In Meunerie B.L. inc., Re (2007), EYB 2007-126274, 2007 QCCA 1601 (Que. C.A.) affirming (2006), EYB 2006-109274, 2006 QCCS 4914 (Que. S.C.) Meunerie B.L. Inc. (“Meunerie”) made an assignment in accordance with the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”). At the time of bankruptcy Meunerie was a mill which processed corn purchased from corn producers. Corn that was delivered to Meunerie was stored on site in silos
This article first appeared in the December 2014 edition of Corporate Rescue & Insolvency journal. Written by Deepak Reddy in Dentons' New York office, Carlo Vairo in Dentons’ Toronto office and Alexander Hewitt in Dentons' London office.
Key Points
- Ex ParteOrders
There are a number of ethical issues facing lawyers today in bankruptcy and insolvency litigation. One of the main issues is the level of disclosure in ex parte applications, such as those for a stay of proceedings in order to file a proposal under the BIA or a plan under theCCAA.
Nortel Networks (“Nortel”) brought a motion seeking approval of the sale of various Nortel assets to Nokia Siemens (“Asset Sale Agreement”), and for approval of a Sale Agreement and Bidding Procedures, advanced by Nortel for the purpose of conducting a “stalking horse” bidding process in respect of its Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) and Long-Term Evolution Access (“LTE”) assets. As of the date of the motion, Nortel had yet to propose a formal plan of compromise or arrangement.
Section 81.1 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”) grants a temporary super priority to suppliers who provided goods to a bankrupt purchaser or where a receiver has been appointed in relation to the purchaser. The section requires the supplier to provide a written demand to the purchaser and allows the supplier to repossess the goods within thirty days of the date of the delivery of goods.
Banks have a recognized right to set off amounts owing by the bank to its customer (i.e. a credit balance in the customer’s bank account) against the customer’s debt to the bank. However, banks frequently wish to have the additional comfort of obtaining a security interest in the customer’s credit balance in a designated bank account. Banks frequently refer to this security as a pledge of cash collateral.
LEGEND
What follows are blackline documents outlining amendments to the BIA, CCAA and WEPP which have been passed by the government, but not yet proclaimed in force. It is hoped that these comparisons will serve as a useful tool in providing a comprehensive understanding of what the legislation will ultimately look like, when the proposed amendments are proclaimed in force.
What you need to know
The entry of the Cape Town Convention into force under Canadian law is a positive step, but has led to a legislative “black hole” in the protection provided to certain aviation creditors, bringing with it considerable uncertainty and potentially expensive ramifications.
The Cape Town Convention in Canada
Recovery of legal costs in insolvency proceedings can be a difficult procedure, as the ability of counsel to claim costs depends on the work performed, the timing of the work, and for whom the work was done.
In the recent case of Re Masonite International Inc., the Ontario Superior Court approved a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (“CBCA”), notwithstanding that certain insolvent entities were involved. This was a short but complex cross-border restructuring which commenced and was principally completed prior to the recent Canadian insolvency legislation amendments coming into force.