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National Instrument 81-107 Independent Review Committee for Investment Funds
Part 3 Independent review committee
Section 3.11

Authority

(1) An independent review committee has authority to

(a) request information it determines useful or necessary from the manager and its officers to carry out its duties;

(b) engage independent counsel and other advisors it determines useful or necessary to carry out its duties;

(c) set reasonable compensation and proper expenses for any independent counsel and other advisors engaged by the independent review committee; and

(d) delegate to a subcommittee of at least three members of the independent review committee any of its functions, except the removal of a member under paragraph 3.10(2)(c).

(2) If the independent review committee delegates to a subcommittee under paragraph (1)(d) any of its functions, the subcommittee must report on its activities to the independent review committee at least annually.

(3) Despite any other provision in this Instrument, an independent review committee may communicate directly with the securities regulatory authority or regulator with respect to any matter.

Commentary

1. The CSA recognize that utilizing the manager’s staff and industry experts may be important to help the members of the IRC deal with matters that are beyond the level of their expertise, or help them understand different practices among investment funds.

While this Instrument does not require legal counsel or other advisers for the IRC to be independent of the manager or the investment fund, there may be instances when the members of the IRC believe they need access to counsel or advisers who are free from conflicting loyalties. Paragraph (1)(b) gives the IRC the discretion and authority to hire independent legal counsel and other advisers. The CSA expect that the IRC will use independent advisors selectively and only to assist, not replace, IRC decision-making. The CSA do not anticipate that IRCs will routinely use external counsel and other advisers.

2. Paragraph (1)(d) is intended to allow an IRC of more than three members to delegate any of its functions, except the removal of an IRC member, to a subcommittee of at least three members. The CSA expect in such instances that the written charter of the IRC will include a defined mandate and reporting requirements for any subcommittee.

The CSA do not consider delegation by the IRC of a function to a subcommittee to absolve the IRC from its responsibility for the function.

3. Subsection (3) specifies that the IRC may inform the securities regulatory authority or regulator of any concerns or issues that it may not otherwise be required to report. For example, the IRC may be concerned if very few matters have been referred by the manager for review, or it may have found, or have reasonable grounds to suspect, a breach of securities legislation has occurred. However, the IRC has no obligation to report matters other than those prescribed by this Instrument or elsewhere in securities legislation.

4. The CSA do not consider that this section or this Instrument prevents the manager from communicating with the securities regulatory authorities with respect to any matter.