|  Login
 
 
 
 

Corporate Structures and Groups

a journal devoted to the tax aspects of structuring and restructuring corporations and other business entities

 
Volume X, No. 4 2008
Highlights

CONTROL

The Hypothetical Shareholder Rule and Paragraph 251(5)(b): Sedona Networks
Mark D. Brender, Jean-Frédérick Ménard
One of the most salient issues concerning the determination of a corporation's status as a Canadian-controlled private corporation has been that of the interpretation of paragraph (b) of the definition of Canadian-controlled private corporation in subsection 125(7) of the Income Tax Act. Mark Brender and Jean-Frédérick Ménard review the Sedona decision and note that although the Federal Court of Appeal decision is not favourable to taxpayers on the issue of the combined effect of the deeming provisions found respectively in paragraphs 125(7)(b) and 251(5)(b), the methodology applied by the Court calls into question the Canada Revenue Agency's administrative position regarding the application of paragraph 251(5)(b) on a holder-by-holder basis.

A MALGAMATIONS

Paragraph 78(1)(a) and Amalgamated Debtors: Dow Chemical Canada Inc.
Mark D. Brender, Ryan Rabinovitch
Mark Brender and Ryan Rabinovitch review the recent decision of the Tax Court of Canada in Dow Chemical Canada Inc. v. The Queen. The Tax Court concluded that subsection 78(1) of the Income Tax Act ceases to apply following the amalgamation of the debtor in light of the statutory fiction in section 87, which treats the amalgamated corporation as a new corporation, and the absence of a specific provision to deem the amalgamated corporation to not deal at arm's length with the creditor at the time the debt was incurred.

BUTTERFLY REORGANIZATIONS

Neither "Split" Nor "Spin:" Butterflies Involving a Controlling Shareholder
Douglas J. Powrie
Butterfly transactions under paragraph 55(3)(b) of the Income Tax Act are only available in strictly controlled circumstances. Generally, but not universally, there is a requirement that a butterfly reorganization be restricted to one of two forms which are generally referred to in the profession as a "spin" or a "split." Douglas Powrie examines the circumstances in which a butterfly which is neither a "spin" nor a "split" is permitted.

SECTION 88 BUMP

Using a Target's Cash as a Source of Funds
Eoin Brady
A Purchaser intends to acquire a taxable Canadian corporation ("Target"). The Purchaser establishes a taxable Canadian corporation as an acquisition entity ("Acqco") and begins sourcing cash for the acquisition. If it is established that Target and its subsidiary has excess cash, Acqco may decide to use this excess cash as a source of funding for the acquisition. Eoin Brady examines the technical issues that should be considered whenever a Target's cash is used to partially finance an acquisition.

 

Board

Mark D. Brender
Editor-in-Chief
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Montreal

Serge Bilodeau
KPMG LLP
Montreal

Greg C. Boehmer
Ernst & Young LLP
Toronto

Douglas J. Powrie
Thorsteinssons LLP
Vancouver

Gabrielle M.R. Richards
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Toronto

Christopher J. Steeves
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Toronto

Marc N. Ton-That
KPMG LLP
Toronto P class="Editor">Geoffrey S. Turner
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineverg LLP
Toronto

David M. Williamson
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Toronto