| BILL NUMBER |
TITLE | CHAPTER NUMBER |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT | c. 57 | |||||
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Division 1 -- Court Proceedings
227 (1) For the purposes of this section, "shareholder" has the same meaning as in section 1 (1) and includes a beneficial owner of a share of the company and any other person whom the court considers to be an appropriate person to make an application under this section.
(2) A shareholder may apply to the court for an order under this section on the ground
(a) that the affairs of the company are being or have been conducted, or that the powers of the directors are being or have been exercised, in a manner oppressive to one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant, or
(b) that some act of the company has been done or is threatened, or that some resolution of the shareholders or of the shareholders holding shares of a class or series of shares has been passed or is proposed, that is unfairly prejudicial to one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant.
(3) On an application under this section, the court may, with a view to remedying or bringing to an end the matters complained of and subject to subsection (4) of this section, make any interim or final order it considers appropriate, including an order
(a) directing or prohibiting any act,
(b) regulating the conduct of the company's affairs,
(c) appointing a receiver or receiver manager,
(d) directing an issue or conversion or exchange of shares,
(e) appointing directors in place of or in addition to all or any of the directors then in office,
(f) removing any director,
(g) directing the company, subject to subsections (5) and (6), to purchase some or all of the shares of a shareholder and, if required, to reduce its capital in the manner specified by the court,
(h) directing a shareholder to purchase some or all of the shares of any other shareholder,
(i) directing the company, subject to subsections (5) and (6), or any other person, to pay to a shareholder all or any part of the money paid by that shareholder for shares of the company,
(j) varying or setting aside a transaction to which the company is a party and directing any party to the transaction to compensate any other party to the transaction,
(k) varying or setting aside a resolution,
(l) requiring the company, within a time specified by the court, to produce to the court or to an interested person, financial statements or an accounting in any form the court may determine,
(m) directing the company, subject to subsections (5) and (6), to compensate an aggrieved person,
(n) directing correction of the registers or other records of the company,
(o) directing that the company be liquidated and dissolved, and appointing one or more liquidators, with or without security,
(p) directing that an investigation be made under Division 3 of this Part,
(q) requiring the trial of any issue, or
(r) authorizing or directing that legal proceedings be commenced in the name of the company against any person on the terms the court directs.
(4) The court may make an order under subsection (3) if it is satisfied that the application was brought by the shareholder in a timely manner.
(5) If an order is made under subsection (3) (g), (i) or (m), the company must pay to a person the full amount payable under that order unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the company is insolvent, or
(b) the payment would render the company insolvent.
(6) If reasonable grounds exist for believing that subsection (5) (a) or (b) applies,
(a) the company is prohibited from paying the person the full amount of money to which the person is entitled,
(b) the company must pay to the person as much of the amount as is possible without causing a circumstance set out in subsection (5) to occur, and
(c) the company must pay the balance of the amount as soon as the company is able to do so without causing a circumstance set out in subsection (5) to occur.
(7) If an order is made under subsection (3) (o), Part 10 applies.
228 (1) In this section, "complainant" means, in relation to a company referred to in subsection (2), a shareholder of the company or any other person whom the court considers to be an appropriate person to make an application under this section.
(2) If a company or any director, officer, shareholder, employee, agent, auditor, trustee, receiver, receiver manager or liquidator of a company contravenes or is about to contravene a provision of this Act or the regulations or of the memorandum, notice of articles or articles of the company, a complainant may, in addition to any other rights that that person might have, apply to the court for an order that the person who has contravened or is about to contravene the provision comply with or refrain from contravening the provision.
(3) On an application under this section, the court may make any order it considers appropriate, including an order
(a) directing a person referred to in subsection (2) to comply with or to refrain from contravening a provision referred to in that subsection,
(b) enjoining the company from selling or otherwise disposing of property, rights or interests, or from receiving property, rights or interests, or
(c) requiring, in respect of a contract made contrary to section 33 (1), that compensation be paid to the company or to any other party to the contract.
