Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 0900 in committee room 1.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Good morning. Welcome. This, I think, is our last meeting of the committee before—

Interjection: Of any committee.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Of any committee before we go off to sundry and dry places, or whatever. We have six private members’ bills before us.

2297970 Ontario Inc. Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr84, An Act to revive 2297970 Ontario Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): We will begin with—Mr. Dickson is not here. We will start with number 2.The sponsor is Soo Wong. You can introduce—

Mr. Grant Crack: Can we bundle them all?

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): You want to dispense. Is that what you’re saying?

Ms. Soo Wong: Good morning, Mr. Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Good morning.

Ms. Soo Wong: I am here to present the applicant for 2175015 Ontario Inc. This is the solicitor for the applicant, Ms. Luciana Amaral. She is going to talk about the presentation. Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Hold on a second. I think you gave the wrong number.

Ms. Soo Wong: Oh. This is what I have.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: I’ve got the wrong number too.

Ms. Soo Wong: Okay. Look at what I have here; my staff have messed it up. So it’s An Act to revive 2297970 Ontario Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. That’s the right number. We don’t want to revive somebody who doesn’t want to be revived.

Ms. Soo Wong: That would be problematic.

Ms. Luciana Amaral: Good morning, members. As Ms. Wong said, I’m legal counsel for the applicant. We wish to revive this numbered company in order to bring a derivative action against another company called First Global Data Ltd.

These two companies entered into a share purchase agreement in 2015. Basically, the agreement went sour. We allege that First Global failed to comply with the terms of that agreement and essentially assumed control of this numbered company and ran it into the ground, which is why it was ultimately dissolved, for failing to have a director appointed under the business act.

We intend to sue First Global in order to seek the full rights and remedies pursuant to that share purchase agreement on behalf of this numbered company.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Are there any other persons here who have something they’d like to contribute? Seeing none—

Interjection.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Sorry? Next page, yes. I was just going to do that, Clerk.

Any comments from the government?

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I’m not government yet—

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): We will see if the government has some first. Okay. Any other comments? Ms. French.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Just so that I’m clear, in order to sue the other party, this company has to once again exist?

Ms. Luciana Amaral: Exactly.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Okay. Just out of interest’s sake then, depending on how all of that goes, what is the intent? What do you then intend to do with the revived company after the whole litigation piece?

Ms. Luciana Amaral: The purpose of reviving it is in order to bring this action because without reviving it, this company essentially has no remedies and no rights in law. Once the litigation is resolved, my understanding is that the company will continue if it’s viable. If not, I think the shareholders will decide the appropriate course at that time.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Any other comments or questions? Okay. Are the members ready to vote?

Mr. Grant Crack: I’ve never been more ready.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Yes, never been more ready than right now.

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Okay, we have liftoff. Thank you very much.

Ms. Luciana Amaral: Thank you very much.

Tencrest Realty Ltd. Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr85, An Act to revive Tencrest Realty Ltd.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Is Anthony Grey here yet? No? Okay.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: I’m here.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): We’ll go to Bill Pr85, then.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: Thank you, Chair. I’m doing this on behalf of another Italian, my good friend, Mike Colle. It’s An Act to revive Esquire Ventures Inc.—wait a minute, wrong one.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Tencrest Realty Ltd., Pr85?

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: Yes, correct. Sorry, Chair. I’m here to introduce Mr. William Tencer regarding private member’s bill 85, An Act to revive Tencrest Realty Ltd.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Mr. Tencer?

Mr. William Tencer: I’m requesting that the corporation be revived. I voluntarily dissolved it about one year ago. I kind of jumped the gun on it and we still need to use that corporation. It was an active corporation and made money, and we’d like to continue using that corporation.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Anybody else have any comment? Any visitors here? No? Okay.

Any comments from the government? None. Any other comments? Ms. French.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: When you say that you “jumped the gun,” was there a reason that you dissolved it, so that no longer exists?

Mr. William Tencer: No, it existed. Basically I was trying to save some accounting fees at the time, to not have an additional corporation. I had a few corporations I wanted to restructure, but it wasn’t the right move to dissolve it at the time, so I want to—

Ms. Jennifer K. French: So your goal is to revive it and continue with it.

Mr. William Tencer: To revive it and use it as an active business.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Did the cost of this process outweigh the accounting fees in the end?

Mr. William Tencer: This process? Oh, no. This was fine.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Oh, good.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Any other questions? Are the members ready to vote?

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Okay.

Mr. Tencer, thank you. Done.

Luso Canadian Charitable Society Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr86, An Act respecting the Luso Canadian Charitable Society.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Mr. Delaney? We’ll move to Pr86.

Mr. Bob Delaney: Good morning, Chair. Good morning, committee. I’m pleased to be joined by Heather Grand, from the Luso Canadian Charitable Society, and attorney David Marshall. The bill before you this morning is a pretty straightforward one. This is a bill that requests an exemption from property taxes. This is fine with the Ministry of Finance. This has been discussed with the city of Mississauga, which is fine with it.

