Form of Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
____________ SHARES of Common Stock and
_____________ Warrants of
U.S. GOLDMINING INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
__________, 2023
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
as the Representative of the
several underwriters, if any, named in Schedule I hereto
430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10022
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
151 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Laurentian Bank Securities Inc.
1360 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 620
Montréal, Québec H3G 0E8
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, U.S. GoldMining Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of Nevada (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with the several underwriters (such underwriters, including the Representative (as defined below), the “Underwriters” and each an “Underwriter”) named in Schedule I hereto for which H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC is acting as representative of the several Underwriters (the “Representative” and if there are no Underwriters other than the Representative, references to multiple Underwriters shall be disregarded and the term Representative as used herein shall have the same meaning as Underwriters) on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Public Securities (as defined below) as soon as the Representative deems it advisable to do so. The Public Securities are to be initially offered to the public at the initial public offering price set forth in the Prospectuses (as defined below).
It is further understood that you will act as the Representative for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Closing Securities (as defined below) and, if any, the Option Securities (as defined below) in accordance with this Agreement.
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:
“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(m).
“Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
“Canadian Authority” means the Reviewing Authority and the securities regulatory authorities in each of the Qualifying Jurisdictions pursuant to the Passport System.
“Canadian Preliminary Prospectus” means one or more preliminary prospectuses relating to the Securities for which a Passport System decision document has been received from the Reviewing Authority on behalf of itself and the other Canadian Authorities.
“Canadian Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Securities for which a final Passport System decision document has been received from the Reviewing Authority on behalf of itself and the other Canadian Authorities, including the template version (as defined in NI 41-101) of any marketing materials (as defined in NI 41-101) included or incorporated by reference therein.
“Canadian Securities Laws” means collectively, the applicable securities laws of each of the Qualifying Jurisdictions and the respective regulations and rules made under those securities laws together with all applicable national and local instruments, policy statements, notices, blanket orders and rulings of the Canadian Authorities, and all discretionary rulings and orders, as applicable to the Company, if any, of the Canadian Authorities.
“Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Closing Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.
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“Closing Date” means the hour and the date on the Trading Day on which all conditions precedent to: (i) the Underwriters’ obligations to pay the Closing Purchase Price; and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Closing Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date hereof, or, if this Agreement is entered into between 4:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, no later than the third (3rd) Trading Day following the date hereof, or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company.
“Closing Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b), which aggregate purchase price shall be net of the underwriting discounts and commissions.
“Closing Securities” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a)(ii).
“Closing Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a)(i).
“Closing Warrants” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a)(ii).
“Combined Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Company Auditors” means Marcum LLP (with respect to the financial statements as of November 30, 2021 and for the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020), with offices located at 6002 Rogerdale Road, Suite 300, Houston, Texas 77072 and Deloitte LLP (with respect to the financial statements as of and for the year ended November 30, 2022), with offices located at 410 West Georgia Street, Suite 2300, Vancouver, BC, V6B 0S7
“Company Nevada Counsel” means Ballard Spahr LLP, with offices located at 1980 Festival Plaza Drive, Suite 900, Las Vegas, Nevada 89135.
“Company Counsel” means Haynes and Boone, LLP, with offices located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10112.
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“Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(f).
“EGS” means Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, with offices located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
“Environmental Law” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(zz).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Date” shall mean the date on which the parties execute and enter into this Agreement.
“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of: (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers, directors or consultants of the Company pursuant to any stock, option or incentive plan duly adopted for such purpose by all members of the Board of Directors for services rendered to the Company (provided, however, if to consultants not more than 5% of the total outstanding shares of Common Stock in any 3-month period and provided that such securities are either unregistered and do not carry registration rights or are subject to a lock-up, in each case until the 90th day following the Closing Date); (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities or to extend the term of such securities; and (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.
“FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(i).
“Hazardous Substances” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(zz).
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“Indebtedness” means: (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business); (b) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (c) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $100,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.
“Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other similar restriction.
“Lock-Up Agreements” means the lock-up agreements that are delivered on the date hereof by each of the Company’s officers, directors and each holder of Common Stock and Common Stock Equivalents holding, on a fully diluted basis, more than 5% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.
“Material Adverse Effect” means: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document; (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document.
“NI 41-101” means National Instrument 41-101 – General Prospectus Requirements.