229 (1) In this section, "corporate mistake" means an omission, defect, error or irregularity that has occurred in the conduct of the business or affairs of a company as a result of which
(a) a breach of a provision of this Act, a former Companies Act or the regulations under any of them has occurred,
(b) there has been default in compliance with the memorandum, notice of articles or articles of the company,
(c) proceedings at or in connection with any of the following have been rendered ineffective:
(i) a meeting of shareholders;
(ii) a meeting of the directors or of a committee of directors;
(iii) any assembly purporting to be a meeting referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii), or
(d) a consent resolution or records purporting to be a consent resolution have been rendered ineffective.
(2) Despite any other provision of this Act, the court, either on its own motion or on the application of any interested person, may make an order to correct or cause to be corrected, to negative or to modify or cause to be modified the consequences in law of a corporate mistake or to validate any act, matter or thing rendered or alleged to have been rendered invalid by or as a result of the corporate mistake, and may give ancillary or consequential directions it considers necessary.
(3) The court must, before making an order under this section, consider the effect that the order might have on the company and on its directors, officers, creditors and shareholders and on the beneficial owners of its shares.
(4) Unless the court orders otherwise, an order made under subsection (2) does not prejudice the rights of any third party who acquired those rights
(a) for valuable consideration, and
(b) without notice of the corporate mistake that is the subject of the order.
230 (1) In this section, "basic records" means, in relation to a company,
(a) its articles,
(b) its notice of articles or memorandum, as the case may be,
(c) the minutes of any meeting of shareholders or directors,
(d) any resolution passed by shareholders or directors, if not included in the records referred to in paragraph (c),
(e) its register of directors, and
(f) its central securities register, its branch securities register and any other register created by the company under a former Companies Act.
(2) If information, other than information in respect of which a court application may be made under section 129, is alleged to be or to have been wrongly entered or retained in, or wrongly deleted or omitted from, a company's basic records, the company, a shareholder of the company or any aggrieved person may apply to the court for an order that the basic records be corrected.
(3) In connection with an application under this section, the court may make any order it considers appropriate, including
(a) an order requiring the company to correct one or more of its basic records,
(b) an order restraining the company from calling or holding a meeting of shareholders or paying a dividend before the correction is made,
(c) an order determining the right of a party to the application to have his or her name entered or retained in, or deleted or omitted from, basic records of the company, whether or not the issue arises between 2 or more shareholders or alleged shareholders, or between the company and any shareholders or alleged shareholders, and
(d) an order compensating a party who has incurred a loss as a result of a matter referred to in subsection (2).
231 (1) If a company or its receiver, receiver manager or liquidator has failed to file with the registrar any record required to be filed with the registrar under this Act, any director, shareholder or creditor of the company may provide, to the person required to submit the record to the registrar for filing, notice requiring that person to file the record with the registrar.
(2) If the person required to file a record with the registrar under subsection (1) fails to file the record with the registrar within 14 days after receiving the notice referred to in subsection (1), the court may, on the application of any director, shareholder or creditor of the company,
(a) order the person to file the record with the registrar within the time the court directs, and
(b) direct that the costs of and incidental to the application be paid by the company, by any director or officer of the company or by any other person the court considers appropriate.
(3) Neither the making of an order by the court under this section nor compliance with such an order relieves a person from any other liability.
232 (1) In this section and section 233,
"complainant" means, in relation to a company, a shareholder or director of the company;
"shareholder" has the same meaning as in section 1 (1) and includes a beneficial owner of a share of the company and any other person whom the court considers to be an appropriate person to make an application under this section.
(2) A complainant may, with leave of the court, prosecute a legal proceeding in the name and on behalf of a company
(a) to enforce a right, duty or obligation owed to the company that could be enforced by the company itself, or
(b) to obtain damages for any breach of a right, duty or obligation referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(3) Subsection (2) applies whether the right, duty or obligation arises under this Act or otherwise.
(4) With leave of the court, a complainant may, in the name and on behalf of a company, defend a legal proceeding brought against the company.
233 (1) The court may grant leave under section 232 (2) or (4), on terms it considers appropriate, if
(a) the complainant has made reasonable efforts to cause the directors of the company to prosecute or defend the legal proceeding,
(b) notice of the application for leave has been given to the company and to any other person the court may order,
(c) the complainant is acting in good faith, and
(d) it appears to the court that it is in the best interests of the company for the legal proceeding to be prosecuted or defended.