0910

Luso Canadian Charitable Society performs a service that we desperately need in Mississauga. They operate a facility for learning-disabled adults, and after Kerry’s Place in Brampton and after Community Living, it is a facility we very, very much need.

There are no particular wrinkles in this bill. I would just like to ask whether or not anybody has any comments to add to those I’ve made.

Mr. T. David Marshall: Not at this time.

Ms. Heather Grand: I would say you were very succinct. Thank you.

Mr. Bob Delaney: Thank you, Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Is there anybody else here who wants to speak to this? Seeing none, any comments from the government?

Mr. Grant Crack: We’re ready to vote.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Any other—Ms. French?

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Keep up the good work, and thank you for what undoubtedly you contribute.

Ms. Heather Grand: Thank you so much.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Members are ready to vote.

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Section 2? Carried.

Section 3? Carried.

Section 4? Carried.

Section 5? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Carried.

Okay. Thank you very much. Done.

Mr. T. David Marshall: Thank you, Chair.

Mr. Grant Crack: Nicely done, Mr. Delaney.

Mr. Granville Anderson: Great job.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): I still don’t see the applicant for Bill Pr83, so we’ll go to Bill Pr87 and Soo Wong.

2258733 Ontario Inc. Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr87, An Act to revive 2258733 Ontario Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): This is An Act to revive 2258733 Ontario Inc.

Ms. Soo Wong: Good morning, Mr. Chair. I am bringing the applicant for Bill Pr87, An Act to revive 2258733 Ontario Inc. I’m going to let the applicant introduce herself so that she can put it on record.

Ms. Xin He: My last name is He; first name, Xin.

Ms. Soo Wong: Can you speak a little bit louder so that the members can hear you.

Ms. Xin He: I have company 2258733 Ontario Inc. I wonder if—

Ms. Soo Wong: Revive.

Ms. Xin He: —you will revive it, through the bill.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Anybody here have any comments? No?

Is the government ready to vote? Any comment?

Mr. Arthur Potts: Please put the question.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Put the question? Ms. French.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: It says that the dissolution was inadvertent.

Ms. Xin He: Yes.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: What was it that led to the dissolution, and is that something—

Ms. Xin He: Before, I have the convenience store with this company. I sold the convenience store, and I asked the accountant to close the convenience store. Because I still have one Asian health centre with this company—he doesn’t know. He closed everything. He did a big mistake.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: So inadvertent—not on your part, but on guidance from someone else?

Ms. Xin He: Yes.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Your goal, then, is to continue with this and the convenience store?

Ms. Xin He: Yes. I still have business with this company. It’s still working. So they open the business—

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Please make sure to educate whoever was telling you that information.

Interjection.

Ms. Xin He: Yes, thank you.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Good luck.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Are we ready to vote?

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Carried.

Okay. Thank you very much. It’s done.

James Wilson Holdings Limited Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr88, An Act to revive James Wilson Holdings Limited.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. We’re going to Arthur here for Bill Pr88, An Act to revive James Wilson Holdings Limited.

Mr. Arthur Potts: Good morning, Chair. Good morning, committee. I’m here with Claudia Feldkamp, counsel for Margaret Wilson, and we’re here to consider Pr88, An Act to revive James Wilson Holdings Limited.

Now, James Wilson Holdings Ltd. was an excellent plumbing company that provided services to my residents in Beaches–East York. Unfortunately, on the demise of Mr. Wilson, his widow, Margaret Wilson, discovered that the corporation’s assets had been seized for non-payment of corporate taxes. Over the last few years, she has made restitution of all those taxes but needs to revive the corporation to unfetter the properties that she is managing in the neighbourhood.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Go ahead.

Ms. Claudia Feldkamp: I think you’ve summarized it quite nicely. Good morning, Chair, and good morning to the members. My name is Claudia Feldkamp, as Arthur introduced, and I am a lawyer at Fasken Martineau. I’ve been working with the applicant, Margaret Wilson, to revive this company.

As was already pointed out, this was a company that was managed primarily by Margaret Wilson’s late husband. The reason why it needs to be revived now is because it held two properties, one on Kingston Road and one on Pickering Street. Both streets are in Toronto. The building on Kingston Road also includes the apartment where Ms. Wilson lived with her late husband. It was their matrimonial home and Margaret continues to live there today. Upon the passing of her husband, it came as quite a shock to Margaret Wilson that, in fact, she didn’t own those properties but rather that the company had been dissolved.

Now, the company has been dissolved for a long time, since 1991, but it wasn’t until 2014 that this really became known to Ms. Wilson, the applicant. Since that time, Margaret Wilson has been working not only to revive this company but also to deal with other issues related to her late husband’s estate. She has had to do a tremendous amount of work and it has not always been easy.

Right now, she would like to be able to have access to her properties through the revival of this company. I can assure the committee that the payment of taxes will not be an issue on a go-forward basis once the company has been revived.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Very good. Okay. Anything else?