“NI 43-101” means National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
“Offering” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(c).
“Option” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).
“Option Closing Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(c).
“Option Closing Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(b), which aggregate purchase price shall be net of the underwriting discounts and commissions.
“Option Securities” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).
“Option Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).
“Option Warrants” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).
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“Passport System” means the passport system procedures provided for under Multilateral Instrument 11-201 – Passport System and National Policy 11-202 – Process for Prospectus Reviews in Multiple Jurisdictions.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Preliminary Prospectuses” means, collectively, the U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus.
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectuses” means, collectively, the U.S. Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus.
“Prospectus Supplement” means, if any, any supplement to the Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that is filed with the Commission.
“Public Securities” means, collectively, the Closing Securities and, if any, the Option Securities.
“Qualifying Jurisdictions” means each of the other provinces and territories of Canada, other than Quebec.
“Registration Statement” means, collectively, the various parts of the registration statement prepared by the Company on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[_________) with respect to the Securities, each as amended as of the date hereof, including the U.S. Prospectus and U.S. Prospectus Supplement, if any, the U.S. Preliminary Prospectus, if any, and all exhibits filed with such registration statement, and includes any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).
“Reviewing Authority” means the British Columbia Securities Commission.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” means any registration statement prepared by the Company registering additional Public Securities, which was filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof and became automatically effective pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.
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“Securities” means the Closing Securities, the Option Securities and the Warrant Shares.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Share Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).
“Shares” means, collectively, the shares of Common Stock delivered to the Underwriters in accordance with Section 2.1(a)(i) and Section 2.2(a), and each, a “Share”.
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.
“Technical Report” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(u)(i).
“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Warrants, the Warrant Agency Agreement, the Lock-Up Agreements, and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
“Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 1 State Street Plaza, New York, New York 10004, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“U.S. Preliminary Prospectus” means the latest preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities included in the Registration Statement.
“U.S. Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed for the Registration Statement.
“U.S. Prospectus Supplement” means, if any, any supplement to the U.S. Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that is filed with the Commission.
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“Warrant Agency Agreement” means the warrant agency agreement dated on or about the date hereof, among the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.
“Warrant Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).
“Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
“Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Underwriters in accordance with Section 2.1(a)(ii) and Section 2.2, which Warrants shall be exercisable immediately and have a term of exercise equal to two (2) years, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.
ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE
2.1 Closing.
(a) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell in the aggregate ________ shares of Common Stock and Warrants exercisable for an aggregate of _____ shares of Common Stock, and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, the following securities of the Company:
(i) the number of shares of Common Stock (the “Closing Shares”) set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereof; and
(ii) Warrants to purchase up to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereof (the “Closing Warrants” and, collectively with the Closing Shares, the “Closing Securities”), which Warrants shall have an exercise price of $____ per share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided therein.
(b) The aggregate purchase price for the Closing Securities shall equal the amount set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereto (the “Closing Purchase Price”). The combined purchase price for one Share and a Warrant to purchase _____ Warrant Share shall be $_____ ($_____ for those investors on the “president’s list” up to $15,000,000 of gross offering proceeds) (the “Combined Purchase Price”) which shall be allocated as $_____ per Share (the “Share Purchase Price”) and $0.001 per Warrant (the “Warrant Purchase Price”) (representing a gross underwriter discount or fee of 7.0% except for the first $15,000,000 of gross offering proceeds from investors on the “president’s list”, as to which the underwriters’ gross discount or fee shall be 2.0%). Additionally, the Representative shall receive a 6.0% “work fee”. For greater clarity, the Work Fee is extracted from the underwriters’ discount and is not an incremental fee; and
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(c) On the Closing Date, each Underwriter shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to such Underwriter’s Closing Purchase Price and the Company shall deliver to, or as directed by, such Underwriter its respective Closing Securities and the Company shall deliver the other items required pursuant to Section 2.3 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.3 and 2.4, the Closing shall occur at the offices of EGS or such other location as the Company and the Representative shall mutually agree. The Public Securities are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (the “Offering”).
(d) The several Underwriters shall allocate the underwriters’ discount as follows: a dealer concession of ____% of the underwriters’ discount (____% of public offering price), then of the remainder, 40% to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, 35% to BMO Capital Markets Corp. and 25% to Laurentian Bank Securities Inc.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise (as defined in the Warrants) delivered by a purchaser on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date, which Notice(s) of Exercise may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of this Agreement, provided that the Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrants) has been delivered to the Company, the Company shall deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) to the purchaser by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the purchasers are third-party beneficiaries of this covenant of the Company.