(2) Nothing in this section prevents the court from making an order that the complainant give security for costs.
(3) While a legal proceeding prosecuted or defended under this section is pending, the court may,
(a) on the application of the complainant, authorize any person to control the conduct of the legal proceeding or give any other directions for the conduct of the legal proceeding, and
(b) on the application of the person controlling the conduct of the legal proceeding, order, on the terms and conditions that the court considers appropriate, that the company pay to the person controlling the conduct of the legal proceeding interim costs in the amount and for the matters, including legal fees and disbursements, that the court considers appropriate.
(4) On the final disposition of a legal proceeding prosecuted or defended under this section, the court may make any order it considers appropriate, including an order that
(a) a person to whom costs are paid under subsection (3) (b) repay to the company some or all of those costs,
(b) the company or any other party to the legal proceeding indemnify
(i) the complainant for the costs incurred by the complainant in prosecuting or defending the legal proceeding, or
(ii) the person controlling the conduct of the legal proceeding for the costs incurred by the person in controlling the conduct of the legal proceeding, or
(c) the complainant or the person controlling the conduct of the legal proceeding indemnify one or more of the company, a director of the company and an officer of the company for expenses, including legal costs, that they incurred as a result of the legal proceeding.
(5) No legal proceeding prosecuted or defended under this section may be discontinued, settled or dismissed without the approval of the court.
(6) No application made or legal proceeding prosecuted or defended under section 232 or this section may be stayed or dismissed merely because it is shown that an alleged breach of a right, duty or obligation owed to the company has been or might be approved by the shareholders of the company, but evidence of that approval or possible approval may be taken into account by the court in making an order under section 232 or this section.
234 If, in a legal proceeding against a director, officer, receiver, receiver manager or liquidator of a company, the court finds that that person is or may be liable in respect of negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, the court must take into consideration all of the circumstances of the case, including those circumstances connected with the person's election or appointment, and may relieve the person, either wholly or partly, from liability, on the terms the court considers necessary, if it appears to the court that, despite the finding of liability, the person has acted honestly and reasonably and ought fairly to be excused.
235 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an application to the court under this Act may be brought without notice unless notice is specifically required under subsection (2) or otherwise under this Act.
(2) The court may direct that notice of any application under this Act be served on those persons the court requires.
236 If a corporation is the plaintiff in a legal proceeding brought before the court, and if it appears that the corporation will be unable to pay the costs of the defendant if the defendant is successful in the defence, the court may require security to be given by the corporation for those costs, and may stay all legal proceedings until the security is given.
Division 2 -- Dissent Proceedings
237 (1) In this Division:
"dissenter" means a shareholder who, being entitled to do so, sends written notice of dissent when and as required by section 242;
"notice shares" means, in relation to a notice of dissent, the shares in respect of which dissent is being exercised under the notice of dissent;
"payout value" means,
(a) in the case of a dissent in respect of a resolution, the fair value that the notice shares had immediately before the passing of the resolution,
(b) in the case of a dissent in respect of an arrangement approved by a court order made under section 291 (2) (c) that permits dissent, the fair value that the notice shares had immediately before the passing of the resolution adopting the arrangement, or
(c) in the case of a dissent in respect of a matter approved or authorized by any other court order that permits dissent, the fair value that the notice shares had at the time specified by the court order,
excluding any appreciation or depreciation in anticipation of the corporate action approved or authorized by the resolution or court order unless exclusion would be inequitable.
(2) This Division applies to any right of dissent exercisable by a shareholder except to the extent that
(a) the court orders otherwise, or
(b) in the case of a right of dissent authorized by a resolution referred to in section 238 (1) (g), the court orders otherwise or the resolution provides otherwise.
