suppl
Filed pursuant to General Instruction II.L. of Form F-10;
File No. 333-127577
No securities regulatory authority has expressed an opinion
about these securities and it is an offence to claim
otherwise.
This prospectus supplement, together with the short form base
shelf prospectus dated August 24, 2005 to which it relates,
as amended or supplemented, and each document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the short form base
shelf prospectus, constitutes a public offering of securities
offered pursuant hereto only in the jurisdictions where they may
be lawfully offered for sale and therein only by persons
permitted to sell such securities.
Information has been incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying short form base shelf
prospectus dated August 24, 2005 from documents filed with
securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada.
Copies of the short form base shelf prospectus and
documents incorporated by reference therein, may be obtained on
request without charge from the Vice President, Legal Services,
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of TELUS at 3777
Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 3Z7 (telephone
604.697.8029). For the purpose of the Province of Québec,
this simplified prospectus contains information to be completed
by consulting the permanent information record. A copy of the
permanent information record may be obtained without charge from
the Vice President, Legal Services, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary of the Company at the above-mentioned
address and telephone number. Copies of these documents are also
available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and
Retrieval of the Canadian Securities Administrators
(SEDAR), at www.sedar.com.
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
To a Short Form Base Shelf Prospectus dated
August 24, 2005
TELUS Corporation
$300,000,000 4.50% Notes, Series CC due
March 15, 2012
$700,000,000 4.95% Notes, Series CD due
March 15, 2017
(unsecured)
The 4.50% Notes, Series CC (the Series CC
Notes) and the 4.95% Notes, Series CD (the
Series CD Notes) (each a Series
and, together, the Notes) of TELUS Corporation
(TELUS or the Company) are both offered
under this prospectus supplement (the Offering).
The Series CC Notes will bear interest from the series
issuance date at the rate of 4.50% per annum payable in
equal semi-annual instalments on March 15 and
September 15 of each year. The first interest payment in
the amount of $22.74658 per $1,000 principal amount of
Series CC Notes will be due on September 15, 2007. See
Details of the Offering. The effective yield on
the Series CC Notes if held to maturity will be 4.502%.
The Series CD Notes will bear interest from the series
issuance date at the rate of 4.95% per annum payable in
equal semi-annual instalments on March 15 and
September 15 of each year. The first interest payment in
the amount of $25.02123 per $1,000 principal amount of
Series CD Notes will be due on September 15, 2007. See
Details of the Offering. The effective yield on
the Series CD Notes if held to maturity will be 4.956%.
TELUS maintains its registered office at Floor 21,
3777 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 3Z7 and
its executive office at Floor 8, 555 Robson Street,
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3K9.
The Notes offered hereby will generally be qualified
investments under the Income Tax Act (Canada). See
Eligibility for Investment.
This Offering is made by a Canadian issuer that is permitted,
under a multijurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the
United States, to prepare this prospectus supplement, and the
short form base shelf prospectus to which it relates, in
accordance with the disclosure requirements of Canada.
Prospective investors in the United States should be aware that
such requirements are different from those of the United States.
The financial statements incorporated herein have been prepared
in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting
principles, and may be subject to Canadian auditing and auditor
independence standards, and thus may not be comparable to
financial statements of United States companies.
Prospective investors in the United States should be aware
that the acquisition of the Notes described herein may have tax
consequences both in the United States and in Canada. Such
consequences for investors who are resident in, or citizens of,
the United States may not be fully described herein.
The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the
United States federal securities laws may be affected adversely
by the fact that the Company is incorporated or organized under
the laws of the Province of British Columbia, that some or all
of its officers and directors may be residents of Canada, that
some or all of the agents or experts named herein may be
residents of Canada, and that all or a substantial portion of
the assets of the Company and such persons may be located
outside the United States.
The securities offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement
have not been approved or disapproved by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or
adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the short form base
shelf prospectus to which this supplement relates. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The Notes will be redeemable, at the option of the Company at
any time, in whole or in part, at the redemption price described
herein. In the event of certain changes affecting Canadian
withholding taxes, the Notes may be redeemed at the option of
the Company, in whole but not in part, at 100% of the principal
amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date
of redemption.
The Notes will be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of
the Company, will rank pari passu in right of payment
with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated
obligations of the Company and will be senior in right of
payment to all existing and future subordinated indebtedness of
the Company, but will be effectively subordinated to all
existing and future obligations of, or guaranteed by, the
Companys subsidiaries.
An investment in the Notes bears certain risks. See
Risk Factors.
(Continued on next page)
(Continued from previous page)
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Net Proceeds to |
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Price to Public |
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Agents Fees(1) |
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the Company(1)(2)(3) |
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Series CC Notes, per $1,000 principal amount
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$999.91 |
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$3.50 |
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$996.41 |
Series CD Notes, per $1,000 principal amount
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$999.53 |
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$4.00 |
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$995.53 |
Total
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$999,644,000 |
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$3,850,000 |
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$995,794,000 |
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(1) |
TELUS has agreed to indemnify the Agents (as defined herein)
against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended. See
Plan of Distribution. |
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(2) |
Consisting of the purchase price of 99.991% (or
$299,973,000) less the Agents fee, in respect of the
Series CC Notes, and the purchase price of 99.953% (or
$699,671,000) less the Agents fee, in respect of the
Series CD Notes. |
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(3) |
Before deducting expenses of the issue estimated at $900,000
which, together with the Agents fees, will be paid from
the general funds of the Company. |
There is no market through which the Notes may be sold and
purchasers may not be able to resell the Notes purchased under
this prospectus supplement and the short form base shelf
prospectus to which it relates. This may affect the pricing of
the Notes in the secondary market, the transparency and
availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the Notes, and
the extent of issuer regulation. See Risk
Factors.
TD Securities Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., CIBC World Markets
Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., HSBC
Securities (Canada) Inc., National Bank Financial Inc. and
Desjardins Securities Inc. (collectively, the
Agents), as agents, conditionally offer the Notes
subject to prior sale, on a best efforts basis if, as and when
issued and sold by TELUS in accordance with the conditions of
the agency agreement described under Plan of
Distribution and subject to the approval of certain legal
matters on behalf of TELUS by Bennett Jones LLP of Toronto,
Ontario and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
of New York, New York and on behalf of the Agents by Osler,
Hoskin & Harcourt LLP of Toronto, Ontario and New York,
New York. Subscriptions will be received subject to rejection or
allotment in whole or in part and the right is reserved to close
the subscription books at any time without notice. It is
expected that the Notes will be available for delivery in
book-entry form only on closing of this Offering, which is
expected to occur on or about March 13, 2007, or such other
date as may be agreed upon.
In connection with the Offering, the Agents may, subject to
applicable law, over-allot or effect transactions which
stabilize or maintain the market price of the Notes offered at
levels other than those that might otherwise prevail on the open
market. Such transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at
any time. See Plan of Distribution.
Each of the Agents is an affiliate of a bank or a financial
institution which is a lender to the Company under a
$2 billion unsecured credit facility with a syndicate of
18 financial institutions and each of the Agents, other
than HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. and Desjardins Securities
Inc., is an affiliate of a bank that is a counter party to
certain cross currency interest rate swap agreements with the
Company. See Recent Developments for a description
of the credit facility. Consequently, the Company may be
considered to be a connected issuer of each such Agent for
purposes of the securities legislation of certain Canadian
provinces. See Plan of Distribution.
S-2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CURRENCY
Unless otherwise indicated, all references to $ or
dollar in this prospectus supplement refer to the
Canadian dollar and U.S.$ and
U.S. dollar refer to the United States dollar.
For information purposes, the noon buying rate in The City of
New York for cable transfers as certified for customs purposes
by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on
March 7, 2007 was U.S.$1.00 = $1.1785 (the
Noon Buying Rate).
