66 Wellington St W, Suite 5300, TD Bank Twr, Toronto, ON
Year called to bar: 2004 (ON)
Raj has more than 20 years’ experience in advising clients on their most complicated tax planning or tax disputes needs. Raj is an advisor that provides creative solutions in a way clients can understand and is one of Canada’s most prominent tax lawyers. Raj plays an integral role in many of Canada’s largest transactions and largest tax disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency. He develops creative solutions for complex tax problems and works closely with leading private and public companies, pension funds and private equity firms on all aspects of their domestic and international tax planning. His experience crosses industries and borders, and includes corporate finance, capital markets, REITs, private equity, hedge funds, derivatives, domestic and cross-border reorganizations and mergers and acquisitions. Raj is the principal tax adviser to many leading Canadian companies. He is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation and the International Fiscal Association. Raj has authored numerous articles on domestic and international tax planning, and has co-authored the textbook Taxation of Corporate Reorganizations, 3rd edition.
Cenovus Energy Inc. ("Cenovus") completed its $23.6 billion strategic combination with Husky Energy Inc. ("Husky") to create a resilient integrated energy leader
On December 15th, 2019, Cineplex Inc. signed an arrangement agreement with Cineworld Group, plc, pursuant to which Cineworld Group will acquire Cineplex shares for C$34 per share for a total transaction value of approximately C$2.8 billion.
On October 27, 2017, Toromont Industries Ltd. (Toromont) completed the largest acquisition in its history — a $1.07-billion purchase of the businesses and net operating assets of the Hewitt Group of companies (Hewitt) in exchange for cash and shares of Toromont. This was a transformative transaction for Toromont, significantly expanding its Caterpillar dealership network and market opportunities.
On October 31, 2017, Neuberger Berman Group LLC (Neuberger), a global, independent, employee-owned investment manager, completed its acquisition of Breton Hill Capital Ltd. (Breton Hill), a Canadian investment firm managing approximately US$2 billion in client assets.
On December 8, 2017, Belgium-based Kinepolis Group NV (Kinepolis) completed its acquisition of Landmark Cinemas Canada Limited Partnership (Landmark Cinemas) from TriWest Capital Partners (TriWest) and management shareholders for approximately $123 million.
On December 12, 2016, Fortis Inc. (“Fortis”) completed its offering of $500-million aggregate principal amount of 2.85 per cent senior unsecured notes due December 12, 2023.
On October 7, 2016, SunOpta Inc., a Nasdaq- and TSX-listed global organic foods company, completed a cross-border PIPE transaction involving a private placement of US$85 million exchangeable preferred shares (Shares) to private equity funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
On March 21, 2016, a group led by Norwest Venture Partners and including Georgian Partners and BMO Financial Group acquired a significant equity interest in Medgate Inc.
On March 1, 2016, Shaw Communications Inc. (Shaw) indirectly acquired (the Acquisition) all of the issued and outstanding shares of Mid-Bowline Group Corp. (Mid-Bowline), the parent corporation of WIND Mobile Corp., pursuant to a plan of arrangement for an enterprise value of approximately $1.6 billion.
Molson Coors International LP, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Company, completed the offering of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.25 per cent Series 1 Notes due 2018 and $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.75 per cent Series 2 Notes due 2020 in a private placement offering in Canada. The offering was carried out by a syndicate of agents consisting of Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
Hydro Ottawa, through its subsidiary, Energy Ottawa Inc., successfully completed its acquisition from Fortis Inc. of 10 run-of-river hydroelectric facilities located in Ontario and New York State.
On October 1, 2015, Stericycle, Inc. completed its US$2.3 billion acquisition of Shred-it International, the global leader in secure information destruction services. The transaction was financed by Stericycle through a combination of senior unsecured debt consisting of a term loan credit facility, private placement notes and a public offering of mandatory convertible preferred stock represented by depositary shares. The term loan credit facility was provided by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs & Co, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC and other lenders. The mandatory convertible preferred stock offering was underwritten by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman, Sachs & Co, and J.P. Morgan.
On June 23, 2015, Cynapsus Therapeutics Inc. completed its underwritten public offering in the United States of common shares at US$14.00 per share, for total gross proceeds of approximately US$72.5 million through a syndicate of underwriters led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch that included Nomura and Noble Life Science Partners. The offering was the first ever southbound-only underwritten equity offering under the MJDS and the issuer’s initial public offering in the US.
On July 6, 2015, Kraft Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Kraft Heinz Company, closed its private placement of $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes. The senior notes consisted of $300 million aggregate principal amount of 2.7 per cent Senior Notes due 2020, $200 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2018 and $500 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2020.
On March 18, 2015, Chesswood Group Limited (“Chesswood”) announced that it had completed the acquisition of all of the shares in the capital of, and certain shareholder loan receivables in respect of, Blue Chip Leasing Corporation (“Blue Chip”) and EcoHome Financial Inc. (“EcoHome”) pursuant to a share purchase agreement between Chesswood, CB Leaseco Holdings Inc. (the “Vendor”), and the principals of the Vendor made as of February 25, 2015.
In Canada’s largest M&A transaction of 2014, US-based Burger King Worldwide Inc. acquired Tim Hortons Inc. in a $12.5-billion deal that created a global powerhouse quick service restaurant company based in Canada. Combined, the company now has more than 18,000 restaurants in 100 countries.
Lundin Mining Corporation completed the acquisition of an 80 per cent ownership stake in the Candelaria/Ojos del Salado copper mining operations and supporting infrastructure from Freeport-McMoRan Inc., for approximately US$1.8 billion.
VimpelCom Ltd. and its affiliates completed the sale of all of their debt and equity interests in the Globalive group of companies, including Globalive Wireless Management Corp., the operator of WIND Mobile, to a consortium of investors. The investor group included West Face Capital, Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LG Capital Investors, Serruya Private Equity, Novus Wireless Communications and Globalive Capital, the investment company of WIND Mobile co-founder Anthony Lacavera.
Fortis Inc. acquired all of the outstanding shares of UNS Energy Corporation for an aggregate purchase price of approximately US$4.5 billion, including the assumption of approximately US$2 billion of debt. The acquisition was financed by a US$2-billion non-revolving acquisition term credit facilities and a US$1.8 billion offering of convertible subordinated debentures represented by instalment receipts. The offering consisted of a bought deal public offering of approximately US$1.6 billion and a concurrent private placement of approximately US$200 million.
On June 15, 2011, Fortis Inc. (Fortis) completed a public offering of 10,340,000 common shares (the “Common Shares”) for gross proceeds of $341,220,000, which included the subsequent issuance of 1,240,000 common shares upon the exercise of the over-allotment option under the offering.
InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust successfully completed on May 16, 2006 an offering of $75 million 6 per cent convertible unsecured subordinated series B debentures on a bought-deal basis.