238 (1) A shareholder of a company, whether or not the shareholder's shares carry the right to vote, is entitled to dissent as follows:
(a) under section 260, in respect of a resolution to alter the articles to alter restrictions on the powers of the company or on the business it is permitted to carry on;
(b) under section 272, in respect of a resolution to adopt an amalgamation agreement;
(c) under section 287, in respect of a resolution to approve an amalgamation under Division 4 of Part 9;
(d) in respect of a resolution to approve an arrangement, the terms of which arrangement permit dissent;
(e) under section 301 (5), in respect of a resolution to authorize or ratify the sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the company's undertaking;
(f) under section 309, in respect of a resolution to authorize the continuation of the company into a jurisdiction other than British Columbia;
(g) in respect of any other resolution, if dissent is authorized by the resolution;
(h) in respect of any court order that permits dissent.
(2) A shareholder wishing to dissent must
(a) prepare a separate notice of dissent under section 242 for
(i) the shareholder, if the shareholder is dissenting on the shareholder's own behalf, and
(ii) each other person who beneficially owns shares registered in the shareholder's name and on whose behalf the shareholder is dissenting,
(b) identify in each notice of dissent, in accordance with section 242 (4), the person on whose behalf dissent is being exercised in that notice of dissent, and
(c) dissent with respect to all of the shares, registered in the shareholder's name, of which the person identified under paragraph (b) of this subsection is the beneficial owner.
(3) Without limiting subsection (2), a person who wishes to have dissent exercised with respect to shares of which the person is the beneficial owner must
(a) dissent with respect to all of the shares, if any, of which the person is both the registered owner and the beneficial owner, and
(b) cause each shareholder who is a registered owner of any other shares of which the person is the beneficial owner to dissent with respect to all of those shares.
239 (1) A shareholder may not waive generally a right to dissent but may, in writing, waive the right to dissent with respect to a particular corporate action.
(2) A shareholder wishing to waive a right of dissent with respect to a particular corporate action must
(a) provide to the company a separate waiver for
(i) the shareholder, if the shareholder is providing a waiver on the shareholder's own behalf, and
(ii) each other person who beneficially owns shares registered in the shareholder's name and on whose behalf the shareholder is providing a waiver, and
(b) identify in each waiver the person on whose behalf the waiver is made.
(3) If a shareholder waives a right of dissent with respect to a particular corporate action and indicates in the waiver that the right to dissent is being waived on the shareholder's own behalf, the shareholder's right to dissent with respect to the particular corporate action terminates in respect of the shares of which the shareholder is both the registered and beneficial owner, and this Division ceases to apply to
(a) the shareholder in respect of the shares of which the shareholder is both the registered and beneficial owner, and
(b) any other shareholders, who are registered owners of shares beneficially owned by the first mentioned shareholder, in respect of the shares that are beneficially owned by the first mentioned shareholder.
(4) If the shareholder waves a right of dissent with respect to a particular corporate action and indicates in the waiver that the right to dissent is being waived on behalf of a specified person who beneficially owns shares registered in the name of the shareholder, the right of shareholders who are registered owners of shares beneficially owned by that specified person to dissent on behalf of that specified person with respect to the particular corporate action terminates and this Division ceases to apply to those shareholders in respect of the shares that are beneficially owned by that specified person.
240 (1) If a resolution in respect of which a shareholder is entitled to dissent is to be considered at a meeting of shareholders, the company must, at least the prescribed number of days before the date of the proposed meeting, send to each of its shareholders, whether or not their shares carry the right to vote,
(a) a copy of the proposed resolution, and
(b) a notice of the meeting that specifies the date of the meeting, and contains a statement advising of the right to send a notice of dissent.
(2) If a resolution in respect of which a shareholder is entitled to dissent is to be passed as a consent resolution of shareholders or as a resolution of directors and the earliest date on which that resolution can be passed is specified in the resolution or in the statement referred to in paragraph (b), the company may, at least 21 days before that specified date, send to each of its shareholders, whether or not their shares carry the right to vote,
(a) a copy of the proposed resolution, and
(b) a statement advising of the right to send a notice of dissent.
(3) If a resolution in respect of which a shareholder is entitled to dissent was or is to be passed as a resolution of shareholders without the company complying with subsection (1) or (2), or was or is to be passed as a directors' resolution without the company complying with subsection (2), the company must, before or within 14 days after the passing of the resolution, send to each of its shareholders who has not consented to the resolution, whether or not their shares carry the right to vote,
(a) a copy of the resolution,
(b) a statement advising of the right to send a notice of dissent, and
(c) if the resolution has passed, notification of that fact and the date on which it was passed.