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
This prospectus supplement is deemed to be incorporated by
reference into the accompanying short form base shelf prospectus
of TELUS dated August 24, 2005 (the short form base
shelf prospectus) solely for the purposes of this
Offering. Other documents are also incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference into the short form base shelf
prospectus and reference should be made to the short form base
shelf prospectus for full particulars thereof.
The following documents, which have been filed by the Company
with securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada,
are also specifically incorporated by reference into and form an
integral part of the short form base shelf prospectus, as
supplemented by this prospectus supplement:
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(a) |
the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 20,
2006, for the year ended December 31, 2005; |
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(b) |
the Information Circular dated March 10, 2006, prepared in
connection with the Companys annual general meeting held
on May 3, 2006; |
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(c) |
the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company as
at and for the year ended December 31, 2006 (the
Annual Financial Statements) together with the
report of the auditors thereon and the notes thereto; |
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(d) |
Managements Discussion and Analysis of financial results
for the year ended December 31, 2006; and |
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(e) |
the material change report of the Company dated
September 13, 2006 concerning the announcement by the
Company of a proposal to reorganize itself as an income trust
(which proposal did not proceed). |
Any statement contained in the short form base shelf
prospectus, in this prospectus supplement or in any document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
short form base shelf prospectus for the purpose of this
Offering shall be deemed to be modified or superseded, for
purposes of this prospectus supplement, to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in the short form base shelf
prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein or
in the short form base shelf prospectus modifies or supersedes
such prior statement. The modifying or superseding statement
need not state that it has modified or superseded a prior
statement or include any other information set forth in the
document which it modifies or supersedes. The making of such a
modifying or superseding statement shall not be deemed an
admission for any purposes that the modified or superseded
statement, when made, constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue
statement of a material fact or an omission to state a
material
S-3
fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to
make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances in
which it was made. Any statement so modified or superseded shall
not constitute a part of this prospectus supplement, except as
so modified or superseded.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Information has been incorporated by reference in the
accompanying short form base shelf prospectus from documents
filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in
Canada. Copies of this prospectus supplement, together with the
short form base shelf prospectus and documents incorporated by
reference therein, may be obtained on request without charge
from the Vice President, Legal Services, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary of TELUS at 3777 Kingsway, Burnaby,
British Columbia, V5H 3Z7 (telephone 604.697.8029). For the
purpose of the Province of Québec, this simplified
prospectus contains information to be completed by consulting
the permanent information record. A copy of the permanent
information record may be obtained without charge from the Vice
President, Legal Services, General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary of the Company at the above-mentioned address and
telephone number. Copies of these documents are available on the
System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval of the
Canadian Securities Administrators (SEDAR), at
www.sedar.com.
In addition to its continuous disclosure obligations under the
securities laws of the provinces of Canada, TELUS is subject to
the information requirements of the United States Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).
Under the multijurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the
United States, such reports and other information may be
prepared in accordance with the disclosure requirements of
Canada, which requirements are different from those of the
United States. Such reports and other information, when filed by
TELUS in accordance with such requirements, can be inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC
at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549.
Copies of such material can be obtained at prescribed rates from
such public reference facilities of the SEC at
100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549. In
addition, such materials are also available to the public on the
SECs website at www.sec.gov. Certain securities of
TELUS are listed on the NYSE, and reports and other information
concerning TELUS can be inspected at the offices of the NYSE,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York, 10005.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement and the short form base shelf
prospectus to which it relates, together with the documents
incorporated by reference herein and therein, contain statements
about expected future events and financial and operating results
of TELUS that are forward looking. By their nature,
forward-looking statements require the Company to make
assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties.
There is significant risk that predictions and other
forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate.
Readers of this document are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of factors
could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events
to differ materially from the operating targets, expectations,
estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking
statements.
Assumptions underlying these statements about expected future
events and financial and operating results include: economic
growth consistent with recent provincial and national estimates
by the Conference Board of Canada, including 2007 real GDP
(gross domestic product) growth of 2.7% in Canada; increased
wireline competition in both business and consumer markets,
particularly from cable-TV and voice over Internet protocol
(VoIP) companies; forbearance for local retail wireline services
in major urban incumbent markets by the second half of 2007; no
further price cap mandated consumer price reductions; a wireless
industry market penetration gain of 4.5 to five percentage
points; approximately $50 million restructuring and
workforce reduction expenses; statutory tax rate of 33 to 34%; a
discount rate of 5.0% and an expected long-term average return
of 7.25% for pension accounting, unchanged from 2006; and
average shares outstanding of 330 to 335 million shares.
Earnings per share (EPS), cash balances, net debt and common
equity may be affected by the potential purchases of up to
24 million TELUS shares over a 12-month period under the
normal course issuer bid that commenced
December 20, 2006.
S-4
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include but are not limited to: competition; economic growth and
fluctuations (including pension performance, funding and
expenses); capital expenditure levels (including possible
spectrum asset purchases); financing and debt requirements
(including share repurchases, debt redemptions, potential
issuance of commercial paper and changes to credit facilities);
tax matters (including acceleration or deferral of required
payments of significant amounts of cash taxes); human resource
developments (including possible labour disruptions); technology
(including reliance on systems and information technology);
regulatory developments (including local forbearance, local
price cap reductions, wireless number portability and the
timing, rules, process and cost of future spectrum auctions);
process risks (including internal reorganizations, conversion of
legacy systems and billing system integrations); health, safety
and environmental developments; litigation and legal matters;
business continuity events (including manmade and natural
threats); and other risk factors discussed herein, in the short
form base shelf prospectus to which it relates and in the
documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, and
listed from time to time in TELUS reports, public
disclosure documents or other filings with securities
commissions in Canada (filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com)
and the United States (filed on EDGAR at www.sec.gov).
S-5
SUMMARY
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and
should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying short form base shelf prospectus to which
it relates and in the documents incorporated by reference herein
and therein. Unless the context otherwise indicates, references
in this prospectus supplement to TELUS or the
Company are references to TELUS Corporation,
its consolidated subsidiaries and predecessor companies. Except
as otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts are expressed in
Canadian dollars and references to Cdn$ or
$ are to Canadian dollars.
THE COMPANY
TELUS is the largest incumbent telecommunications company in
western Canada and one of the largest telecommunications
companies in Canada. It provides a wide range of wireline and
wireless telecommunications products and services including
data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, video and
entertainment services.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Financial Results
On February 16, 2007, TELUS announced its financial results
for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2006. The summary
financial data presented below as of and for the years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005 has been derived from the Annual
Financial Statements.
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Year ended | |
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December 31 | |
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2006 | |
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2005 | |
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($ millions except per | |
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share amounts) | |
Operating revenues
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8,681.0 |
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8,142.7 |
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Operations expense
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5,022.9 |
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4,793.5 |
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Restructuring and workforce reduction costs
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67.8 |
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53.9 |
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Financing costs and other expense
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532.7 |
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641.5 |
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Income taxes
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351.0 |
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322.0 |
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Net income and Common Share and Non-Voting Share income
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1,122.5 |
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700.3 |
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Income per Common Share and Non-Voting Share basic
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3.27 |
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1.96 |
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Income per Common Share and Non-Voting Share diluted
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3.23 |
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1.94 |
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Dividends declared per Common Share and Non-Voting Share
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1.20 |
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0.875 |
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Total assets
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16,508.2 |
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16,222.3 |
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Current maturities of long-term debt
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1,434.4 |
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5.0 |
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Non-current portion of long-term debt
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3,493.7 |
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4,639.9 |
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Deferred hedging and other long-term liabilities
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1,037.2 |
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1,420.9 |
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4,530.9 |
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6,060.8 |
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Future income tax liabilities
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1,160.5 |
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1,023.9 |
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Non-controlling interest
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23.6 |
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25.6 |
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Shareholders equity
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6,928.1 |
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6,870.0 |
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2007 Credit Facility
On March 2, 2007, TELUS announced that it entered into a
replacement five-year $2 billion credit facility (the
2007 Credit Facility) with a syndicate of
18 financial institutions, including affiliates of each of
the Agents. The 2007 Credit Facility replaces TELUS
$1.6 billion previously existing credit facilities, which
consisted of an $800 million facility, which would have
expired in May 2008 and an $800 million facility, which would
have expired in May 2010. The 2007 Credit Facility may be used
for general corporate purposes including the backstop of
commercial paper. The material terms of the 2007 Credit Facility
are substantively the same as under TELUS previous credit
facilities other than reduced pricing and an extension of the
term to May 2012.