2.2 Option to Purchase Additional Securities.
(a) For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Closing Securities, H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC is hereby granted an option (the “Option”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to _____ shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) and Warrants to purchase up to ____ shares of Common Stock (the “Option Warrants” and, collectively with the Option Shares, the “Option Securities”)1 which may be purchased in any combination of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants at the Share Purchase Price and/or Warrant Purchase Price, respectively.
(b) In connection with an exercise of the Option: (a) the purchase price to be paid for the Option Shares is equal to the product of the Share Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Option Shares to be purchased; and (b) the purchase price to be paid for the Option Warrants is equal to the product of the Warrant Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Option Warrants to be purchased (the aggregate purchase price to be paid on an Option Closing Date, the “Option Closing Purchase Price”).
1 15% of the Closing Shares and the Closing Warrants.
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(c) The Option granted pursuant to this Section 2.2 may be exercised by H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Securities within thirty (30) days after the Execution Date. An Underwriter will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Option by H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. The Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of written notice to the Company from H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, by overnight mail or electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Securities (each, an “Option Closing Date”), which will not be later than two (2) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, at the offices of EGS or at such other place (including remotely by other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. If such delivery and payment for the Option Securities does not occur on the Closing Date, each Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants specified in such notice. H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC may cancel the Option at any time prior to the expiration of the Option by written notice to the Company.
2.3 Deliveries. The Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Underwriter (if applicable) the following:
(i) At the Closing Date, the Closing Shares and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the applicable Option Shares, which shares shall be delivered via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system for the accounts of the several Underwriters;
(ii) At the Closing Date, the Closing Warrants and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the applicable Option Warrants, which warrants shall be delivered via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system for the accounts of the several Underwriters;
(iii) At the Closing Date, a legal opinion of Company Counsel addressed to the Underwriters, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters and as to the Closing Date and as to each Option Closing Date, if any, a bring-down opinion from Company Counsel addressed to the Underwriters, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative and an opinion of Company Nevada Counsel addressed to the Underwriters and in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative;
(iv) At the Closing Date, the Warrant Agency Agreement duly executed by the parties thereto;
(v) Contemporaneously herewith, cold comfort letters, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative from the Company Auditors dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and a bring-down letter dated as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any;
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(vi) Contemporaneously herewith, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Underwriters a written consent of Stole Rives LLP, special Alaskan counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, permitting the Underwriters to rely upon the limited title report of Stole Rives LLP, dated February [●], 2023, issued in connection with the issuance of the common shares of GoldMining Inc. pursuant to an at-the-market equity program;
(vii) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered Officer’s Certificate, in customary form and substance;
(viii) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered Secretary’s Certificate, in customary form and substance;
(ix) Contemporaneously herewith, the duly executed and delivered Lock-Up Agreements; and
(x) Such other documents and certificates as to the accuracy and completeness of any statement in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectuses and free writing prospectus, if any, as of the time of purchase and, if applicable, the additional time of purchase, as you may reasonably request.
2.4 Closing Conditions. The respective obligations of each Underwriter hereunder in connection with the Closing and each Option Closing Date are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the date in question (other than representations and warranties of the Company already qualified by materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects) of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein);
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the date in question shall have been performed in all material respects;
(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.3 of this Agreement;
(iv) the Registration Statement shall be effective on the date of this Agreement and at each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative;
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(v) The Canadian Prospectus shall have been filed with the Canadian Authorities in accordance with Canadian Securities Laws not later than 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof (or such later date as may be determined by the Company and the Representative) and a final Passport System decision document shall have been received from the Reviewing Authority on behalf of itself and the other Canadian Authorities;
(vi) by the Execution Date, if required by FINRA, the Underwriters shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement;
(vii) the Securities have been approved for listing on the Trading Market;
(viii) on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriters shall have received a negative assurance letter of EGS addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters; and
(ix) prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses; (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Affiliate of the Company before or by any court or federal, state or provincial commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act or Canadian Securities Laws and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission or any Canadian Authority; (iv) the Registration Statement, the U.S. Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and neither the Registration Statement nor the U.S. Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and (v) the Canadian Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto shall each contain full, true and plain disclosure of all material facts relating to the Company and the Securities.
