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INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE OF INVESTMENT FUNDS MANAGED BY CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, CIBC ASSET MANAGEMENT INC. AND CIBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.
a) the number, nature and complexity of the investment funds and the fund families for which the IRC acts;
b) the nature and extent of the workload of each member of the IRC, including the commitment of time and energy that is expected from each member;
c) industry best practices, including industry averages and surveys on IRC compensation; and
d) the best interests of the investment funds for which the IRC acts.
2.12 Orientation and Continuing Education. The Manager and the IRC shall provide orientation consisting of educational or informational programs that enable a new IRC member to understand: (a) the role of the IRC and its members collectively; and (b) the role of the individual member, including the commitment of time and energy that is expected from the member. The IRC may supplement such orientation, and any orientation provided by the Manager on the nature and operation of the Manager’s and its investment funds’ businesses, with such educational programs that it reasonably deems necessary or desirable. Each member of the IRC shall participate in orientation and continuing education programs provided by the Manager or the IRC.
3.11 IRC Assessments. At least annually, the IRC must review and assess:
a) the adequacy and effectiveness of (i) the Manager’s written policies and procedures relating to conflict of interest matters, (ii) any standing instruction it has provided to the Manager, (iii) compliance by the Manager and the investment fund managed by it with any conditions imposed by the IRC in a recommendation or approval it has provided to the Manager, and (iv) any subcommittee to which the IRC has delegated any of its functions;
b) the independence of its members and the compensation of its members;
c) its effectiveness as a committee, as well as the effectiveness and contribution of each of its members, including a consideration of this Charter;
i. the competencies and knowledge each member is expected to bring to the IRC;
ii. the level of complexity of the issues reasonably expected to be raised by members in connection with the matters under review by the IRC;
iii. the attendance record of each member of the IRC and his or her participation in meetings;
iv. continuing education activities and industry knowledge of each member of the IRC; and
v. the ability of each member to contribute the necessary time required to serve effectively on the IRC; and
vi. the ability of each member to contribute the necessary time required to serve effectively on the IRC; and
d) its structural effectiveness, including a consideration of:
i. the frequency of meetings;
ii. the substance of meeting agendas;
iii. the policies and procedures that the Manager has established to refer matters to the IRC;
iv. the usefulness of the materials provided to members of the IRC;
v. the collective experience and background of the members of the IRC:
vi. the number of funds the IRC oversees; and
vii. the amount and form of compensation the members receive from an individual investment fund and in aggregate from the fund family.
The IRC shall seek input from the Manager as part of this assessment. The written minutes of the IRC meetings at which these assessments take place shall form the basis of the records of such assessments. The IRC may also establish a process for and determine the frequency of additional assessments as it sees fit. The IRC shall consider how to respond appropriately to address any weaknesses found in a self-assessment.
3.12 IRC Reports to Manager. The IRC shall as soon as practicable deliver to the Manager a written report of the results of an assessment conducted pursuant to Section 3.11 of this Charter that includes a description of each instance of a breach of the Manager’s policies or procedures or of a condition imposed by the IRC in a recommendation or approval it has provided to the Manager, of which the IRC is aware or has reason to believe has occurred, and recommendations for any changes the IRC considers should be made to the Manager’s policies and procedures. The IRC may request that the Manager prepare a draft of the report for the IRC’s consideration and approval.
3.13 IRC Reports to Securityholders. The IRC shall prepare, for each financial year of each investment fund managed by the Manager, and deliver to the Manager no later than the date the investment fund files its annual financial statements, a report to securityholders of the investment fund that describes the IRC and its activities for the financial year. The content of such report shall comply with the requirements set out in NI 81-107. Prior to finalizing the report, the IRC shall provide a copy to the Manager and shall consider any comments on the report from the Manager. The report shall be distributed, made available and filed as required by NI 81-107. The IRC may request that the Manager prepare a draft of the report for the IRC’s consideration and approval.
3.14 IRC Reports to Securities Regulatory Authorities. The IRC shall, as soon as practicable, notify in writing the investment fund’s principal Securities Regulatory Authority where the IRC becomes aware of an instance where the Manager has acted in a conflict of interest matter described under Section 5.2(1) of NI 81-107, but did not comply with a condition or conditions imposed by securities legislation or the IRC in its approval, unless such non-compliance is inconsequential. The notice shall include a description of the steps the Manager has taken or proposes to take to remedy the non-compliance, if known to the IRC. The IRC may also, but is not required to, communicate directly with Securities Regulatory Authorities with respect to any concerns or issues that it may not otherwise be required to report and any other matter, but only of it has first provided its concerns to the Manager and considered any response received from the Manager. Such reports to the Securities Regulatory Authorities shall only be made concerning matters within the IRC’s functions and responsibilities.