S-6
Intercompany Debt Restructuring
On March 2, 2007, TELUS and its subsidiary TELUS
Communications Inc. announced that the net senior debt owing
from TELUS Communications Inc. to TELUS, which stood at
approximately $2.6 billion as at December 31, 2006
(incorporating right of offset), was increased to approximately
$5 billion on a net basis as a result of a restructuring of
the inter-company financing arrangements between the two
companies. In addition, TELUS Communications Company has
provided a guarantee of this senior inter-company indebtedness
to TELUS. This restructuring does not change the amount of debt
of TELUS on a consolidated basis.
Credit Rating Upgrades
On February 26, 2007, Moodys Investor Services
announced that it upgraded the senior unsecured debt rating of
TELUS to Baa1, stable outlook.
On March 5, 2007, DBRS Limited announced that it upgraded
the rating of TELUS notes to A (low) from BBB (high) and
confirmed its commercial paper rating at
R-1 (low). In addition,
the ratings of TELUS Communications Inc. were confirmed A (low).
All trends are stable.
S-7
THE OFFERING
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Issue |
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Series CC Notes: $300 million aggregate
principal amount due March 15, 2012. |
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Series CD Notes: $700 million aggregate
principal amount due March 15, 2017. |
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Interest |
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Series CC Notes: 4.50% per annum payable in
equal semi-annual instalments on March 15 and
September 15 of each year. The first interest payment in
the amount of $22.74658 per $1,000 principal amount will be due
on September 15, 2007. |
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Series CD Notes: 4.95% per annum payable in
equal semi-annual instalments on March 15 and
September 15 of each year. The first interest payment in
the amount of $25.02123 per $1,000 principal amount will be due
on September 15, 2007. |
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Maturity |
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Series CC Notes: March 15, 2012. |
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Series CD Notes: March 15, 2017. |
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Optional Redemption |
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Each Series is redeemable at any time. A Series may be
redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole at any time, or
in part from time to time, on not fewer than 30 nor more than
60 days prior notice, at a redemption price equal to
the greater of (a) the Discounted Value (as defined in
Details of the Offering Optional
Redemption) of the relevant Series, or (b) 100% of
the principal amount thereof. In addition, accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, will be paid to the date fixed for redemption.
In the event of certain changes to the tax laws of Canada or any
province thereof, TELUS may, under certain circumstances, redeem
either or both Series at 100% of the principal amount, together
with accrued and unpaid interest if any, and Additional Amounts
(as defined below) if any, through to the redemption date. See
Details of the Offering Tax Redemption. |
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Certain Covenants |
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The Indenture (as defined in Details of the
Offering General) pursuant to which each
Series will be issued will contain certain covenants that, among
other things, limit the ability of the Company and certain
material subsidiaries to grant security in respect of
indebtedness and to enter into sale and lease-back transactions
and limit the ability of such subsidiaries to incur new
indebtedness. See Details of the Offering
Negative Pledge, Limitation on Restricted Subsidiary
Indebtedness, and Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions in this prospectus supplement. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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The total net proceeds to be received by the Company from this
Offering are estimated to be approximately
$995,794,000 after payment of commissions to the Agents but
before deduction of the expenses of this Offering. The net
proceeds of the sale of the Notes offered hereby will be used
for general corporate purposes including the redemption of the
71/2%
U.S. $ Series 1 Notes due 2007, maturing June 1,
2007. |
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in the Notes should consider carefully the
matters set forth in the section entitled Risk
Factors in this prospectus supplement and in
Managements Discussion and Analysis of financial results
for the year ended December 31, 2006 incorporated by
reference herein.
S-8
TELUS CORPORATION
TELUS was incorporated under the Company Act (British
Columbia) (the BC Company Act) on
October 26, 1998 under the name BCT.TELUS Communications
Inc. (BCT). On January 31, 1999, pursuant to a
court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business
Corporations Act among BCT, BC TELECOM Inc. (BC
TELECOM) and TELUS Corporation (TC), BCT
acquired all of the shares of each of BC TELECOM and TC in
exchange for common shares and non-voting shares of BCT, and BC
TELECOM was dissolved. On May 3, 2000, BCT changed its name
to TELUS Corporation and in February 2005, the Company
transitioned under the Business Corporations Act (British
Columbia), successor to the BC Company Act. TELUS maintains
its registered office at Floor 21, 3777 Kingsway,
Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 3Z7 and its executive office
at Floor 8, 555 Robson Street, Vancouver, British
Columbia, V6B 3K9.
TELUS is the largest incumbent telecommunications company in
western Canada and one of the largest telecommunications
companies in Canada. It provides a wide range of wireline and
wireless telecommunications products and services including
data, IP, voice, video and entertainment services.
TELUS is organized into four customer facing business units:
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Consumer Solutions, which provides wireline and wireless IP
service, voice and entertainment services to households and
individuals across Canada; |
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Business Solutions, which delivers innovative wireline and
wireless data, IP, voice and business process in-sourcing
solutions to small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs
and brings customized wireline, wireless, voice, data, IP,
Information Technology and e.business solutions to large
multinational, corporate and public sector customers; |
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TELUS Québec, which focuses on the unique needs of the
Québec marketplace by offering targeted businesses and
consumers comprehensive and integrated wireless and wireline
telecommunications solutions, including data, Internet and
voice; and |
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Partner Solutions, which provides services to wholesale
customers, including telecommunications carriers, resellers,
Internet service providers, wireless communications companies,
competitive local access providers and
cable-TV operators. |
These customer facing business units receive essential support
from the business capabilities units comprised of Network
Operations, Business Transformation and Technology Strategy, as
well as from the business enabling units comprised of Finance,
Corporate Affairs (which includes public policy, law,
regulation, government relations and corporate communications)
and Human Resources.
Integration of TELUS Mobility and TELUS Communications
On November 24, 2005, TELUS announced the merger of the
wireline and wireless segments of its business into a single
operating structure (the wireline-wireless merger).
This was partly effected by way of a legal entity restructure on
March 1, 2006, at which time TELUS combined its wireline
and wireless businesses which were formerly located in TELUS
Communications Inc. (TCI) and TELE-MOBILE COMPANY
(TELE-MOBILE) respectively (the 2006 legal
entity restructure) into a new partnership, TELUS
Communications Company (TCC). TCC is a partnership
organized under the laws of B.C. whose partners are TCI and
TELE-MOBILE. Immediately prior to the aforementioned 2006 legal
entity restructure, 3817873 Canada Inc., a partner in
TELE-MOBILE, was continued into Alberta as 1219723 Alberta ULC.
TELUS owns 100 per cent of the partnership interest in TCC
indirectly.
By combining its wireline and wireless businesses into a single
operation in the wireline-wireless merger, which included the
2006 legal restructure, TELUS expects to be better able to
leverage the ongoing convergence between wireline and wireless
communications technology, more effectively compete with telecom
and cable competition, differentiate the business from its
competitors by having TCC provide wireline and wireless services
to customers, and provide new services to customers regardless
of the physical medium used to deliver the service. The
combining of the wireline and wireless businesses in TCC should
also improve operating effectiveness and efficiency.
S-9
The following chart sets out the current organization of TELUS
and its material subsidiaries.
S-10
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Year-End Financial Results
On February 16, 2007, TELUS announced its financial results
for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2006. The summary
financial data presented below as of and for the years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005 has been derived from the Annual
Financial Statements.
