Distribution
Policy
Distributions on the Preferred Shares are fixed and cumulative and are
paid quarterly. The Company revised its Capital Share dividend policy to pay a quarterly dividend on the Capital Shares equal to the dividends received on the underlying portfolio securities minus the dividends payable on the Preferred Shares and all administrative and operating expenses provided the net asset value per Unit at the time of declaration, after giving effect to the dividend, would be greater than the original issue price of the Preferred Shares. For historical distribution amounts,
please see
distribution
information.
Retraction Rights
The following provides a summary of the retraction rights
available to shareholders. Please refer to the prospectus for complete
details.
Unlike most mutual funds the Capital and Preferred Shares are
listed allowing holders to exit by selling their Shares. In addition,
they are also retractable at any time. Because of the manner in which
the retraction prices are calculated, investors are almost always better
off selling their Shares on the market rather than retracting them. It
should be noted that all the retractions listed below constitute a
taxable disposition of the Company's Shares at the time of the
retraction whether the retraction is received in the form of cash or
portfolio shares.
Regular Retraction
Capital and Preferred Shares may be surrendered for retraction at
any time for payment on the last day of each month or the preceding
business day. A Capital Shareholder who surrenders two Capital Shares is
entitled to receive 95% of the unit value less the cost of purchasing a
Preferred Share, less $1.00. Preferred Shareholders who elect to retract
are entitled to a payment equal to 95% of the unit value less the cost
of purchasing two Capital Shares in the market, less $1.00.
Concurrent Retraction
A holder who surrenders two Capital Shares together with one
Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 95% of the unit value, less
$1.00.
Special Annual Retraction
The special annual retraction date occurs on February 28 of each
year. On that date Capital Shareholders who surrender two Capital Shares
are entitled to receive the amount, if any, by which the unit value
exceeds $25.00. If the holder tenders two Capital Shares and one
Preferred Share, then the holder is entitled to receive an amount equal
to the unit value. If the holder tenders 10,000 or more Capital Shares
and $25.00 (plus $0.05 delivery charge for every two Capital Shares) in
cash or one Preferred Share for every two Capital Shares tendered, such
holder may instead choose to receive a pro rata interest in the common
shares held by the Company.
Redemption
The Company may redeem Preferred Shares on any annual retraction
date at a price per share equal to $25.00 to the extent that unmatched
Capital Shares are retracted under a special annual retraction.
Taxation
Dividends other than the capital gains dividends received by
individuals on the Preferred or Capital Shares will be subject to the
normal gross-up and dividend tax credit rules applicable to dividends
received on shares of a taxable Canadian corporation.
The amount of any capital gains dividend received by a holder of
Preferred or Capital Shares will be considered to be a capital gain of
the holder in the taxation year in which the capital gains dividend is
received.
Return of capital payments to a holder of Preferred or Capital
Shares will not be subject to tax but will reduce the adjusted cost base
of the Preferred or Capital Shares to the holder.
The Company qualifies as a "mutual fund corporation" and a
"financial intermediary corporation" as defined in the Income Tax Act
(Canada). As a result thereof and after deduction of expenses in
computing its income, the Company does not anticipate that it will be
subject to any material net non-refundable tax liability.
Directors and Officers
The following are the names, office(s) held
and principal occupations of the directors and officers of the Company:
| Name |
Office(s) Held
|
Principal
Occupation |
|
Brian D. McChesney
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
Managing Director, Scotia Capital Inc.
|
|
Stephen D. Pearce
|
Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
|
Director,
Scotia Capital Inc.
|
|
Michael K. Warman
|
Director
|
Corporate Director |
|
Kenneth G. Copland
|
Director
|
Chairman,
KGC Ltd. |
| David M. Mann |
Director
|
Counsel, Cox Hanson O'Reilly Matheson |
| D. Anthony Ross |
Director
|
Consultant |