(4) Nothing in subsection (1), (2) or (3) gives a shareholder a right to vote in a meeting at which, or on a resolution on which, the shareholder would not otherwise be entitled to vote.
241 If a court order provides for a right of dissent, the company must, not later than 14 days after the date on which the company receives a copy of the entered order, send to each shareholder who is entitled to exercise that right of dissent
(a) a copy of the entered order, and
(b) a statement advising of the right to send a notice of dissent.
242 (1) A shareholder intending to dissent in respect of a resolution referred to in section 238 (1) (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) must,
(a) if the company has complied with section 240 (1) or (2), send written notice of dissent to the company at least 2 days before the date on which the resolution is to be passed or can be passed, as the case may be,
(b) if the company has complied with section 240 (3), send written notice of dissent to the company not more than 14 days after receiving the records referred to in that section, or
(c) if the company has not complied with section 240 (1), (2) or (3), send written notice of dissent to the company not more than 14 days after the later of
(i) the date on which the shareholder learns that the resolution was passed, and
(ii) the date on which the shareholder learns that the shareholder is entitled to dissent.
(2) A shareholder intending to dissent in respect of a resolution referred to in section 238 (1) (g) must send written notice of dissent to the company
(a) on or before the date specified by the resolution or in the statement referred to in section 240 (2) (b) as the last date by which notice of dissent must be sent, or
(b) if the resolution or statement does not specify a date, in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.
(3) A shareholder intending to dissent under section 238 (1) (h) in respect of a court order that permits dissent must send written notice of dissent to the company
(a) within the number of days, specified by the court order, after the shareholder receives the records referred to in section 241, or
(b) if the court order does not specify the number of days referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection, within 14 days after the shareholder receives the records referred to in section 241.
(4) A notice of dissent sent under this section must set out the number, and the class and series, if applicable, of the notice shares, and must set out whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) if the notice shares constitute all of the shares of which the shareholder is both the registered and beneficial owner and the shareholder owns no other shares of the company as beneficial owner, a statement to that effect;
(b) if the notice shares constitute all of the shares of which the shareholder is both the registered and beneficial owner but the shareholder owns other shares of the company as beneficial owner, a statement to that effect and
(i) the names of the registered owners of those other shares,
(ii) the number, and the class and series, if applicable, of those other shares that are held by each of those registered owners, and
(iii) a statement that notices of dissent are being, or have been, sent in respect of all of those other shares;
(c) if dissent is being exercised by the shareholder on behalf of a beneficial owner who is not the dissenting shareholder, a statement to that effect and
(i) the name and address of the beneficial owner, and
(ii) a statement that the shareholder is dissenting in relation to all of the shares beneficially owned by the beneficial owner that are registered in the shareholder's name.
(5) The right of a shareholder to dissent on behalf of a beneficial owner of shares, including the shareholder, terminates and this Division ceases to apply to the shareholder in respect of that beneficial owner if subsections (1) to (4) of this section, as those subsections pertain to that beneficial owner, are not complied with.
243 (1) A company that receives a notice of dissent under section 242 from a dissenter must,
(a) if the company intends to act on the authority of the resolution or court order in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent, send a notice to the dissenter promptly after the later of
(i) the date on which the company forms the intention to proceed, and
(ii) the date on which the notice of dissent was received, or
(b) if the company has acted on the authority of that resolution or court order, promptly send a notice to the dissenter.
(2) A notice of the intention to proceed sent under subsection (1) of this section must
(a) be dated not earlier than the date on which the notice is sent,
(b) state that the company intends to act, or has acted, as the case may be, on the authority of the resolution or court order, and
(c) advise the dissenter of the manner in which dissent is to be completed under section 244.
244 (1) A dissenter who receives a notice under section 243 must, if the dissenter wishes to proceed with the dissent, send to the company or its transfer agent for the notice shares, within one month after the date of the notice,
(a) a written statement that the dissenter requires the company to purchase all of the notice shares,
(b) the certificates, if any, representing the notice shares, and
(c) if section 242 (4) (c) applies, a written statement that complies with subsection (2) of this section.