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Year ended | |
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December 31 | |
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2006 | |
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2005 | |
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($ millions except per | |
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share amounts) | |
Operating revenues
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8,681.0 |
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8,142.7 |
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Operations expense
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5,022.9 |
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4,793.5 |
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Restructuring and workforce reduction costs
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67.8 |
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53.9 |
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Financing costs and other expense
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532.7 |
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641.5 |
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Income taxes
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351.0 |
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322.0 |
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Net income and Common Share and Non-Voting Share income
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1,122.5 |
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700.3 |
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Income per Common Share and Non-Voting Share basic
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3.27 |
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1.96 |
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Income per Common Share and Non-Voting Share diluted
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3.23 |
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1.94 |
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Dividends declared per Common Share and Non-Voting Share
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1.20 |
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0.875 |
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Total assets
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16,508.2 |
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16,222.3 |
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Current maturities of long-term debt
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1,434.4 |
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5.0 |
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Non-current portion of long-term debt
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3,493.7 |
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4,639.9 |
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Deferred hedging and other long-term liabilities
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1,037.2 |
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1,420.9 |
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4,530.9 |
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6,060.8 |
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Future income tax liabilities
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1,160.5 |
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1,023.9 |
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Non-controlling interest
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23.6 |
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25.6 |
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Shareholders equity
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6,928.1 |
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6,870.0 |
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2007 Credit Facility
On March 2, 2007, TELUS announced that it entered into a
replacement five year $2 billion unsecured credit facility
(the 2007 Credit Facility) with a syndicate of
18 financial institutions, including affiliates of each of
the Agents. The 2007 Credit Facility replaces TELUS
$1.6 billion previously existing credit facilities, which
consisted of an $800 million facility, which would have
expired in May 2008 and an $800 million facility, which
would have expired in May 2010. The 2007 Credit Facility may be
used for general corporate purposes including the backstop of
commercial paper. The material terms of the 2007 Credit Facility
are substantively the same as under TELUS previous credit
facilities other than reduced pricing and an extension of the
term to May 2012.
Intercompany Debt Restructuring
On March 2, 2007, TELUS and its subsidiary TELUS
Communications Inc. announced that the net senior debt owing
from TELUS Communications Inc. to TELUS, which stood at
approximately $2.6 billion as at December 31, 2006
(incorporating right of offset), was increased to approximately
$5 billion on a net basis as a result of a restructuring of
the inter-company financing arrangements between the two
companies. In addition, TELUS Communications Company has
provided a guarantee of this senior inter-company indebtedness
to TELUS. This restructuring does not change the amount of debt
of TELUS on a consolidated basis.
Credit Rating Upgrades
On February 26, 2007, Moodys Investor Services
announced that it upgraded the senior unsecured debt rating of
TELUS to Baa1, stable outlook.
On March 5, 2007, DBRS Limited announced that it upgraded
the rating of TELUS notes to A (low) from BBB (high) and
confirmed its commercial paper rating at
R-1 (low). In addition,
the ratings of TELUS Communications Inc. were confirmed A (low).
All trends are stable.
S-11
CONSOLIDATED CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth the cash and temporary
investments, net, and the capitalization of TELUS as of
December 31, 2006 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted
basis to give effect to this Offering as though it had occurred
on such date. This table should be read in conjunction with the
Annual Financial Statements.
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As at December 31, 2006 | |
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Actual | |
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As adjusted | |
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(millions) | |
Cash and temporary investments, net
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$ |
(11.5 |
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$ |
984.3 |
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Long-term debt and capital lease obligations:
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TELUS Corporation Notes offered hereby
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1,000.0 |
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TELUS Corporation Notes
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U.S.$: 7.5% due June 2007
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1,358.8 |
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1,358.8 |
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U.S.$: 8.0% due June 2011
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2,236.7 |
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2,236.7 |
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Series CB: 5.0% due June 2013
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299.7 |
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299.7 |
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TELUS Corporation Credit
Facilities(1)
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120.0 |
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120.0 |
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TELUS Communications Inc. Debentures
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Series B: 8.80% due September 2025
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200.0 |
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200.0 |
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Series 1: 12.0% due May 2010
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50.0 |
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50.0 |
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Series 2: 11.90% due November 2015
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125.0 |
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125.0 |
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Series 3: 10.65% due June 2021
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175.0 |
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175.0 |
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Series 5: 9.65% due April 2022
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249.0 |
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249.0 |
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TELUS Communications Inc. First Mortgage Bonds
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Series U: 11.5% due July 2010
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30.0 |
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30.0 |
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TELUS Communications Inc. Medium Term Notes
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Series 1: 7.10% due February
2007(2)
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70.0 |
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70.0 |
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Capital leases and other long-term debt
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13.9 |
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13.9 |
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Total long-term debt
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4,928.1 |
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5,928.1 |
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Total debt
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4,928.1 |
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5,928.1 |
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Shareholders equity:
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Common Shares and Non-Voting
Shares(3)
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5,685.2 |
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5,685.2 |
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Options
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0.8 |
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0.8 |
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Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment
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(1.5 |
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(1.5 |
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Retained
earnings(3)
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1,080.1 |
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1,080.1 |
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Contributed surplus
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163.5 |
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163.5 |
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Total shareholders
equity(3)
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6,928.1 |
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6,928.1 |
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Total capitalization
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$ |
11,867.7 |
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$ |
11,871.9 |
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(1) |
The outstanding balance under the credit facilities was repaid
in January 2007. |
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(2) |
The Series 1 medium term notes were fully redeemed in
February 2007. |
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(3) |
Purchases under the Companys normal course issuer bid for
the period from January 1, 2007 to and including
February 28, 2007, aggregated to $53.7 million. |
USE OF PROCEEDS
The total net proceeds to be received by the Company from this
Offering are estimated to be approximately
$995,794,000 after payment of commissions to the Agents but
before deduction of the expenses of this Offering. The net
proceeds of the sale of the Notes offered hereby will be used
for general corporate purposes, including the redemption of the
71/2%
U.S. $ Series 1 Notes due 2007, maturing June 1,
2007.
S-12
EARNINGS COVERAGE RATIO
For the 12 months ended December 31, 2006, the
Companys consolidated earnings before income taxes and
gross interest expense was $1,981.5 million. Gross interest
expense for this period, after giving effect to this Offering
and the redemption of the
71/2%
U.S.$ Series 1 Notes due 2007, was $479.5 million. The
earnings coverage ratio refers to the ratio of
(i) consolidated earnings before income taxes and gross
interest expense, and (ii) gross interest expense. The
following coverage was calculated on a consolidated basis for
the 12-month period ended December 31, 2006:
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December 31, 2006 | |
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Earnings coverage ratio on long-term debt obligations
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4.1 times |
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in the Notes offered hereby involves certain
risks. In addition to the other information contained in this
prospectus supplement and in Managements Discussion and
Analysis of financial results for the year ended
December 31, 2006 incorporated herein by reference,
prospective investors should carefully consider the following
factors in evaluating TELUS and its business before making an
investment in the Notes.
Structural Subordination of Notes
The Notes will be obligations exclusively of the Company. The
Companys existing operations are currently conducted
through its subsidiaries. Its ability to meet its debt service
obligations, including payment of principal and interest on the
Notes, is dependent upon the cash flow of its subsidiaries and
the payment of funds by its subsidiaries to the Company in the
form of loans, dividends, fees or otherwise. The Companys
subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and will
have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts
due pursuant to the Notes or to make any funds available
therefor, whether in the form of loans, dividends or otherwise.
Because the Companys subsidiaries will not guarantee the
payment of principal of or interest on the Notes, any right of
the Company to receive assets of the subsidiaries upon their
bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization (and the consequent
right of the holders of the Notes to participate in the
distribution of proceeds from those assets) will be effectively
subordinated to the claims of such subsidiaries creditors
(including tax authorities, trade creditors and lenders).