Ms. Claudia Feldkamp: No. If there are any questions, though, we’re happy to answer them.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Does the government have any questions? Any other—Ms. French.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Just for curiosity’s sake, you said five years. Is this hopefully the last thing to cross off the list, or is this still among other things you’re in the middle of?

Ms. Margaret Wilson: It’s the second to last.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Well, we’re glad we can be a part of getting it off your to-do list.

Ms. Margaret Wilson: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay, are we ready to vote?

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Agreed.

Very good. Thank you very much.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Good luck.

Ms. Margaret Wilson: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Let’s take a five-minute recess while the Clerk attempts to ascertain the whereabouts of Mr. Grey.

The committee recessed from 0918 to 0922.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay, we’re coming back in session.

Esquire Ventures Inc. Act, 2018

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr83, An Act to revive Esquire Ventures Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Mr. Rinaldi, this is An Act to revive Esquire Ventures Inc.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: Thank you.

Did you catch your breath?

Mr. Anthony Grey: I did.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: I’m here on behalf of MPP Joe Dickson, who couldn’t be here this morning. I would like to introduce Mr. Grey in regard to private bill number 83, An Act to revive Esquire Ventures Inc.

Mr. Grey, the floor is yours.

Mr. Anthony Grey: Thank you. I apologize for my tardiness. The city of Toronto’s construction is a little interesting this morning.

This company, Esquire Ventures, was started in 1989. I opened it as a business that some friends and I were going to start up. Things quickly devolved, and we decided not to go forward with the business.

I did nothing with the business and the incorporation up until now. At this stage of my career, I am about to take on a new venture, and I thought it was best to revive the company and use that for the Internet services that I’m going to be providing.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Any government questions?

Mr. Arthur Potts: Yes, I have one—

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): I have to ask—there’s nobody there, but I have to ask: Is there anybody there who wants to comment on this? I’m hearing nobody.

Okay.

Mr. Arthur Potts: It’s a very unique name. I’m assuming it’s in clothing and fashion design. Or what is the purpose of the corporation?

Mr. Anthony Grey: So, there was actually no real reason for naming it—

Mr. Arthur Potts: It’s a great name.

Mr. Anthony Grey: I’m pretty creative, so when I was sitting down with my friends at the time—

Ms. Jennifer K. French: In 1989.

Mr. Anthony Grey: In 1989, just coming out of school, by the way, and trying to figure out what to do with my life. I was intrigued with “esquire,” just that suffix. I thought it would be a cool name.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay. Any questions from the government side? No?

Okay, Ms. French.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: So when you started this in 1989 with other individuals, you did say that it didn’t turn out as you had planned.

Mr. Anthony Grey: Right.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: At this point, is there anyone else involved? This was strictly in your name?

Mr. Anthony Grey: In my name.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Okay.

Mr. Anthony Grey: Correct.

Actually, your name—you’ve got the same name as a very, very good friend of mine. It was a little curious to hear “Jennifer French.”

Ms. Jennifer K. French: No, it’s just me.

Mr. Anthony Grey: Just you.

No, I incorporated the company, and they were going to join on. We didn’t really execute that at all.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Okay.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Okay, are we ready to—

Mr. Arthur Potts: One last thing.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Yes.

Mr. Arthur Potts: Are you at all concerned about copyright infringement with a famous magazine by the same name?

Mr. Anthony Grey: No. I thought about that.

Mr. Arthur Potts: Okay. I have good lawyers for that.

Mr. Anthony Grey: So do I, by the way.

Mr. Arthur Potts: Okay.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Better lawyers than you would have had in 1989?

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): Yes, that can be tricky. I once had a company, and somebody swiped my name. It was the only year that I made any real money.

Laughter.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): All of that aside, are we ready to vote? Okay.

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Yes.

Mr. Anthony Grey: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Ted McMeekin): You’re good. Thanks.

As they say, “That’s it. There ain’t no more.” We’re adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 0926.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS

Chair / Président

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Westdale L)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Lou Rinaldi (Northumberland–Quinte West L)

Mr. Granville Anderson (Durham L)

Mr. James J. Bradley (St. Catharines L)

Mr. Grant Crack (Glengarry–Prescott–Russell L)

Mr. Joe Dickson (Ajax–Pickering L)

Ms. Jennifer K. French (Oshawa ND)

Mr. Jack MacLaren (Carleton–Mississippi Mills IND)

Ms. Deborah Matthews (London North Centre / London-Centre-Nord L)

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Westdale L)

Mr. Lou Rinaldi (Northumberland–Quinte West L)

Mr. Bill Walker (Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound PC)

Mr. Jeff Yurek (Elgin–Middlesex–London PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Arthur Potts (Beaches–East York L)

Ms. Soo Wong (Scarborough–Agincourt L)

Also taking part / Autres participants et participantes

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga–Streetsville L)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Christopher Tyrell

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Catherine Oh, legislative counsel