(1) The Instrument prohibits an auditor’s report from expressing a modified opinion under Canadian GAAS. A modification of opinion includes a qualification of opinion, an adverse opinion, and a disclaimer of opinion.
(2) Part 17 of the Instrument permits the regulator or securities regulatory authority to grant exemptive relief from the Instrument, including the requirement that an auditor’s report express an unmodified opinion or other similar communication that would constitute a modification of opinion under Canadian GAAS. However, we will generally recommend that such exemptive relief should not be granted if the modification of opinion or other similar communication is
(a) due to a departure from accounting principles permitted by the Instrument, or
(b) due to a limitation in the scope of the auditor’s examination that
(i) results in the auditor being unable to form an opinion on the financial statements as a whole,
(ii) is imposed or could reasonably be eliminated by management, or
(iii) could reasonably be expected to be recurring.