Bankruptcy and Related Laws
The Company is incorporated under the laws of the Province of
British Columbia and its principal operating assets are located
in Canada.
The rights of the Trustee (as defined herein) to enforce
remedies are likely to be significantly impaired by the
restructuring provisions of applicable Canadian federal
bankruptcy, insolvency and other restructuring legislation if
the benefit of such legislation is sought with respect to the
Company. For example, both the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
(Canada) and the Companies Creditors Arrangement
Act (Canada) contain provisions enabling an insolvent
person to obtain a stay of proceedings as against its
creditors and others and to prepare and file a proposal for
consideration by all or some of its creditors to be voted on by
the various classes of its creditors. Such a restructuring
proposal, if accepted by the requisite majorities of creditors
and if approved by the court, would be binding on persons who
might not otherwise be willing to accept it. Moreover, this
proposal legislation permits, in certain
circumstances, the insolvent debtor to retain possession and
administration of its property, even though it may be in default
under the applicable debt instrument.
The powers of the court under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency
Act (Canada) and particularly under the Companies
Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) have been exercised
broadly to protect a restructuring entity from actions taken by
creditors and other parties. Accordingly, it is impossible to
predict if payments under the Notes would be made following
commencement of or during such a proceeding, whether or when the
Trustee could exercise its rights under the Indenture or whether
and to what extent holders of the Notes would be compensated for
any delay, in payments of principal and interest.
S-13
No Public Market
There is no established trading market for the Notes. The
Company does not intend to have the Notes listed for trading on
any securities exchange or quoted on any automated dealer
quotation system. The Agents have advised the Company that they
presently intend to make a market in the Notes, but the Agents
are not obligated to do so and any such market-making may be
discontinued at any time at the sole discretion of the Agents.
Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the prices or
liquidity of, or trading markets for, the Notes. The liquidity
of any market for the Notes will depend upon the number of
holders of such securities, the interest of securities dealers
in making a market in the securities and other factors. The
absence of an active market for the securities offered hereby
could adversely affect their market price and liquidity.
Credit Ratings
There can be no assurance that the credit ratings assigned to
the Notes will remain in effect for any given period of time or
that the ratings will not be withdrawn or revised at any time.
Real or anticipated changes in credit ratings on the Notes may
affect the market value of the Notes. In addition, real or
anticipated changes in credit ratings can affect the cost at
which TELUS can access the capital markets. See Credit
Ratings.
DETAILS OF THE OFFERING
The following description of the Notes is a brief summary of
their material attributes and characteristics, which does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Indenture (as defined herein). The following
summary uses words and terms which have been defined in the
Indenture. For full particulars, reference is made to the short
form base shelf prospectus and to the Indenture.
General
The Notes offered hereby will be issued under the trust
indenture dated May 22, 2001 (the Trust
Indenture) between the Company and Montreal Trust Company
of Canada (now Computershare Trust Company of Canada), as
trustee (the Trustee), as supplemented by a series
supplement in respect of each Series to be dated the series
issuance date in respect of that Series (each a
Supplemental Indenture) between the Company and the
Trustee providing for, among other things, the creation and
issue of the Notes of the relevant Series. The Trust Indenture
is described in the short form base shelf prospectus. References
herein to the Indenture in respect of any Series
refer to the Trust Indenture as supplemented by the Supplemental
Indenture in respect of that Series. The Company may, from time
to time, without the consent of existing Noteholders, create and
issue additional Notes of any Series under the Supplemental
Indenture in respect of that Series, having the same terms and
conditions as the relevant Series in all respects, except for
such variations to such terms and conditions as may be required,
in the reasonable opinion of the Company, to reflect the
different issue dates of such additional Notes and the then
existing Notes and any intention that all such additional Notes
and the then existing Notes of the relevant Series be fungible
for trading purposes. Additional Notes issued in this manner
will be consolidated with and form a single series with the then
existing Notes of the relevant Series and, if the Company acting
reasonably determines that it is advisable or advantageous to do
so, the Company may accept such additional Notes and the then
existing Notes of the relevant Series in exchange for
consolidated and restated replacement Notes reflecting the terms
and conditions of such additional Notes and the then existing
Notes of the relevant Series.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
The Series CC Notes will be initially limited to
$300 million aggregate principal amount (provided that the
Company may in the future issue additional Notes of that Series
up to any additional amount determined by the Company without
the consent of existing holders), will be issued on the series
issuance date, and will mature on March 15, 2012. The
Series CC Notes will bear interest at the rate of 4.50% per
annum from the series issuance date, payable in equal
semi-annual instalments on March 15 and September 15
of each year to holders of record on the last day of the month
immediately preceding the month in which the relevant Interest
Payment Date occurs. The first interest payment on the
Series CC Notes will be due on September 15, 2007, and
will represent accrued interest from, and including,
March 13, 2007 to, but excluding, September 15, 2007
and will be in the amount of $22.74658 per $1,000 of principal
amount of the Series CC Notes.
S-14
The Series CD Notes will be initially limited to
$700 million aggregate principal amount (provided that the
Company may in the future issue additional Notes of that Series
up to any additional amount determined by the Company without
the consent of existing holders), will be issued on the series
issuance date, and will mature on March 15, 2017. The
Series CD Notes will bear interest at the rate of 4.95% per
annum from the series issuance date, payable in equal
semi-annual instalments on March 15 and September 15
of each year to holders of record on the last day of the month
immediately preceding the month in which the relevant Interest
Payment Date occurs. The first interest payment on the
Series CD Notes will be due on September 15, 2007, and
will represent accrued interest from, and including,
March 13, 2007 to, but excluding, September 15, 2007
and will be in the amount of $25.02123 per $1,000 of principal
amount of the Series CD Notes.
Principal and interest on the Notes will be payable in lawful
money of Canada.
The series issuance date for both Series will be March 13,
2007. The closing of the issuance of the Series CC Notes is
not conditional on the closing of the issuance of the
Series CD Notes, or vice versa.
On maturity, the Company will repay the indebtedness represented
by the Notes by paying the Trustee in lawful money of Canada an
amount equal to the principal amount of the outstanding Notes
plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon. Interest will be
computed on the basis of a
365-day calendar year.
The yearly rate of interest that is equivalent to the rate
payable under the Notes is the rate payable multiplied by the
actual number of days in the year and divided by 365 and is
disclosed herein solely for the purpose of providing the
disclosure required by the Interest Act (Canada).
The Notes will be issued only in fully registered form, without
coupons, in denominations of $1,000 of principal amount and any
integral multiple thereof.
Optional Redemption
Each Series may be redeemed at any time at the option of the
Company, in whole or from time to time, in part, on not fewer
than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice at a
redemption price equal to the greater of (a) the Discounted
Value of the relevant Series, or (b) 100 % of the principal
amount thereof. In addition, accrued and unpaid interest, if
any, will be paid to the date fixed for redemption.
In the case of a redemption for less than all of the Notes of a
Series, the Notes to be redeemed will be selected by the Trustee
in such manner as the Trustee deems appropriate.
Discounted Value shall mean, in respect of the
relevant Series, an amount equal to the sum of the present
values of all remaining scheduled payments of principal and
interest (not including any portion of the payment of interest
accrued as of the redemption date) from the redemption date of
the relevant Series to the respective due dates for such
payments until maturity of the relevant Series computed on a
semi-annual basis by discounting such payments (assuming a
365 day year) to the redemption date of the relevant Series
at the Government of Canada Yield plus 15 basis points in
the case of the CC Notes and 24 basis points in the
case of the Series CD Notes.
Government of Canada Yield shall mean, with respect
to any redemption date, the mid market yield to maturity on the
third business day (the Determination Date)
preceding the redemption date of the relevant Series, compounded
semi-annually, which a non-callable Government of Canada Bond
would carry if issued, in Canadian Dollars in Canada, at
100 % of its principal amount on such date with a term to
maturity which most closely approximates the remaining term to
maturity of the relevant Series from such redemption date as
quoted by a dealer selected from time to time by the Company and
approved by the Trustee at noon (Toronto time) on such
Determination Date.