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ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Execution Date, as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no Subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.
(b) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies: and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
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(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents; or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal, state or provincial securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, provincial, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filing with the Commission and Canadian Authorities of the Prospectuses; (ii) the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act; (iii) application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Securities for trading in the time and manner required thereby; and (iv) such filings as are required to be made under applicable federal, state and provincial securities laws which if not obtained or made could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(f) Registration Statement. The Company has filed with the Commission the Registration Statement, including any related U.S. Prospectuses, for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, which Registration Statement has been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on _________ (the “Effective Date”). The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number ________) providing for the registration under Section 12 of the Exchange Act of Common Stock and Warrants. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the U.S. Prospectus has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Representative, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
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(g) Passport System. A Passport System decision document has been obtained from the Reviewing Authority on behalf of itself and the other Canadian Authorities evidencing that a receipt has been issued in the Qualifying Jurisdictions in respect of each Canadian Preliminary Prospectus and the Canadian Prospectus; the Company has complied with all applicable Canadian Securities Laws required to be complied with by the Company to qualify the distribution of the Securities, through investment dealers or brokers registered under the applicable laws of such jurisdictions who have complied with the relevant provisions of such applicable laws; and no proceedings preventing or suspending such distribution of the Securities, to the Company’s knowledge after reasonable investigation, are threatened by any Canadian Authority.
(h) Canadian Prospectus. Each Canadian Preliminary Prospectus complied, at the time it was filed with the Reviewing Authority, in all material respects with the requirements of Canadian Securities Laws; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Canadian Preliminary Prospectus, dated ___________ and the date such Canadian Preliminary Prospectus was filed with the Reviewing Authority did such Canadian Preliminary Prospectus fail to constitute full, true and plain disclosure of all material facts relating to the Company and the Securities or include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; the Canadian Prospectus, as then amended and supplemented, will comply, as of its date, the date that it is filed with the Reviewing Authority, the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by Canadian Securities Laws to be delivered in connection with any sale of Shares, in all material respects, with the requirements of Canadian Securities Laws;, at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Canadian Prospectus and the date the Canadian Prospectus will be filed with the Reviewing Authority and ending at the later of the time of purchase, the latest additional time of purchase, if any, and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by Canadian Securities Laws to be delivered in connection with any sale of Securities did or will the Canadian Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, fail to constitute full, true and plain disclosure of all material facts relating to the Company and the Securities or include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(i) Issuance of Securities. The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Warrant Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Warrants. The holder of the Securities will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holder. The Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses.
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(j) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or the capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Underwriters). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal, state and provincial securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. The authorized shares of the Company conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses. The offers and sales of the Company’s securities were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers, exempt from such registration requirements. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.
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(k) Financial Statements and Other Agreements. The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses have been prepared in all material respects in compliance with applicable rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein in all material respects and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement or with the Canadian Authorities, that have not been so described or filed, or for which an exemption has been granted or an undertaking by the Company has been given. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and: (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses; or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except: (x) as such enforceability may be limited by general equitable principles and bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally: (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under applicable laws, including the federal, state and provincial securities laws; and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
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(l) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent filing with the Commission or the Reviewing Authority: (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission or the Reviewing Authority; (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting; (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock; and (v) other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company incentive plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission or any Canadian Authority any request for confidential treatment of information.
(m) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, provincial, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which: (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities; or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal, state or provincial securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission or any Canadian Authority involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission and any Canadian Authority has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement or prospectus filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, or Canadian Securities Laws.
(n) Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all federal, state, provincial, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(o) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived); (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority; or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, law, regulation, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local statutes, laws, regulations, rules, ordinances or regulation relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety, employment and labor matters, exploration, mining and related activities, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries are the registered owners of, possess and are in compliance, and to the knowledge of the Company, all prior times were in compliance with all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, rights (including, without limitation, surface rights, access rights and water rights), concessions, instruments, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state, provincial, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary for the ownership or lease of their properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, including for the exploration, exploitation, extraction, removal, processing and refinery of minerals, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (each, a “Material Permit”). The Material Permits are in good standing without default, except where failure to be in good standing or the existence of a default would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any proceedings, including, but not limited, to orders, rights, directives, units or judgments, that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the revocation, cancellation or modification or the intention to revoke, cancel or modify any Material, Permit except where such revocation, cancellation or modification would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary have any reason to believe that any such Material Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, cancellation or modification would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The disclosures in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses concerning the effects of federal, state, provincial, local and all foreign regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects.
