Those who have filed – or at least reviewed – the “new” Form 990 since it was revised in 2008 are well aware of its comprehensive nature. For everyone else, suffice it to say that the form requires substantially more information than its predecessor and can compel an organization to implement additional record-keeping or information-gathering procedures ...
THE FACTS OF THE CASEThe case has as its backdrop a family tragedy. On the morning of April 22, 2002, Martin Brossard went to the residence of his former spouse, Liliane de Montigny. Following a sequence of events, the order of which could not be determined from the evidence, he strangled his spouse and drowned their two children, Claudia and Béatrice, in the bathtub of the residence ...
Late on Friday, November 19, 2010, the Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors, the FBI and the SEC are in the final stages of an unprecedented three-year investigation into insider trading by consultants, investment bankers, hedge fund and mutual fund traders, and analysts.1 The SEC has already subpoenaed more than thirty hedge funds and investors, and some civil or criminal charges may be brought before the end of the year ...
First, the good news: No estate tax on individuals who die during 2010; No generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) tax on “transfers” during 2010; Tax rate on gifts during 2010 is 35% (rather than 45%); and Congress appears less likely to take any action to retroactively change these rules ...
Due to the effects of the recent economic crisis, the need arose to make it easier for insolvent companies to continue their business through a restructuring. Up until now there has been the Bankruptcy Act (Konkursordnung – KO) alongside with the Composition Act (Ausgleichsordnung - AO) in Austria ...
Last March, we informed you that the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) (the “Bill”) had been adopted by Quebec’s National Assembly and summarily described certain features of this new legislation, which will replace the Companies Act (Quebec) (the “CAQ”). In this special edition of Ratio, we provide an overview of certain aspects of the Bill that are of interest to professionals in the areas of accounting, management and finance ...
In response to the current state of the economy, Congress has passed some tax legislation amending the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). Although it is up for debate, some would say that Congress has not been busy enough. As we near the end of the year, many taxpayers and their advisers are going through their usual year-end tax planning checklist ...
ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010, THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA ISSUED AN UNANIMOUS JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF PROGRESSIVE HOMES LTD. V. LOMBARD GENERAL INSURANCE CO. OF CANADA(1) , REVERSING TWO LOWER COURT JUDGMENTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA WHICH HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE INSURER, LOMBARD, HAD NO DUTY TO DEFEND THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR PROGRESSIVE HOMES, AGAINST A CLAIM FOR DEFECTS AND DAMAGES CAUSED BY WATER INFILTRATION IN FOUR BUILDINGS BUILT BY IT ...
As part of the ongoing rulemaking initiatives contemplated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) recently released a proposed rule defining “family offices” for purposes of an exemption from registration under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) ...
On August 25th, the Court of Appeal, for the reasons of Justice Nicholas Kasirer(1), rendered a significant decision(2) with regard to the duty of care required from ski instructors and the assessment of damages awarded to a victim who developed a serious neurological disorder resulting from a ski accident.In their capacity as tutors of their child (referred to as “X” in the judgment), as well as in their personal capacity, Plaintiffs claimed damages for approximately $3 ...
* New Developments Concerning Insider Reporting Requirements. * Revenu Québec Bares its Teeth at Restaurant Owners* Planning for the Unavoidable: The Usefulness of Reviewing a Shareholder Agreement's Redemption Provisions in Case of Death* Speech is Silver, Silence is Golden.. ...
Damage Insurance - Lavery, de Billy, L.L.P. - Canada Hidden Defect, Reduction in the Purchase Price and Liability Insurance Coverage On June 2, 2010, the Quebec Court of Appeal confirmed the Superior Court’s decision (per Justice Gill es Hébert), which dismissed the insured’s action in warranty against his liability insurer under his home owner’s policy ...
