Peter H. Smith and the Concerned Shareholders of Fancamp Continue to Oppose Proposed Highly Dilutive, Self-serving, and Non-arm's Length Transaction
posted on
Mar 01, 2021 09:21AM
Resource projects cover more than 1,713 km2 in three provinces at various stages, including the following: hematite magnetite iron formations, titaniferous magnetite & hematite, nickel/copper/PGM, chromite, Volcanogenic Massive and gold.
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 1, 2021) - Incumbent director of Fancamp, Peter H. Smith, who, together with joint actors holds in aggregate, directly and indirectly an aggregate of 15,416,097 shares, representing approximately 9.28% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, and a group of concerned shareholders of Fancamp Exploration Ltd. ("Fancamp" or the "Company") (the "Concerned Shareholders"), are extremely disheartened with the announcement on February 18, 2021 of Fancamp's highly dilutive, self-serving and non-arm's length transaction with ScoZinc Mining Ltd. ("ScoZinc") whereby Fancamp will indirectly acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of ScoZinc by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Combination" or the "Transaction") without requesting shareholders of Fancamp to provide shareholder approval for the Transaction.
Several facts were suspiciously omitted from the rightful owners of Fancamp - YOU, the shareholders - which bring to the forefront several questions about the merits of the Transaction and further highlight why a shareholder vote is necessary to approve this Transaction. The Concerned Shareholders have received several calls and emails from shareholders expressing their displeasure with the Transaction and demanding that their voices be heard. Interestingly, the same individuals that are promoting the Transaction are behind the lack of proper disclosure, and poor corporate governance that includes disenfranchising shareholders of the Company by not announcing a date for the annual general meeting ("AGM") for 2020 and receiving an unjustifiable extension from the BC Registrar of Companies of the time within which it is required to hold its AGM for the year 2020 by six months from December 31, 2020, to June 30, 2021. The Concerned Shareholders reiterate that they want the following: (a) a vote on the composition of the board at an AGM prior to the closing of the Transaction with ScoZinc and (b) their voices to be heard with respect to the ScoZinc Transaction (i.e., attain shareholder approval at an AGM).
Upon further review of the Transaction agreement posted on SEDAR, there were several important facts that were suspiciously not disclosed to Fancamp shareholders in Fancamp's news release announcing the proposed transaction which would highlight why it is imperative to have Fancamp shareholders vote on the Transaction. Below is a list of omissions and questions that need to be addressed by Fancamp and ScoZinc publicly prior to this Transaction closing. Furthermore, these omissions and questions should force the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") to inform Fancamp that shareholder approval is required for such a dilutive non-arm's length transaction. They are as follows:
The Concerned Shareholders urge the TSXV to immediately notify Fancamp that shareholder approval must be attained before any plan of arrangement can be consummated. This transaction is rife with conflicts that have not been properly disclosed to shareholders of Fancamp. The behaviour of Mr. Billings, Mr. Mehra and Mr. Sharma highlight the lack of respect they have for Fancamp shareholders and underscores that these individuals feel that they can do whatever they want. It is clear they have forgotten their accountability and apparently feel they can manipulate various rules and policies that are in place to protect shareholders to their advantage with impunity. This must stop, and it must stop now.
The proposed Combination is yet another misguided move by an entrenched Fancamp board and management team that claim this Transaction is for the betterment of the Company and its shareholders but in reality is being done to further their own self-interests in complicity with ScoZinc insiders who will increase their interest in Fancamp from less than 1% to 18% fully diluted. Moreover, ScoZinc directors Mark Haywood and Chris Hopkins will be nominated to, and with Mr. Billings, Mr. Mehra and Mr. Sharma, will control the post-Transaction board of Fancamp. In addition, Mr. Haywood, who is ScoZinc's current CEO, and Mr. Simion Candrea vice-president, investor relations of ScoZinc, will have their contracts assumed by Fancamp resulting in ScoZinc's current board and management members comprising a majority of Fancamp's board and management on closing of the Combination. It is clear that these decisions further entrench the conflicted incumbent board members of Fancamp and stifle the voices of any truly independent director of Fancamp which runs counter to any desire to run an organization with good corporate governance.
Additionally, the Concerned Shareholders find it incomprehensible that shareholder approval is not required in the face of known public agitations by the Concerned Shareholders expressing the intent to remove various members of the board of Fancamp. For this transaction to be announced prior to the long overdue 2020 AGM is outrageous and a slap in the face for all Fancamp shareholders.
The Concerned Shareholders would like to thank the number of shareholders that have contacted them or Gryphon Advisors Inc. to express their support and sharing stories of inappropriate behaviour exhibited by Mr. Mehra. The Concerned Shareholders look forward to engaging with each Fancamp shareholder when legally appropriate.
For more information regarding the Concerned Shareholders' position please contact:
Gryphon Advisors Inc.
Tel: 1-833-461-3651
Email: inquiries@gryphonadvisors.ca
Information in Support of Public Broadcast Solicitation
The information contained in this press release does not and is not meant to constitute a solicitation of a proxy within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although the Concerned Shareholders have approached several nominees for election to the Company's board of directors at the company's next general meeting of shareholders, there is currently no record or meeting date set and shareholders are not being asked at this time to execute a proxy in favour of any matter. In connection with the meeting, the Concerned Shareholders may file a dissident information circular in due course in compliance with applicable securities laws.
The information contained herein, and any solicitation made by the Concerned Shareholders in advance of any general meeting of shareholders, or will be, as applicable, made by the Concerned Shareholders and not by or on behalf of the management of Fancamp. All costs incurred for any solicitation will be borne by the Concerned Shareholders, provided that, subject to applicable law, the Concerned Shareholders may seek reimbursement from Fancamp of the Concerned Shareholders' out-of-pocket expenses, including proxy solicitation expenses and legal fees, incurred in connection with a successful reconstitution of the Company's board of directors. The Concerned Shareholders are not soliciting proxies in connection with a general meeting of shareholders of the Company at this time.
The Concerned Shareholders may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist in soliciting proxies on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders. Any proxies solicited by or on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders, including by any other agent retained by the Concerned Shareholders, may be solicited pursuant to a dissident information circular or by way of public broadcast, including through press releases, speeches, or publications and by any other manner permitted under Canadian corporate and securities laws. Any such proxies may be revoked by instrument in writing executed by a shareholder or by his or her attorney authorized in writing or, if the shareholder is a body corporate, by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized or by any other manner permitted by law.
The registered address of Fancamp is located at 3200 - 650 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4P7. The mailing and head office address of Fancamp is 7290 Gray Avenue, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 3Z2. A copy of this press release may be obtained on Fancamp's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.