Category: Corporate / Commercial Page 1 of 4

What Are “Unrelated Assets” When It Comes to Environmental Reclamation Obligations? The Lending Industry Needs to Know

On November 15, 2023

In Corporate / Commercial, Creditors’ Remedies, Environmental, Insolvency, Oil & Gas

By: Jassmine Girgis

Case Commented On: Mantle Materials Group, Ltd v Travelers Capital Corp, 2023 ABCA 302 (CanLII)

PDF Version: What Are “Unrelated Assets” When It Comes to Environmental Reclamation Obligations? The Lending Industry Needs to Know

In recent years, the courts have seen many cases dealing with unfunded environmental reclamation obligations. Although these obligations have long raised issues, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Orphan Well Association v Grant Thornton Ltd, 2019 SCC 5 (CanLII) (“Redwater”) commenced a new era for determining the priority for environmental end-of-life obligations in Canadian insolvencies (see my earlier post on Redwater, Lessons from Redwater: Disregard the AbitibiBowater Test and Legislate Super Priority for the Regulator).

Lifting the Corporate Veil v Personal Liability Under the Oppression Remedy: When Directors Behave Badly, When is Each Remedy Appropriate?

By Jassmine Girgis

On May 16, 2023

In Corporate / Commercial, Remedies

By: Jassmine Girgis

Case commented on: FNF Enterprises Inc v Wag and Train Inc, 2023 ONCA 92 (CanLII)

PDF Version: Lifting the Corporate Veil v Personal Liability Under the Oppression Remedy: When Directors Behave Badly, When is Each Remedy Appropriate?

In FNF Enterprises Inc v Wag and Train Inc, 2023 ONCA 92 (CanLII), the sole shareholder and director of Wag and Train Inc (Wag and Train) had stripped assets from the corporation, causing the company to defeat its creditors. In an action brought by a commercial landlord, the Ontario Court of Appeal declined to lift the corporate veil because the director’s improper conduct was not the source of the corporation’s liability, but it did allow the appellants to pursue the oppression remedy against the director personally.

Fairness and The Corporate Oppression Remedy: What is the Difference Between “Prejudice” and “Unfair Prejudice”?

By Jassmine Girgis

On May 25, 2022

In Corporate / Commercial, Legal Research

By: Jassmine Girgis

Paper Commented On: “Fairness in The Oppression Remedy: How Does Harm Become Unfair?”, 19^th Annual Review of Insolvency Law, 2021 CanLIIDocs 13557

PDF Version: Fairness and The Corporate Oppression Remedy: What is the Difference Between “Prejudice” and “Unfair Prejudice”?

[The National Judicial Institute (NJI) recently held its civil law seminar in Calgary, Alberta, where I participated in a panel on director and officer liability. The following blog captures some of my remarks during that panel, as well as excerpts from a recent paper that formed the basis of those remarks]

People have a strong intuitive sense of fairness – even children sense when an adult has treated them unfairly. Perhaps for this reason, in the context of the corporate oppression remedy, which has fairness as its foundation, spotting oppression in a set of facts can be relatively straightforward. The problem, however, is that while unfairness (and oppression) can be easy to see, why something is unfair or oppressive can be much more difficult to explain. Indeed, oppression remedy jurisprudence often fails on this point – prejudice or harm may be plainly evident on the facts (Kevin P McGuinness, Canadian Business Corporations Law, 3rd ed, vol 3 (Toronto: LexisNexis Canada Inc, 2017) at §21.135), but without guidance the fairness test can seem obscure, and courts sometimes struggle with it. They get the results right, and they give some reasons, but these reasons often do not provide a clear articulation as to what fairness means.

Applying the Rule in Foss v Harbottle to Limited Partnerships

By Jassmine Girgis

On May 10, 2021

In Corporate / Commercial, Corporate Partnerships

By: Jassmine Girgis

PDF Version: Applying the Rule in Foss v Harbottle to Limited Partnerships

Case Commented On: Asher Place Senior Residency Limited Partnership v Balcom, 2021 BCCA 162 (CanLII)

In Asher Place Senior Residency Limited Partnership v Balcom, 2021 BCCA 162 (CanLII), the issue was whether a common law derivative action may be brought on behalf and in the name of a limited partnership against the partnership’s general partner based on alleged wrongs committed by the general partner in its conduct of the business of the limited partnership (at para 1). The Court of Appeal found that procedurally and substantively, it is possible.

Bidders Do Not Owe Duties of Fairness and Honesty to Other Bidders in Tendering Competitions

By Jassmine Girgis

On November 27, 2019

In Corporate / Commercial

By: Jassmine Girgis

PDF Version: Bidders Do Not Owe Duties of Fairness and Honesty to Other Bidders in Tendering Competitions

Case Commented On: LaPrairie Works Inc v Ledcor Alberta Limited, 2019 ABQB 701(CanLII)

This case raises the interesting question of whether bidders in a tendering competition owe duties of fair play to other bidders. The plaintiffs asserted that a contract had been formed among the bidders, requiring the bidders to treat each other fairly in the bid preparation stage, and that this contract had been breached at their expense. In a judgment summarily dismissing this claim, Justice Michael Lema found that the plaintiffs had not discharged the onus of proving a contract existed (at para 57).