(q) [RESERVED].
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(r) Title to Assets and Properties. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all the real property, personal property and other assets, including all interests in mining claims, mining leases, concessions, exploitation or extraction rights, or other property interests or rights or similar rights (“Mining Claims”) that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted, and described in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses as being owned respectively by them, in each case free and clear of any Lien, except: (i) as subject to the paramount title of the United States in respect of the unpatented mining claims owned by the Company or the Subsidiaries; (ii) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries; and (iii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP, and the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties and except as set forth in the Registration Statement (including the exhibits thereto) and Prospectuses. All material Mining Claims in which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has an interest or right are valid, subsisting and enforceable. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses, there are no expropriations or similar proceedings or any challenges to title or ownership of which the Company or the Subsidiaries have received notice against the Mining Claims or any part thereof and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such expropriations, proceedings or challenges are contemplated. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any obligation to pay any royalty that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries as a whole in respect of any Mining Claims except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, there are no restrictions on the ability of the Company and the Subsidiaries to use, transfer or otherwise exploit any such Mining Claims except as required by applicable law or security instruments, except where such restrictions would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and Subsidiaries have valid, subsisting and enforceable leases for the real property, improvements, equipment and personal property described in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses, as leased by them, with such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or the Subsidiaries.
(s) [Reserved]
(t) Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Any information relating to estimates by the Company of the proven and probable mineral reserves and the measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources associated with its mineral property projects contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with NI 43-101; the Company believes that all of the assumptions underlying such reserve and resource estimates are reasonable and appropriate.
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(u) Technical Report and NI 43-101.
i. | The technical report titled “NI 43-101, Mineral Resource Estimate for the Whistler Project” effective as of September 22, 2022 (the “Technical Report”) was prepared in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of NI 43-101; | |
ii. | The Company made available to the authors of the Technical Reports, prior to the issuance of such report, for the purpose of preparing such report, all information available to the Company and requested by the authors, which information to the best of the Company’s knowledge did not contain any misrepresentation at the time such information was so provided, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no material changes to such information since the date of delivery or preparation thereof; | |
iii. | The Company is in material compliance with the provisions of NI 43-101 and has filed all technical reports required thereby and there has been no change that would require the filing of a new technical report under NI 43-101; and | |
iv. | All scientific and technical information set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses has been reviewed by a “qualified person” as required under NI 43-101 and, to the knowledge of the Company, has been prepared in accordance with Canadian industry standards set forth in NI 43-101 other than where disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses that such information has been prepared under an acceptable foreign code (as such term is defined in NI 43-101). |
(v) Notice of Adverse Claims. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of any claim adverse in any material respect to its ownership interests in or relating to the Whistler Gold-Copper Project, nor in respect of real property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(w) [Reserved].
(x) [Reserved].
(y) [Reserved].
(z) [Reserved].
(aa) [Reserved].
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(bb) Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses and which the failure to do so could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.
(dd) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from, any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for: (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered; (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company; and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock incentive plan of the Company.
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(ee) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.
(ff) Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA. The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve months prior to the Execution Date, other than fees paid to the Representative. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
(gg) Investment Company. The Company is not, and no Affiliate is, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities will not be, and no Affiliate will be, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(hh) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act or issuance of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.
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(b) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Common Stock is currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees of the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.
(ii) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s articles of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable as a result of the Underwriters and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents.
(jj) Disclosure; 10b-5. The Registration Statement contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, if any, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations under the Securities Act and did not and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus, each as of its respective date, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations. Each of the U.S. Preliminary Prospectus and the U.S. Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, did not and will not contain as of the date thereof any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the U.S. Prospectus, or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, which have not been described or filed as required.
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(kk) Cybersecurity. (i): (x) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, there has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”); and (y) the Company has not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company is presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause; (iii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) the Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.