(2) The written statement referred to in subsection (1) (c) must
(a) be signed by the beneficial owner on whose behalf dissent is being exercised, and
(b) set out whether or not the beneficial owner is the beneficial owner of other shares of the company and, if so, set out
(i) the names of the registered owners of those other shares,
(ii) the number, and the class and series, if applicable, of those other shares that are held by each of those registered owners, and
(iii) that dissent is being exercised in respect of all of those other shares.
(3) After the dissenter has complied with subsection (1),
(a) the dissenter is deemed to have sold to the company the notice shares, and
(b) the company is deemed to have purchased those shares, and must comply with section 245, whether or not it is authorized to do so by, and despite any restriction in, its memorandum or articles.
(4) Unless the court orders otherwise, if the dissenter fails to comply with subsection (1) of this section in relation to notice shares, the right of the dissenter to dissent with respect to those notice shares terminates and this Division, other than section 247, ceases to apply to the dissenter with respect to those notice shares.
(5) Unless the court orders otherwise, if a person on whose behalf dissent is being exercised in relation to a particular corporate action fails to ensure that every shareholder who is a registered owner of any of the shares beneficially owned by that person complies with subsection (1) of this section, the right of shareholders who are registered owners of shares beneficially owned by that person to dissent on behalf of that person with respect to that corporate action terminates and this Division, other than section 247, ceases to apply to those shareholders in respect of the shares that are beneficially owned by that person.
(6) A dissenter who has complied with subsection (1) of this section may not vote, or exercise or assert any rights of a shareholder, in respect of the notice shares, other than under this Division.
245 (1) A company and a dissenter who has complied with section 244 (1) may agree on the amount of the payout value of the notice shares and, in that event, the company must
(a) promptly pay that amount to the dissenter, or
(b) if subsection (5) of this section applies, promptly send a notice to the dissenter that the company is unable lawfully to pay dissenters for their shares.
(2) A dissenter who has not entered into an agreement with the company under subsection (1) or the company may apply to the court and the court may
(a) determine the payout value of the notice shares of those dissenters who have not entered into an agreement with the company under subsection (1), or order that the payout value of those notice shares be established by arbitration or by reference to the registrar, or a referee, of the court,
(b) join in the application each dissenter, other than a dissenter who has entered into an agreement with the company under subsection (1), who has complied with section 244 (1), and
(c) make consequential orders and give directions it considers appropriate.
(3) Promptly after a determination of the payout value for notice shares has been made under subsection (2) (a) of this section, the company must
(a) pay to each dissenter who has complied with section 244 (1) in relation to those notice shares, other than a dissenter who has entered into an agreement with the company under subsection (1) of this section, the payout value applicable to that dissenter's notice shares, or
(b) if subsection (5) applies, promptly send a notice to the dissenter that the company is unable lawfully to pay dissenters for their shares.
(4) If subsection (5) applies, a dissenter, by written notice delivered to the company within 30 days after receiving a notice under subsection (1) (b) or (3) (b), may
(a) withdraw the dissenter's notice of dissent, in which case the company is deemed to consent to the withdrawal and this Division, other than section 247, ceases to apply to the dissenter with respect to the notice shares, or
(b) retain a status as a claimant against the company, to be paid as soon as the company is lawfully able to do so or, in a liquidation, to be ranked subordinate to the rights of creditors of the company but in priority to its shareholders.
(5) A company must not make a payment to a dissenter under this section if there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the company is insolvent, or
(b) the payment would render the company insolvent.
246 The right of a dissenter to dissent with respect to notice shares terminates and this Division, other than section 247, ceases to apply to the dissenter with respect to those notice shares, if, before payment is made to the dissenter of the full amount of money to which the dissenter is entitled under section 245 in relation to those notice shares, any of the following events occur:
(a) the corporate action approved or authorized, or to be approved or authorized, by the resolution or court order in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent is abandoned;
(b) the resolution in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent does not pass;
(c) the resolution in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent is revoked before the corporate action approved or authorized by that resolution is taken;
(d) the notice of dissent was sent in respect of a resolution adopting an amalgamation agreement and the amalgamation is abandoned or, by the terms of the agreement, will not proceed;
(e) the arrangement in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent is abandoned or by its terms will not proceed;
(f) a court permanently enjoins or sets aside the corporate action approved or authorized by the resolution or court order in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent;
(g) with respect to the notice shares, the dissenter consents to, or votes in favour of, the resolution in respect of which the notice of dissent was sent;
(h) the notice of dissent is withdrawn with the written consent of the company;
(i) the court determines that the dissenter is not entitled to dissent under this Division or that the dissenter is not entitled to dissent with respect to the notice shares under this Division.