3.15 Documents and Information. The IRC may request from the Manager and its representatives information the IRC considers useful or necessary to carry out its duties. The IRC shall not be required to review a question or matter if it determines that it has not received information or documents that it requires to engage in its review. In the event that the Manager has requested the review of a question or matter pursuant to the terms of a decision or order of Securities Regulatory Authorities, the Manager shall provide the IRC with a copy of the decision or order and the application made seeking such decision or order.
3.16 Disclosure of Interest. A member of the IRC shall disclose at the first available opportunity at the meeting of the IRC or any subcommittee at which the question or matter is to be considered, the nature and extent of any interest which any of the following have in any contract or transaction in respect of which the IRC is requested to review a question or matter: (i) the member, (ii) any entity in which the member is an employee, officer or director, or (iii) an associate (as defined in the Securities Act (Ontario)) of the member, other than contracts or transactions that relate primarily to the member’s remuneration as a member of the IRC or the member’s indemnity or insurance provided by the Manager. Such disclosure shall be reflected in the written minutes of the meeting. The other members of the IRC shall determine whether such conflict affects the member’s independence on the IRC. If the conflict is a temporary conflict for which the member can recuse himself or herself, and which does not affect the member’s independence on the IRC, the affected member shall not participate in the portion of the meeting at which the contract or transaction is being considered and shall not vote on any resolution to approve, or provide any recommendations to the Manager relating to, the contract or transaction, as the case may be.
3.17 Liability. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities legislation, no member of the IRC shall be liable to the Manager or any other person if the member of the IRC complied with the standard of care set forth in Section 3.8 in reviewing any question or matter submitted to it by the Manager, including reliance on advice in the manner contemplated in Section 3.9.
3.18 Indemnity and Insurance. Each member of the IRC shall be entitled to an indemnity by the Manager and/or an affiliate of the Manager to the fullest extent permitted by NI 81-107. Each member of the IRC is also entitled to an indemnity by the investment funds managed by the Manager in the limited circumstances described in subsection 3.14(5) of NI 81-107. Each member may also require the Manager or an affiliate of the Manager to obtain insurance coverage for the member’s activities on the IRC in accordance with NI 81-107.
4. MEETINGS OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE
4.1 Calling and Place of Meetings. Meetings of the IRC shall be called by the Manager or the Chair of the IRC. Meetings of the IRC may be held at such place in Toronto (or elsewhere as agreed by the Manager and the IRC) as shall be provided by the Manager and designated in the notice of meeting. The IRC shall meet at least four times each calendar year.
4.2 Notice of Meeting. Notice of the time and place of each meeting of the IRC shall be given by the person calling the meeting to each member by written notice not less than ten (10) days before the day of the meeting. In exceptional circumstances, the Chair of the IRC may set a lesser notice period. Meetings of the IRC may be held at any time without notice if all the members have waived or are deemed to have waived notice. The notice shall identify the main matters to be addressed at the meeting.
4.3 Meeting by Telephonic or Electronic Facility. A meeting of the IRC may be held by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all persons participating in the meeting to communicate adequately with each other, and a member participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at that meeting
4.4 Persons Entitled to be Present. When submitting a matter to the IRC for its recommendation or approval, the Manager and its representatives shall be entitled to be present at meetings of the IRC to outline the nature of terms of reference of the question or matter to be reviewed by the IRC and they may continue to be present at the meeting on the invitation of the IRC. Any other person may be admitted only on the invitation of the Chair of the meeting or with the consent of the IRC. The IRC shall hold at least a portion of one meeting annually at which the Manager, any entity related to the Manager or any of their representatives are not in attendance.
4.5 Voting at Meetings. A decision by the IRC on a conflict of interest matter presented to it by the Manager or any other matter that securities legislation requires the IRC to review requires the agreement of a majority of the IRC’s members. Any other matter arising at any meeting of the IRC shall be decided by a majority of votes of the members present at the meeting provided a quorum is present at the beginning of the meeting.
4.6 Minutes of the Meetings and other Records. Minutes of all meetings of the IRC shall be kept. The Manager shall be required to provide an appropriate person, including an employee of the manager or its affiliates, to take the minutes of the meeting and to otherwise serve as secretary of the meeting. In the event that the members of the IRC wish that discussions and deliberations for the members of the Independent Committee be kept confidential from the Manager and any of its affiliates then the Manager, upon the request of the IRC, shall arrange for such minutes of the IRC to be kept by someone other than an employee of the Manager or any affiliate of the Manager. The IRC shall maintain records of this Charter, minutes of meetings, copies of materials provided to it, copies of materials and written reports prepared by it and copies of its own determinations. The IRC may satisfy this recordkeeping requirement by arranging for the Manager to keep such records.