Tax Redemption
Each Series will be subject to redemption in whole, but not in
part, at the option of TELUS at any time, on not fewer than 30
nor more than 60 days prior written notice, at
100 % of the principal amount, together with accrued
interest thereon to the redemption date, in the event TELUS
delivers to the Trustee an opinion of independent Canadian tax
counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that TELUS has
become or would become obligated to pay, on the next date on
which any amount would be payable with respect to the
outstanding Series any Additional Amounts as a result of a
change in the laws (including any regulations promulgated
thereunder) of Canada, or any province or territory thereof or
therein or any agency thereof or therein having the power to
tax, or any change in any official
S-15
position regarding the application or interpretation of such
laws or regulations, which change is announced or becomes
effective on or after the date of the original issuance of the
Series; provided that TELUS determines, in its business
judgment, that the obligation to pay such Additional Amounts
cannot be avoided by the use of reasonable measures available to
TELUS (not including substitution of the obligor under the
Notes).
Purchase of Notes
The Company may, at any time and from time to time, purchase
Notes in the market (which may include purchases from or through
an investment dealer or a firm holding membership on a
recognized stock exchange) or by tender or private contract, at
any price, subject to applicable law.
Defeasance
The provisions described under Description of Debt
Securities Defeasance in the short form base
shelf prospectus are applicable to the Notes, including the
condition that the Company will deliver to the Trustee an
opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of Notes will
not recognize income, gain or loss for Canadian or United States
federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and
will be subject to Canadian and United States federal income tax
on the same basis as if such defeasance had not occurred.
Events of Default
Events of Default are described in the short form base shelf
prospectus and reference is made to that document for a list of
the events which constitute an Event of Default with respect to
the Notes.
Negative Pledge
The Indenture contains provisions to the effect that the Company
will not, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary (as
defined below) to create or assume any Lien (as defined in the
short form base shelf prospectus) upon any present or future
Principal Property (as defined in the short form base shelf
prospectus), or any Property (as defined in the short form base
shelf prospectus) which, together with any other Property
subject to Liens in the same transaction or a series of related
transactions, would in the aggregate constitute a Principal
Property, of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, to secure
Indebtedness (as defined in the short form base shelf
prospectus) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary unless the
Notes (together with, if the Company shall so determine, any
other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
ranking equally with the Notes then existing or thereafter
created), shall be concurrently secured equally and rateably
with (or prior to) such other Indebtedness so long as such Lien
is outstanding.
The restrictions set forth above shall not apply to certain
permitted Liens, including:
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(i) |
Liens existing on the series issuance date for the Notes (namely
March 13, 2007); |
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(ii) |
Liens on any Property of any Person existing at the time such
Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, or at the time such
Person amalgamates or merges with the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary, which Liens are not created in contemplation of such
Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or effecting such
amalgamation or merger; |
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(iii) |
Liens on any Property existing at the time such Property is
acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Liens to
secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price of
such Property upon the acquisition of such Property by the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or to secure any Indebtedness
incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 270 days
after, the later of the date of acquisition of such Property and
the date such Property is placed in service, for the purpose of
financing all or any part of the purchase price thereof, or
Liens to secure any Indebtedness incurred for the purpose of
financing the cost to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of
improvements to such acquired Property or to secure any
indebtedness incurred for the purpose of financing all or any
part of the purchase price or the cost of construction of the
Property subject to such Liens; |
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(iv) |
Liens securing any Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing
to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary; |
S-16
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(v) |
Liens on Property of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
securing indebtedness or other obligations issued by Canada or
the United States of America or any state or any department,
agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of Canada or
the United States of America or any state, or by any other
country or any political subdivision of any other country, for
the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price
of, or, in the case of real property, the cost of construction
on or improvement of, any property or assets subject to the
Liens, including Liens incurred in connection with pollution
control, industrial revenue or similar financings; |
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(vi) |
Liens securing any extension, renewal or replacement (or
successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in
part of any Indebtedness secured by any permitted Lien,
including those referred to in the foregoing clauses (i),
(ii), (iii), (iv) and (v); provided, however, that
such new Lien is limited to the Property which was subject to
the prior Lien immediately before such extension, renewal or
replacement, and provided, further, that the principal amount of
Indebtedness secured by the prior Lien immediately prior to such
extension, renewal or replacement is not increased; and |
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(vii) |
any other Liens not otherwise qualifying as a permitted Lien
provided that, at the applicable time, the sum of (without
duplication) (x) the aggregate principal amount of the
Indebtedness secured by all such other Liens, plus (y) the
Attributable Debt (as defined in the short form base shelf
prospectus) determined at such time of the then outstanding
Unrestricted Sale and Lease-Back Transactions (as defined under
Limitation on Sale and Lease- Back Transactions
below) to which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary is a
party, plus (z) the then outstanding principal amount of
all other Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries incurred in
compliance with Limitation on Restricted Subsidiary
Indebtedness below (other than any Indebtedness of
Restricted Subsidiaries excluded from the calculations of such
limitation on Restricted Subsidiary Indebtedness pursuant to the
provisos contained therein), does not exceed 15% of the then
applicable Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. |
Restricted Subsidiary means (a) TELUS
Communications Inc., (b) TELUS Communications Company, and
(c) at any time any other Subsidiary (as defined in the
short form base shelf prospectus) of the Company if, at the end
of the most recent fiscal quarter for which the Company has
issued its financial statements, the total assets of such
Subsidiary exceeds 10% of the consolidated assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with Canadian
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied,
provided that Restricted Subsidiary shall not include any
Subsidiary that is principally engaged in the wireless business
or TELUS Communications (Quebec) Inc.
Limitation on Restricted Subsidiary Indebtedness
The Indenture contains provisions to the effect that TELUS shall
not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly,
create, incur or assume any Indebtedness, unless after giving
effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the
application of the proceeds therefrom, the sum of (without
duplication) (x) the aggregate principal amount of
Indebtedness of all Restricted Subsidiaries, plus (y) the
then outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness of TELUS
secured by Liens (other than any Lien constituting a Permitted
Lien under any of clauses (a) to (cc) inclusive of the
definition of Permitted Liens), plus (z) Attributable Debt
relating to then outstanding Unrestricted Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions of TELUS, would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net
Tangible Assets. This restriction does not affect the Permitted
Indebtedness (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture in
respect of the relevant Series) of Restricted Subsidiaries,
which is (1) Indebtedness secured by any Lien constituting
a Permitted Lien under any of clauses (a) to
(cc) inclusive of the definition of Permitted Liens,
(2) Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness outstanding under
commercial paper programs) of any Person existing on the series
issuance date or at the time such Person becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary, (3) Indebtedness owing to TELUS or to another
Restricted Subsidiary, (4) commercial paper issued by the
Restricted Subsidiaries not to exceed in the aggregate
$1 billion, and (5) any extension, renewal or
replacement (including successive extensions, renewals or
replacements), in whole or in part, of any Indebtedness of the
Restricted Subsidiaries referred to in any of the preceding
clauses (1), (2), (3) or (4) (provided that the
principal amount of such Indebtedness immediately prior to such
extension, renewal or replacement is not increased).