247 If, under section 244 (4) or (5), 245 (4) (a) or 246, this Division, other than this section, ceases to apply to a dissenter with respect to notice shares,
(a) the company must return to the dissenter each of the applicable share certificates, if any, sent under section 244 (1) (b) or, if those share certificates are unavailable, replacements for those share certificates,
(b) the dissenter regains any ability lost under section 244 (6) to vote, or exercise or assert any rights of a shareholder, in respect of the notice shares, and
(c) the dissenter must return any money that the company paid to the dissenter in respect of the notice shares under, or in purported compliance with, this Division.
248 (1) Subject to subsection (3), on the application of one or more shareholders who, in the aggregate, hold at least 1/5 of the issued shares of a company, the court may
(a) appoint an inspector to conduct an investigation of the company, and
(b) determine the manner and extent of the investigation.
(2) An inspector appointed under this section has the powers set out in section 251 and any additional powers provided by the order by which the inspector is appointed.
(3) The court may make an order under this section if it appears to the court that there are reasonable grounds for believing that
(a) the affairs of the company are being or have been conducted, or the powers of the directors are being or have been exercised, in a manner that is oppressive or unfairly prejudicial to one or more shareholders, within the meaning of section 227 (1), including the applicant,
(b) the business of the company is being or has been carried on with intent to defraud any person,
(c) the company was formed for a fraudulent or unlawful purpose or is to be dissolved for a fraudulent or unlawful purpose, or
(d) persons concerned with the formation, business or affairs of the company have, in connection with it, acted fraudulently or dishonestly.
249 (1) The applicant for an order under section 248 must give notice of the application to the company.
(2) If the court appoints an inspector under section 248, the inspector must promptly provide to the company a copy of the entered order of appointment.
(3) The court may, before appointing an inspector under section 248, require the applicant to give security for the payment of the costs and expenses of the investigation and may, at any time,
(a) set the amount of the costs and expenses, and
(b) order by whom and in what proportion those costs and expenses are to be paid.
250 A company may, by a special resolution, appoint an inspector to investigate the affairs and management of the company, and to report in the manner and to the persons the resolution directs.
251 (1) A person who is or was a director, receiver, receiver manager, officer, employee, banker, auditor or agent of the company or any of its affiliates must, on the request of an inspector appointed under this Division,
(a) produce, for the examination of the inspector, each accounting record and each other record relating to the company or any of its affiliates that is in the custody or control of that person, and
(b) give to the inspector every assistance in connection with the investigation that that person is reasonably able to give.
(2) The inspector may examine under oath any person who is or was a director, receiver, receiver manager, officer, employee, banker, auditor or agent of the company or any of its affiliates in relation to the affairs, management, accounts and records of or relating to the company being investigated, and the inspector may administer the oath, and the person examined must answer any question within the scope of the investigation put to that person by the inspector.
(3) A person giving evidence in an investigation under this Division may be represented by a lawyer.
252 An inspector appointed under this Division must not require a lawyer to disclose any privileged communication made to the lawyer in that capacity, except regarding the name and address of his or her clients.
253 (1) An inspector appointed under section 248 must, on the conclusion of the investigation, make a report to the court and send a copy of that report to
(a) the company, and
(b) any other person the court orders.
(2) An inspector appointed under section 250 must, on the conclusion of the investigation, report to the company in the manner directed by the resolution under which the inspector was appointed.
254 A copy of the report of an inspector appointed under this Division, signed by the inspector, is admissible in any legal proceeding as evidence of the opinion of the inspector.
255 An oral or written statement or report made by an inspector or any other person in an investigation under this Division has qualified privilege.
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