5. NOTICES AND OTHER MATTERS
5.1 General. A notice or document required to be sent to a member of the IRC or to the Manager may be sent by prepaid mail addressed to, or may be delivered personally or by courier to, the member at the member’s latest address provided by the member to the Manager, and to the Manager at 20 Bay Street, Suite 1402, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2N8, or such other address as the Manager may notify each member of the IRC, Attention: Secretary of the IRC. A notice or document if mailed to a member of the IRC or the manager shall be deemed to have been received at the time it would be delivered in the ordinary course of mail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the member or the Manager did not receive the notice of the document at that time or at all.
5.2 Amendments. The IRC may amend this Charter from time to time, at its discretion. A decision by the IRC to propose to amend this Charter must be approved at a meeting of the IRC at which a quorum is present, by a majority of the members of the IRC. The IRC shall provide the Manager with 30 days notice of any such proposal to amend this Charter and the IRC must consider the Manager’s recommendations relating to such proposed amendment. Upon expiry of the 30 day notice period, a majority of the members of the IRC may agree to amend this Charter at a meeting of the IRC at which quorum is present, and such amendment shall be effective no earlier than 30 days after the Manager is notified of the amendment. The IRC shall include a description of any material amendments to this Charter in its annual report to securityholders. The IRC may not amend: (i) this Charter to broaden its mandate; (ii) this Charter to give the IRC functions other than those prescribed by securities legislation; (iii) Section 2.6 of this Charter; (iv) this Section 5.2; or (v) Section 5.6 of this Charter without the Manager’s prior written consent. The IRC may not amend this Charter if the amended version may be inconsistent with or in conflict with NI 81-107 or applicable securities legislation. The Manager may waive any notice requirement in this Section 5.2, at its sole discretion.
5.3 Electronic Delivery. Provided the addressees have consented in writing or electronically, the notice requirements may be satisfied by creating and providing an electronic document. An electronic document is deemed to have been received when it enters the information system designated by the addressee or, if the document is posted on or made available through a generally accessible electronic source, when the addressee receives notice in writing of the availability and location of that electronic document, or, if such notice is sent electronically, when it enters the information system designated by the addressee.
5.4 Computation of Time. In computing the time when a notice or document must be given or sent under any provision requiring a specified number of day’s notice of any meeting or other event, the day on which the notice or documents is given or sent shall be excluded and the day on which the meeting or other event occurs shall be included.
5.5 Omission and Errors. The accidental omission to give any notice or send any document or the non-receipt of any notice or document or any error in any notice or document not affecting the substance thereof shall not invalidate any action taken at any meeting held pursuant to such notice or otherwise founded on such notice or document.
5.6 Confidentiality. Subject to the exclusions set forth below, each member of the IRC agrees to keep confidential any and all Confidential Information provided to him or her by the Manager or an investment fund managed by the Manager and to use such information only for performing his or her duties hereunder. The member shall only provide such Confidential Information to any of his or her advisors who need to know such information in order to assist the members in their deliberations on conflict of interest matters or relating to compliance with this Charter, NI 81-107 and other securities legislation, and shall advise such advisors of the confidentiality obligation in respect of the Confidential Information. The member shall take all reasonable steps to prevent the unauthorized use of the Confidential Information. The member shall not make available in any manner to any other person or the public all or any portion of the Confidential Information.
The members of the IRC shall not be subject to any confidentiality obligation in respect of any Confidential Information that is or was (i) information in the public domain; (ii) disclosed to the member by a third person not subject to a confidentiality obligation to the Manager or a fund managed by the Manager; (iii) approved by the Manager for disclosure to another person or the public; or (iv) required by law, including pursuant to NI 81-107, to be disclosed by the member, provided prior written notice of such proposed disclosure is given to the Manager.
Each member agrees that the Manager shall have the right to equitable or injunctive relief to prevent any unauthorized disclosure of any Confidential information, in addition to any other remedies available to it at law.
“Confidential Information” means any non-public, proprietary and confidential information related to the Manager or any of the investment funds managed by the Manager or any affiliate of the Manager and whether such information is provided orally, in writing or electronically, and whether the Confidential Information constitutes all or part of any document.
5.7 Terms used in this Charter that are defined in NI 81-107 or NI 81-102 shall have the same meaning in this Charter as they have in those instruments.