(ll) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder: (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature; (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof; and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. The Registration Statement and the Prospectuses set forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
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(mm) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each: (i) has made or filed, when due, all United States federal, state, provincial and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject; (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations; and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, provincial, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
(nn) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer of the Company or its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries, has: (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment of corporate funds or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including, without limitation, of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada) or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offense under any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company has instituted, maintained and enforced, and will continue to maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(oo) Accountants. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, the Company Auditors: (i) are independent registered public accounting firms as required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) shall express their opinions with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Registration Statement. The Company Auditors have not, during the periods covered by their respective reports of independent registered public accounting firm included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
(pp) [RESERVED]
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(qq) Incentive Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s incentive plans was granted: (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s incentive plans; and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock incentive plans has been backdated.
(rr) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer of the Company or its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries is currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region, Sudan and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity: (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions; (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country; or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(ss) [RESERVED]
(tt) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
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(uu) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(vv) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering and in the Lock-Up Agreement provided to the Underwriters is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in such questionnaires become inaccurate and incorrect.
(ww) FINRA Affiliation. No officer, director or any beneficial owner of 5% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA) that is participating in the Offering. The Company will advise the Representative and EGS if it learns that any officer, director or owner of 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member firm on or before Closing.
(xx) Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or EGS shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
(yy) Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Prospectuses captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and the rules of the Trading Market. At least one member of the Board of Directors qualifies as a “financial expert” as such term is defined under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and the rules of the Trading Market. In addition, at least 50% of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the rules of the Trading Market and applicable Canadian Securities Laws.
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(zz) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries: (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, provincial, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(aaa) Forward-Looking Statements. Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) and all “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of Canadian Securities Laws) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith and is based on assumptions that are reasonable in the circumstances.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Underwriters complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), and the Prospectuses, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as an Underwriter reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Prospectuses and the Registration Statement. The Company shall not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
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4.2 Securities Laws.
(a) Compliance. During the time when a U.S. Prospectus or Canadian Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act or Canadian Securities Laws, the Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and Canadian Securities Laws, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectuses. If at any time when a U.S. Prospectus or a Canadian Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act or Canadian Securities Laws, any event shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectuses, as then amended or supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectuses to comply with the Securities Act or Canadian Securities Laws, the Company will notify the Underwriters promptly and prepare and file with the Commission and the Canadian Authorities, subject to Section 4.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10 of the Securities Act and Canadian Securities Laws.
(b) Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the U.S. Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424. The Company will file the Canadian Prospectus with the Canadian Authorities in accordance with Canadian Securities Laws not later than 12:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof (or such later date as may be determined by the Company and the Representative) and shall use its commercially reasonable effort to obtain a final Passport System decision document from the Reviewing Authority on behalf of itself and the other Canadian Authorities.
(c) Exchange Act Registration. For the earlier of: (i) three years from the Execution Date; and (ii) such time as no Warrants are outstanding (the “Public Period”), the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act. During the Public Period, the Company will not deregister the Common Stock or the Warrants under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative.
(d) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act, without the prior written consent of the Representative. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representative is herein referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in rule and regulations under the Securities Act, and has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 of the Securities Act, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.
4.3 Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, from time to time during the period when the Prospectuses are required to be delivered under the Securities Act or Canadian Securities Laws such number of copies of each Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to you two original executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all post-effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith and all original executed consents of certified experts.
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4.4 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Underwriters. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus until the later of nine (9) months from the Execution Date and the date on which the Warrants are no longer outstanding, and will notify the Underwriters and holders of the Warrants immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission or any Canadian Authority of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission or any Canadian Authority of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission or any Canadian Authority for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectuses; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission or any Canadian Authority; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 4.4 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission, any state securities commission or any Canadian Authority shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
4.5 Expenses of the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Securities to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Securities) with the Commission and the Canadian Authorities; (b) all FINRA Public Offering Filing System fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Closing Shares, Option Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares on the Trading Market and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of such Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the fees and expenses of Blue Sky counsel); (d) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (e) the costs and expenses of the Company’s public relations firm; (f) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering the Securities; (g) fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent for the Securities (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company); (h) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (i) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (k) up to $150,000 for the fees and expenses of EGS; (l) up to $150,000 for the fees and expenses of Stikeman Elliot LLP, Canadian counsel to the Underwriters; (m) up to $50,000 for other out-of-pocket expenses of the Underwriters; and (n) $15,950 for the actual costs of the Representative’s clearing firm. The Underwriters may also deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or each Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters
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4.6 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectuses and to file such reports with the Commission and Canadian Authorities with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act or applicable Canadian Securities Law.
