4 Companies, 1 Merger

May 31 Atlantic Canada’s regional Telcos - Bruncor Inc., Island Telecom Inc., Maritime Telegraph and Telephone Company Limited, and NewTel Enterprises Limited - completed a $3 bn. four-way merger to create a new telecommunications powerhouse, Aliant. The new company owns 100% of each of the regional Telcos and is now the largest publicly-traded company in Atlantic Canada, the country’s third largest Telco, and the second largest Canadian-owned information technology group. Blake, Cassels & Graydon’s Toronto office acted for Aliant and played a pivotal role in co-ordinating the transaction. The Blakes team was led by J. David A. Jackson with Barry McGee and Sheila Murray playing central roles. Each of the regional Telcos had respective lead counsel which were as follows: Daniel F. Gallivan, Q. C. , from Cox Hanson O’Reilly Matheson for MTT, Thomas B. Drummie, Q.C., of Clark, Drummie & Company for Bruncor, John M. Green, Q. C. , of Chalker, Green & Rowe for NewTel, and Ronald J. Keefe of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales for Island Telecom.