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Class ActionAnnouncementFROM: CLPENS Executive and David Kidd, Alex Harvey and Jean Paul Marentette
Nov. 30, 2007
We are pleased to
announce that we have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”)
with Canada Life which establishes an agreed upon framework under which a final
settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) can be completed in respect of
the current outstanding class action litigation and issues arising from the
partial wind-up of the Canada Life Canadian Employees Pension Plan (the “Plan”
or “Pension Plan”). Achieving a final settlement is subject to obtaining
significant levels of member consent from both the partial wind-up members, and
the other inactive remaining Plan members as of the date of the commencement of
the litigation on April 12, 2005, as well as from active Plan members at the end
of June 2005. It is also subject to court approval and approval of pension
regulators, including the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (“FSCO”).
Our lawyers have been through this process many
times and tell us that these settlements can sometimes take a number of years to
complete. However, by signing the MOU, the parties have committed to a course
of action that we are confident will lead to a cooperative settlement and your
committee will work diligently to achieve a successful and timely result on
behalf of all members.
Please note that under any final settlement partial
wind up surplus distributions may be provided from the Plan. All Plan benefits
will be fully protected as required by law.
The proposed settlement in the MOU would resolve the
surplus claims of members affected by the partial wind-up that occurred between
July 10, 2003 and June 30, 2005, and the claims of the remaining members with
respect to payment of expenses out of the Pension Plan by Canada Life. The
proposed MOU settlement is the result of negotiations between the parties over
the last 12 months.
The details of the Settlement Agreement, once
completed, will be released to all members once direction is obtained from the
Judge of the Ontario Superior Court who is supervising the proceeding. It is
anticipated that there will be mailings to affected individuals and information
meetings across Canada to explain the Settlement Agreement and to seek
appropriate member consents in accordance with the MOU requirements. At that
time, members will receive an estimate of their eligible share of any settlement
before being asked to provide their consents.
The estimated value of the net partial wind-up
surplus available for distribution as at January 1, 2006 (based on the most
recent actuarial valuation filed for the Plan with FSCO), is approximately $100
million. The highlights of the proposed MOU settlement involve the sharing of
that surplus between eligible Plan members and Canada Life. Expenses and legal
fees of the parties, including the legal fees of class counsel, will be paid
“off the top” of the partial wind up surplus in accordance with the MOU,
however, all legal fees and expenses must first be approved by the Court. Upon
receipt of all required member, court and regulatory approvals, and compliance
with the terms of the MOU, net partial wind up surplus available for
distribution at that time (“Distributable Partial Wind Up Surplus”, which could
be higher or lower than $100 million) will be shared so that 30.34% will be
distributed to Canada Life and 69.66% to the eligible member group. The
eligible member group 69.66% share of Distributable Partial Wind Up Surplus will
be divided so that roughly 57.22% of the Distributable Partial Wind Up Surplus
is allocated and paid to eligible partial wind-up members and 12.44% is
allocated and paid to the eligible inactive remaining Plan members. Please note
that the January 1, 2006 Distributable Partial Wind Up Surplus estimate is
subject to change and will fluctuate until the actual distribution date due to a
number of factors.
The remaining eligible active members who are/were
employed by Canada Life as of the end of the partial wind up period on June 30,
2005 or subsequently joined the Plan will receive a 2 year contribution holiday
or equivalent payment, payable out of the remaining Pension Plan surplus not
affected by the partial wind-up, as well as other protections. The value of
this contribution holiday will vary from member to member according to their
individual circumstances.
As part of a final settlement, Canada Life is to
receive a Court Order confirming, among other things, that it may continue to
use surplus for Plan funding purposes and pay the expenses of administering the
Pension Plan and fund out of the Plan surplus.
Further details will be released once Settlement
Agreement documents are finalized and court approval for a class mailing is
obtained.
The CLPENS executive fully
supports achieving
a final settlement based on the MOU that will make available significant
financial benefits and protections to eligible Pension Plan members and former
members.
We thank you for your patience to date and trust
that we can rely on your cooperation while awaiting the release of further
details. All questions should be directed to class counsel at canadalifeclass@kmlaw.ca or canadalifeclass@harrisonpensa.com. The court process limits the ability for Canada Life to communicate with the potential class members.
Nov. 30, 2007
Mediation April 24-25, 2007On Tuesday, April 24, 2007, the plaintiffs, Alexander Harvey, David Kidd and JP Marentette, along with Wilbert Antler representing CLPENS, and their counsel from Koskie-Minsky LLP and Harrison-Pensa LLP, attended a full day mediation conference in Toronto with representatives of Canada Life and their counsel from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP with the Honourable Regional Senior Justice Winkler acting as mediator.
Significant progress was made through the facilitated resolution discussions, and through further discussions on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, but we are not yet able to advise that any settlement resolution has been reached. All parties are still acting under the terms of a Communications and Confidentiality Agreement and, accordingly, we are unable to provide any further details at this time.
Discussions are continuing, and any material developments will be reported to you as soon as possible.