S-17
Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, except for:
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(i) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction constituting a specified
permitted Lien under the Indenture; or |
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(ii) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction that is not otherwise
permitted under clauses (i) above or (iii) below and
in respect of which the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary
would, at the time it enters into such Sale and Lease-Back
Transaction, be entitled to create a Lien on the Principal
Property (or the properties, as the case may be) subject to such
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction to secure Indebtedness at least
equal in amount to the Attributable Debt in respect of such Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction without being required to equally and
rateably secure the Notes pursuant to the negative pledge
described above (any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction entered
into in compliance with this paragraph being an
Unrestricted Sale and Lease-Back Transaction); or |
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(iii) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction if the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary shall apply or cause to be applied, in the
case of a sale or transfer for cash, an amount equal to the
greater of the fair market value of the Principal Property (or
the properties, as the case may be) sold or transferred and
leased back pursuant to such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction or
the net proceeds of such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction and, in
the case of a sale or transfer otherwise than for cash, an
amount equal to the fair market value of the Principal Property
(or the properties, as the case may be) sold or transferred and
leased back pursuant to such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, to
(x) the retirement (other than any mandatory retirement),
within 180 days after the effective date of such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, of Indebtedness of the Company (which
may but need not include the Debt Securities (as defined in the
short form base shelf prospectus) of any Series) ranking on a
parity with, or prior to, the Notes and owing to a Person other
than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, or
(y) the purchase, construction or improvement of real
property or personal property used by the Company or the
Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business. |
Other Covenants
In addition to the covenants of the Company described above
under Limitation on Restricted Subsidiary
Indebtedness, under Negative Pledge, which
supercedes the provisions described under Description of
Debt Securities Negative Pledge in the
accompanying short form base shelf prospectus, and under
Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions which
supercedes the provisions described under Description of
Debt Securities Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions in the accompanying short form base shelf
prospectus, there are certain additional covenants which are
applicable to the Notes that are described in the short form
base shelf prospectus and reference is made to that document for
descriptions of such covenants.
Book-Entry System
Each Series will be issued in the form of one or more fully
registered global securities (the Global Notes) to
be held by, or on behalf of, CDS Clearing and Depository
Services Inc. (CDS), as depositary and registered in
the name of CDSs nominee. Direct and indirect participants
in CDS, including The Depository Trust Company
(DTC), Euroclear Bank S.A./ N.V., as operator of the
Euroclear System (Euroclear) and Clearstream
Banking, société anonyme (Clearstream,
Luxembourg), on behalf of their respective accountholders,
will record beneficial ownership of the Notes on behalf of their
respective accountholders.
DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg
Noteholders may hold their Notes through the accounts maintained
by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg in CDS only if they
are participants of those systems, or indirectly through
organizations which are participants of those systems.
DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg will hold omnibus
book-entry positions on behalf of their participants through
customers securities accounts in their respective
depositaries which in turn will hold such positions in
customers securities accounts in the names of the nominees
of the depositaries on the books of CDS. All securities in DTC,
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg are held on a fungible
basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific
securities clearance accounts.
S-18
Transfers of notes by persons holding through Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg participants will be effected through
CDS, in accordance with CDS rules, on behalf of the relevant
European international clearing system by its depositaries;
however, such transactions will require delivery of exercise
instructions to the relevant European international clearing
system by the participant in such system in accordance with its
rules and procedures and within its established deadlines
(European time). The relevant European international clearing
system will, if the exercise meets its requirements, deliver
instructions to its depositaries to take action to effect
exercise of the notes on its behalf by delivering notes through
CDS and receiving payment in accordance with its normal
procedures for next-day funds settlement. Payments with respect
to the notes held through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
will be credited to the cash accounts of Euroclear participants
or Clearstream, Luxembourg participants in accordance with the
relevant systems rules and procedures, to the extent
received by its depositaries.
Although the Company will make all payments of principal and
interest on the Notes in Canadian dollars, holders of Notes held
through DTC will receive such payments in U.S. dollars,
except as set forth below. Canadian dollar payments received by
CDS will be exchanged into U.S. dollars and paid directly
to DTC in accordance with procedures established from time to
time by CDS and DTC. All costs of conversion will be borne by
holders of Notes held through DTC who receive payments in
U.S. dollars. Holders of Notes held through DTC may elect,
through procedures established from time to time by DTC and its
participants, to receive Canadian dollar payments, in which case
such Canadian dollar amounts will be transferred directly to
Canadian dollar accounts designated by such holders to DTC.
All information in this prospectus supplement on Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg is derived from Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, and reflects the
policies of such organizations. These organizations may change
these policies without notice.
Payments
Payments of interest and principal on each Global Note will be
made to CDS or its nominee, as the case may be, as registered
holder of the Global Note. As long as CDS or its nominee is the
registered owner of a Global Note, CDS or its nominee, as the
case may be, will be considered the sole legal owner of the
Global Note for the purposes of receiving payments of interest
and principal on the Notes and for all other purposes under the
Indenture and the Notes. Interest payments on Global Notes will
be made by electronic funds transfer on the day interest is
payable and delivered to CDS or its nominee, as the case may be.
The Company understands that CDS or its nominee, upon receipt of
any payment of interest or principal in respect of a Global
Note, will credit participants accounts, on the date
interest or principal is payable, with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in the
principal amount of such Global Note as shown on the records of
CDS or its nominee. The Company also understands that payments
of interest and principal by participants to the owners of
beneficial interest in such Global Note held through such
participants will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices and will be the responsibility of such
participants. The responsibility and liability of the Company in
respect of payments on Notes represented by Global Notes is
limited solely and exclusively, while the Notes are registered
in Global Note form, to making payment of any interest and
principal due on such Global Note to CDS or its nominee.
If definitive Notes are issued instead of or in place of Global
Notes, payments of interest on each definitive Note will be made
by electronic funds transfer, if agreed to by the holder, or by
cheque dated the relevant Interest Payment Date and mailed to
the address of the holder appearing in the register maintained
by the registrar for the relevant Series, at the close of
business on the last day of the month immediately preceding the
month in which the relevant Interest Payment Date occurs.
The Trustee has been appointed under each Supplemental Indenture
as the registrar and paying agent. Payment of principal at
maturity will be made at the principal office of the Trustee in
the City of Calgary, Alberta (or in such other city or cities as
may from time to time be designated by the Company) against
surrender of the Notes. If the due date for payment of any
amount of principal or interest on any Note is not, at the place
of payment, a business day (being a day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which financial institutions at the place of
payment are authorized or obligated by law or regulation to
close) such payment will be made on the next business day and
the holder shall not be entitled to any further interest or
other payment in respect of such delay.
S-19
Additional Amounts
All payments made by TELUS under or with respect to the Notes
will be made free and clear of and without withholding or
deduction for or on account of any present or future tax, duty,
levy, impost, assessment or other governmental charge imposed or
levied by or on behalf of the Government of Canada or of any
province or territory thereof or therein or by any authority or
agency thereof or therein having power to tax (hereinafter
Taxes) unless TELUS is required to withhold or
deduct Taxes by law or by the interpretation or administration
thereof by the relevant government authority or agency. If TELUS
is so required to withhold or deduct any amount for or on
account of Taxes from any payment made under or with respect to
the Notes, TELUS will pay such additional amounts
(Additional Amounts) as may be necessary so that the
net amount received by each holder or beneficial owner
(including Additional Amounts) after such withholding or
deduction will not be less than the amount the holder or
beneficial owner would have received if such Taxes had not been
withheld or deducted; provided that no Additional Amounts will
be payable with respect to:
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any payment to a holder or beneficial owner who is liable for
such Taxes in respect of such Note (1) by reason of such
holder or beneficial owner being a person with whom TELUS is not
dealing at arms length for the purposes of the Income
Tax Act (Canada) or (2) by reason of the existence of
any present or former connection between such holder or
beneficial owner (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary,
member or shareholder of, or possessor of power over, such
holder or beneficial owner, if such holder or beneficial owner
is an estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company or
corporation) and Canada or any province or territory thereof or
therein or agency thereof or therein other than the mere
holding, use or ownership or deemed holding, use or ownership,
or receiving payments or enforcing any rights in respect of such
Note as a non-resident or deemed non-resident of Canada or any
province or territory thereof or therein or agency thereof or
therein; or |
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any Note presented for payment more than 30 days after the
later of (1) the date on which such payment first becomes
due or (2) if the full amount of the monies payable has not
been paid to the holders of the Notes on or prior to such date,
the date on which the full amount of such monies has been paid
to the holders of the Notes, except to the extent that the
holder thereof would have been entitled to such Additional
Amounts on presenting the same for payment on the last day of
such period of 30 days; or |
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any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer, excise or
personal property tax or any similar Tax; or |
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any Tax imposed as a result of the failure of a holder or
beneficial owner of a Note to comply with certification,
identification, declaration or similar reporting requirements
concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection
with Canada or any province or territory thereof or therein or
agency thereof or therein of the holder or beneficial owner of
such Note, if such compliance is required by statute or by
regulation, as a precondition to reduction of, or exemption,
from such Tax; or |
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any Tax that is imposed or withheld solely by reason of a change
in law, regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation
that becomes effective more than 15 days after payment
becomes due or is duly provided for, whichever occurs
later; or |
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any Tax which is payable otherwise than by withholding or
deduction from any payment made under or with respect to the
Notes; or |
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any combination of the above items, |
nor will such Additional Amounts be paid with respect to any
payment on any Note to a holder or beneficial owner who is a
fiduciary or partnership or other than the sole beneficial owner
of such Note to the extent that a beneficiary or settlor with
respect to such fiduciary, or a member of such partnership or a
beneficial owner thereof would not have been entitled to receive
a payment of such Additional Amounts had such beneficiary,
settlor, member or beneficial owner received directly its
beneficial or distributive share of such payment.