4.7 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar month following the Execution Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve consecutive months beginning after the Execution Date.
4.8 Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities (it being understood that the Company makes no statement as to the activities of the Underwriters).
4.9 FINRA. On or before Closing, the Company shall advise the Underwriters (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is aware that any 5% or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of an Underwriter.
4.10 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual and commercial in nature, based on arms-length negotiations and that neither the Underwriters nor their affiliates or any selected dealer shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may have financial interests in the success of the Offering that are not limited to the difference between the price to the public and the purchase price paid to the Company by the Underwriters for the Securities and the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose, or account to the Company for, any of such additional financial interests. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of fiduciary duty.
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4.11 Warrant Shares. If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the issuance of the Warrant Shares, the Warrant Shares issued pursuant to any such exercise shall be issued free of all restrictive legends. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement (or any subsequent registration statement registering the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares) is not effective or is not otherwise available for the sale of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Warrants in writing that such registration statement is not then effective and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the registration statement is effective again and available for the sale of the Warrant Shares (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Company to issue, or any holder thereof to sell, any of the Warrant Shares in compliance with applicable federal, state and provincial securities laws).
4.12 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. At the request of the Representative, by 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof (or on the next Trading Day if this Agreement is signed after 9:00 a.m. (New York City time), the Company shall issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the Offering. The Company and the Representative shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the Offering, and neither the Company nor any Underwriter shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of such Underwriter, or without the prior consent of the Representative, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. The Company will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without sufficient prior written notice to the Representative, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the first business day following the 30th day following the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
4.13 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Underwriter of the Securities is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Underwriter of Securities could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities pursuant to the Offering.
4.14 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Option Shares pursuant to the Option and Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Warrants.
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4.15 Listing of Common Stock and Warrants. During the Public Period, the Company hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Closing Shares, Option Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares on the Trading Market. During the Public Period, the Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.
4.16 Subsequent Equity Sales.
(a) From the date hereof until 180 days from the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.16 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.
4.17 Research Independence. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments, if any, are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriter’s research analysts may hold and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the Offering that differ from the views of its investment bankers. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against such Underwriter with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriter’s investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that the Representative is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short position in debt or equity securities of the Company.
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ARTICLE V.
DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS
If on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, if any, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), the Representative, or if the Representative is the defaulting Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters, shall use their reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36 hours the Representative shall not have procured such other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then: (a) if the aggregate number of Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, with respect to which such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to purchase the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase; or (b) if the aggregate number of Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Closing Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or the Representative will have the right to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in Article VI hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Article V, the applicable Closing Date may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representative, or if the Representative is the defaulting Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters, may determine in order that the required changes in the Prospectuses or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term “Underwriter” includes any Person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement; provided, that no Underwriter shall be responsible to the Company for any failure to purchase Securities by any person on the “president’s list” of purchasers.
ARTICLE VI.
INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, and each dealer selected by each Underwriter that participates in the offer and sale of the Securities (each a “Selected Dealer”) and each of their respective agents, directors, officers and employees and each Person, if any, who controls such Underwriter or any Selected Dealer (“Controlling Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between such Underwriter and the Company or between such Underwriter and any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, Canadian Securities Laws, or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in: (i) any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including any “road show”; or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Article VI, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any Canadian Authority, any state or provincial securities commission or agency, Trading Market or any securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the applicable Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectuses, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, as the case may be. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Preliminary Prospectuses, if any, the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6.1 shall not inure to the benefit of an Underwriter to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter results from the fact that a copy of the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus, as the case may be, was not given or sent to the Person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Securities to such Person as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder or Canadian Securities Laws, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectuses, unless such failure to deliver the U.S. Prospectus or the Canadian Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under this Agreement. The Company agrees promptly to notify each Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or Controlling Persons in connection with the issue and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement or Prospectuses.
