment of debt or insolvency.

An insolvency practitioner (IP) can pursue a wide range of claims when appointed as the administrator or liquidator of a company. 

These include claims that already existed at the point that the company entered an insolvency process (Pre-existing Company Claims), and ones that arise on insolvency (IP Claims see below).

An IP pursues Pre-existing Company Claims as agent for and in the name of the company, and these types of claims typically include claims for debt, breach of contract, breach of duty or recovery of property.

The Alberta Court of King’s Bench (the Court) has delivered an important decision in the insolvency proceedings of Wolverine Energy and Infrastructure Inc. (WEI), voiding insider payments and imposing personal liability on a former executive. The ruling highlights the significant risks associated with insider transactions during financial distress and clarifies how courts apply statutory remedies under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA), the Fraudulent Preferences Act (FPA), and the Statute of Elizabeth (SOE).

Assignments for benefit of creditors (“ABCs”) and receiverships have been utilized effectively for centuries under the common law, side-by-side as separate and distinct and complementary remedies for liquidating assets.

Differences

Differences between the two are that:

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (the Act) will overhaul the private rented sector in England and Wales.

Key changes include:

• All tenancies being periodic assured tenancies;
• Changes to the way landlords can obtain possession;
• The application of a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector; and
• The creation of a digital private rented sector database.

The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and the Government has published a roadmap for phased implementation, with the key reforms commencing on 1 May 2026.

A knowing breach of the payment prohibition under insolvency law cannot be inferred from a breach of the obligation to file for insolvency.

In the recent decision of AlphaBow Energy Ltd. (Re) (“AlphaBow”),^[1] the Alberta Court of King’s Bench dismissed AlphaBow’s application to stay the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (“AER”) request for a security deposit for the duration of its restructuring proceedings.

Background