The Quebec Court of Appeal confirmed the Superior Court’s decision, which dismissed the insured’s action in warranty against his liability insurer under his home owner’s policy. The insured alleged that the purchasers’ claim for reducing the purchase price due to a hidden defect was covered under the liability insurance policy. The Facts In April 2005, Plaintiffs, Bérubé and Marcil, purchased Johnston’s residence ...
If you are a U.S. business with international operations, here are four questions you should consider: Does your company have more than two foreign subsidiaries, at least one of which is profitable? Do you have a profitable foreign subsidiary that guarantees any U.S. debt? Are you considering the purchase of a company located outside the U.S.? Does your U.S ...
On June 2, 2010, the Quebec Court of Appeal confirmed the Superior Court’s decision (per Justice Gill es Hébert), which dismissed the insured’s action in warranty against his liability insurer under his home owner’s policy. The insured all eged that the purchasers’ cl aim for reducing the purchase price due to a hidden defect was covered under the liability insurance policy.(1)THE FACTSIn April 2005, Plaintiffs, Bérubé and Marcil, purchased Johnston’s residence ...
On 23 March 2010, Indonesia and Hong Kong signed a new agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (“Tax Treaty”). To date, the Tax Treaty has not yet been ratified by either country. It is expected that the Tax Treaty will come into force in early 2011 following its ratification ...
An almost universal feature of commercial loan agreements is the inclusion of representations and warranties regarding the financial statements and condition of the borrower. A recent case examined whether under New York law, sophisticated lenders can reasonably rely upon such representations in asserting claims of fraud instead of being required to make an independent investigation into the books and records of the Borrower. In DDJ Management LLC, et al v. Rhone Group L.L.C ...
The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession have taken their toll on the funding of all infrastructure projects and the renewable energy sector has not been immune to its effects. Banks and public finance institutions were increasingly reluctant to advance loans for projects, as preserving capital resources became critically important to help ensure their survival in the financial and economic maelstrom ...
Which group of creditors is entitled to the money held by a monitor for purposes of carrying out a plan of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”) when the debtor goes bankrupt prior to the distribution: only the creditors covered by the plan of arrangement, or all of the creditors, even those not covered by the plan, for example, subsequent creditors? This controversial issue was considered by Judge Jean-Yves Lalonde in
IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2010, THE SUPERIOR COURT RENDERED TWO INTERESTING DECISIONS IN CASES INVOLVING FIRES. WE WILL REVIEW THESE DECISIONS , WHICH HAVE A NUMBER OF FEATURES IN COMMON, INCLUDING THE CONSIDERABLE SUMS OF MONEY AT STAKE, THE LENGTHY TIME PERIOD BETWEEN THE LOSS AND THE TRIAL, AND THE NUMBER OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE CONDUCT OF EACH CASE.THE GOODFELLOW CASE: “THE DORMANT FIRE ”On August 22, 1998, a major fire broke out in Goodfellow Inc ...
a recent Superior Court decision rendered in the Province of Quebec is of interest. This decision rendered by Judge Jean-François Emond, sitt ing in Bankruptcy division for the Superior Court in the District of Quebec City, deals with a Progress Payment Agreement and a Mast er Lease Agreement between a financing company, Maxium Financial Services Inc. (hereinafter: “Maxium”) and a golf cart rental company, Desrosiers Golf Inc. (hereinafter: “Desrosiers”) ...
“Therein the patient must minister to himself” (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 3) With only seven days to go before the expiry on 1 April 2010 of the previous insurance block exemption, the European Commission adopted a new exemption, albeit in very much reduced form ...
The report of the Henry Review of the Australian taxation and transfer system released on 2 May 2010, entitled 'Australia's Future Tax System' (the Report) is the 'root and branch' review into the taxation and transfer system proposed by the Australian Labor Party at the election in 2007. It contains some 138 recommendations for long-term reform of the tax and transfer system ...
After becoming the object of several infringement procedures conducted by the European Commission, Spain has been forced to amend several non-resident income tax provisions to ensure those provisions comply with the principles enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ...