May 11, 2007
Decision in Potter et al. v. Bank of CanadaOn March 30, 2007 the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Potter et al. v. Bank of Canada. The plaintiffs in Potter ’ asked the court to order an accounting and direct distribution of monies to class members of the funds that were alleged to have been improperly paid out of the Bank of Canada pension fund and in the alternative asked the court to order restitution to the pension fund. The defendant Bank brought a motion to strike certain portions of the statement of claim relating to the remedy of “direct payments” to class members.
The Potter case, which concerns the alleged unlawful payment of pension plan expenses from the pension fund, is relevant to the Canada Life litigation where the plaintiffs have requested similar orders.
The Court of Appeal upheld the lower court decision striking the plaintiffs claim for direct payments, reasoning that the appropriate remedy to achieve fairness and justice was restitution to the pension fund. In Potter, the Court of Appeal held that the direct payment remedy requested by the plaintiffs would not be fair or just because, among other reasons, (1) it would give pension plan members more than they are entitled to receive from the plan, and (2) it prefers the interests of existing beneficiaries and ignores the interests of contingent beneficiaries.
The import of this decision is that it narrows the circumstances in which a Court may order an account and distribution to pension plan members for a breach of trust claim.
This means that there are very few, if any, situations where a Court would order a payout of expense money directly to the class members. In most cases, the remedy, if any, would be to require the Company to return all or part of the monies to the pension fund.
May 11, 2007
Mediation Adjourned to April 24-25, 2007Counsel for all the parties attended a telephone case conference with Justice Hoy on February 22, 2007 to report on the status of settlement negotiations. Counsel for the plaintiffs reported that a counter-proposal to settle the litigation was delivered to Canada Life on December 21, 2006. Canada Life advised that it intended to deliver a further proposal by March 16, 2007. All counsel agreed to attend at the mediation previously ordered by Justice Hoy.
Canada Life delivered its second proposal on March 16, 2006. At the request of Canada Life, the mediation was adjourned from March 26-27 to April 24-25, 2007, to give the parties additional time to consider their positions in light of the March 16 offer.
Counsel for the parties will be attending a telephone case conference with Justice Hoy on April 16, 2007.
April, 2007 Certification Hearing - November 14, 2006The plaintiffs’ motion for certification as a class proceeding, as well as Canada Life’s motion to strike certain portions of the amended statement of claim, were scheduled for hearing in the Superior Court of Justice on November 14, 2006. With the attendance of all parties and at the request of Madam Justice Hoy, both motions were adjourned pending the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Potter v. The Bank of Canada, and pending settlement negotiations among the parties. Canada Life delivered a confidential proposal to resolve the litigation on November 9, 2006. The plaintiffs and the CLPENS Executive require time to examine and analyze the proposal and prepare a counter-proposal. Justice Hoy scheduled a settlement conference with Regional Senior Justice Warren Winkler in late March, 2007. In the interim, the parties have agreed to engage in resolution discussions. CLPENS believes that this course of action will advance meaningful discussions between the parties. Justice Hoy’s endorsement reads as follows: Mr. Zigler, Ms. Godkewitsch, Mr. Foreman for the
Plaintiffs November 14, 2006 Motion adjourned to a date to be scheduled at a case conference. Next case conference scheduled for Thursday, February 22, 2007, 10:00 a.m. Adjournment pending Court of Appeal's decision in Potter v. Bank of Canada. Plaintiffs to respond to Defendants' settlement offer of Nov. 9, 2006 by December 31, 2006. Parties to thereafter conduct settlement discussions, and be prepared to report as to the status (but not substance) of same at the Feb. 22, 2007 case conference. Also at the Feb. 22, 2007 case conference, the parties shall report on the status of the appeal in Potter v. Bank of Canada and provide submissions regarding the settlement conference process. If appropriate, a new date for the R. 21 and certification motions will be fixed at the Feb. 22, 2007 case conference. I will speak to RSJ Winkler to confirm his availability to conduct a 2-day settlement conference the week of March 26, 2007, or if not available then, when he is next available. RSJ Winkler's secretary or my secretary will confirm the date. Adjourned to a date to be fixed at a case conference. See endorsement on Motion Record re: certification. Alexandra Hoy
November 16, 2006
Proposal delayed again
Notice
Proposal Delayed until August 11, 2006On June 12, 2006 a meeting was held between our counsel and the Canada Life counsel. The Canada Life counsel stated that while considerable time and effort have been spent to date reviewing the various aspects of the proposal, given the complexity of this matter, additional time beyond what was originally anticipated is needed to complete this review. The Canada Life lawyers advised that Canada Life expects to be in a position to provide a proposal to resolve the litigation by Friday, August 11, 2006.
This additional delay was discussed at the CLPENS Executive Committee meeting on June 13, 2006. The Committee agreed to accept this additional delay.
July 5, 2006 Proposal Delayed
Adjournment of Certification Motion
March 3, 2006
Page Last Revised 19 Nov 2008 |
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