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6.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter, a Selected Dealer or a Controlling Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 6.1, such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter or such Selected Dealer, as the case may be) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person unless: (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action; or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action; or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by such Underwriter (in addition to local counsel), Selected Dealer and/or Controlling Person shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter, Selected Dealer or Controlling Person shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 6 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent: (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding; and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6.1 effected without its written consent if: (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into; and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
6.3 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees and agents who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectuses or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written information furnished to the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectuses or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any such application. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other Person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectuses or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against such Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other Person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to such Underwriter by the provisions of this Article VI. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.3, no Underwriter shall be required to indemnify the Company for any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 6.3 to indemnify the Company are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
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6.4 Contribution.
(a) Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any case in which: (i) any Person entitled to indemnification under this Article VI makes a claim for indemnification pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Article VI provides for indemnification in such case; or (ii) contribution be required on the part of any such Person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Article VI, then, and in each such case, the Company and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and such Underwriter, as incurred, in such proportions that such Underwriter is responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectuses bears to the initial offering price appearing thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, that, no Person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each director, officer and employee of such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each Person, if any, who controls such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.4, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 6.4 to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(b) Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 6.4 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, Canadian Securities Laws or otherwise available.
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ARTICLE VII.
MISCELLANEOUS
7.1 Termination.
(a) Termination Right. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date: (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in its opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on any Trading Market shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative’s opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Securities; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Securities.
(b) Expenses. In the event this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(a), within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Representative its actual and accountable out of pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable, including the fees and disbursements of EGS and Stikeman Elliot LLP up to $300,000 (provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement).
(c) Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Article VI shall not be in any way effected by such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
7.2 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Prospectuses and the Registration Statement, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Engagement Agreement, dated September 26, 2022 (“Engagement Agreement”), by and between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, shall continue to be effective and the terms therein shall continue to survive and be enforceable by H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC in accordance with its terms, provided that, in the event of a conflict between the terms of the Engagement Agreement and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
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7.3 Parties at Interest. Any affiliate of any Underwriter which is duly qualified and authorized to sell the Securities in a Qualifying Jurisdiction pursuant to the Canadian Prospectus and offers and sells the Securities in any of the Qualifying Jurisdictions or any affiliate of any Underwriter that signs the Canadian Prospectus shall be deemed a third party beneficiary of the representations and warranties and covenants of the Company contained in Article III, the indemnification and contribution obligations of the Company contained in Article VI and the officers’ certificates, legal opinions and other documents required to be delivered to the Underwriters pursuant hereto, and each such affiliate shall have the right to enforce such provisions of this Agreement to the same extent as if it were an Underwriter.
7.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail attachment at the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day; (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail attachment at the e-mail address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day; (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service; or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.
7.5 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Representative. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
7.6 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
7.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.
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7.8 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any claims arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act may only be brought in the federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Article VI, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.
7.9 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the Option Closing Date, if any, and the delivery of the Securities.
7.10 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
7.11 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
7.12 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, the Underwriters and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
7.13 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.
7.14 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.
7.15 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVE FOREVER ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
(Signature Pages Follow)
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
U.S. GOLDMINING INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | Tim Smith | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
Address for Notice: | |
C/O GoldMining Inc. | |
1030 West Georgia Street, Suite 1830 | |
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 2Y3 | |
Attn: Yong-Jae Kim | |
Email ***@*** | |
Copy to: | |
Haynes and Boone, LLP | |
30 Rockefeller Plaza, 26th floor | |
New York, NY 10112 | |
Attn: Rick A. Werner | |
Email: ***@*** |
Accepted on the date first above written.
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
As the Representative of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
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Address for Notice: | |
430 Park Avenue, 4th Floor | |
New York, NY 10022 | |
Attn: Chief Executive Officer | |
***@*** |
By: BMO Capital Markets Corp.
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Address for Notice:
3 Times Square, 25th Floor
New York, NY 10036
By: Laurentian Bank Securities Inc.
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Address for Notice:
1360 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 620
Montréal, Québec H3G 0E8
Copy to:
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Attn: Robert F. Charron
Email: ***@***
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SCHEDULE I
Schedule of Underwriters
Underwriters | Closing Shares | Closing Warrants | Closing Purchase Price | |||
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC | ||||||
BMO Capital Markets Corp. | ||||||
Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. | ||||||
Total |
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