Whenever in the Indenture or in any Note there is mentioned, in
any context, the payment of principal of, or premium, interest
or any other amount on any Note, such mention shall be deemed to
include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts to the
extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or
would be payable in respect thereof.
The obligation to pay Additional Amounts will survive any
termination or discharge of the Indenture or the redemption,
repayment or purchase of the Notes.
S-20
Governing Law
Each of the Indenture and the Notes are governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the Province of
Ontario.
CREDIT RATINGS
The Notes have been rated BBB+, stable outlook, by
Standard & Poors, a division of McGraw-Hill
Companies (S&P), Baa1, stable outlook, by
Moodys Investors Service (Moodys), BBB+,
stable outlook, by Fitch Ratings (Fitch) and
A (low), stable trend, by DBRS Limited (DBRS)
(each a Rating Agency). Credit ratings are intended
to provide investors with an independent measure of the credit
quality of an issue of securities.
Ratings for debt instruments range from AAA to D from S&P,
which represents the range from highest to lowest quality of
such securities rated. S&P describes debt instruments rated
BBB as exhibiting adequate protection parameters. However,
adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its
financial commitment on the obligation. The addition of a
plus (+) or minus (-) designation after a rating
indicates the relative standing within a particular rating
category.
Ratings for debt instruments range from Aaa to C from
Moodys, which represents the range from highest to lowest
quality of such securities rated. Moodys describes debt
instruments rated Baa as being subject to moderate credit risk
and as being considered medium-grade and as such may possess
certain speculative characteristics. The addition of a 1, 2 or 3
modifier after a rating indicates the relative standing within a
particular rating category. The modifier 1 indicates that
the issue ranks in the higher end of its generic rating
category, the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking and
the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower
end of its generic rating category.
Ratings for debt instruments range from AAA to D from Fitch,
which represents the range from highest to lowest quality of
such securities rated. Fitch describes debt instruments rated
BBB as having good credit quality. According to Fitch, BBB
ratings indicate that there is currently expectations of low
credit risk and that the capacity for payment of financial
commitments is considered adequate but adverse changes in
circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair
this capacity. The modifiers + or - may
be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major
rating categories.
Ratings for debt instruments range from AAA to D from DBRS,
which represents the range from highest to lowest quality of
such securities rated. DBRS describes debt instruments
rated A is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of
interest and principal is still substantial, but the degree of
strength is less than that of AA rated entities. While A is a
respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to
be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have
greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated securities. Each
DBRS rating category is denoted by the subcategories
high and low. The absence of either a
high or low designation indicates the
rating is in the middle of the category.
The credit ratings accorded to the Notes by the Rating Agencies
are not recommendations to purchase, hold or sell the Notes
inasmuch as such ratings do not comment as to market price or
suitability for a particular investor. There is no assurance
that any rating will remain in effect for any given period of
time or that any rating will not be withdrawn or revised
entirely by a Rating Agency at any time if in its judgment
circumstances so warrant.
ELIGIBILITY FOR INVESTMENT
In the opinion of Bennett Jones LLP and Osler, Hoskin &
Harcourt LLP, the Notes, at the date of issue, will be qualified
investments under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the
Tax Act) and the regulations thereunder (the
Regulations) for trusts governed by registered
retirement savings plans, registered retirement income funds,
deferred profit sharing plans and registered education savings
plans, other than trusts governed by deferred profit sharing
plans for which any of the employers is the Company or an
employer which does not deal at arms length with the
Company.
S-21
CERTAIN CANADIAN AND UNITED STATES INCOME TAX
CONSIDERATIONS
The discussion below is intended to be a general description of
the Canadian and United States income tax considerations
generally applicable to an investment in the Notes. It does not
take into account the individual circumstances of any particular
investor. Therefore, prospective investors are urged to consult
their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of
an investment in the Notes.
Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Bennett Jones LLP and Osler, Hoskin &
Harcourt LLP, the following is a general summary of the
principal Canadian federal income tax considerations generally
applicable under the Tax Act to a holder of the Notes acquired
as beneficial owner hereunder who, at all relevant times, for
the purposes of the Tax Act, holds such Notes as capital
property, deals at arms length with the Company and is not
affiliated with the Company (a Holder). Notes held
by financial institutions (as defined in
section 142.2 of the Tax Act) will generally not be capital
property to such holders and will generally be subject to
special rules contained in the Tax Act. This summary does not
take into account these special rules and holders to whom these
rules may be relevant should consult their own tax advisors.
This summary is based on the current provisions of the Tax Act,
the Regulations, counsels understanding of the current
administrative policies and assessing practices of the Canada
Revenue Agency (the CRA) publicly available prior to
the date hereof, and on a certificate of an officer of the
Company as to certain matters of fact.
This summary also takes into account all specific proposals to
amend the Tax Act and Regulations publicly announced by or on
behalf of the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date
hereof (collectively, the Proposed Tax Amendments).
No assurances can be given that the Proposed Tax Amendments will
be enacted or will be enacted as proposed. Other than the
Proposed Tax Amendments, this summary does not take into account
or anticipate any changes in law or the administrative policies
or assessing practices of the CRA, whether by judicial,
legislative, governmental or administrative decision or action,
nor does it take into account provincial, territorial or foreign
income tax legislation or considerations, which may differ
significantly from those discussed herein.
This summary is of a general nature only and is not intended to
be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice to any
particular holder and no representations with respect to the
income tax consequences to any particular holder are made. This
summary is not exhaustive of all Canadian federal income tax
considerations. Accordingly, prospective investors in Notes
should consult their own tax advisors with respect to their own
particular circumstances.
Residents of Canada
The following portion of the summary is generally applicable to
a Holder who, at all relevant times, for the purposes of the Tax
Act, is or is deemed to be resident in Canada (a Resident
Holder). Certain Resident Holders whose Notes might not
otherwise qualify as capital property may be entitled to obtain
such qualification in certain circumstances by making the
irrevocable election permitted by subsection 39(4) of the
Tax Act to deem the Notes and every other Canadian
Security, as defined in the Tax Act, owned by such
Resident Holder in the taxation year in which the election is
made, and in all subsequent taxation years, to be capital
property. This summary is not applicable to a holder an interest
in which is a tax shelter investment, as defined in
the Tax Act. Such holders should consult their own tax advisors.
Taxation of Interest on the Notes
A Resident Holder that is a corporation, partnership, unit trust
or trust of which a corporation or partnership is a beneficiary
will be required to include in computing its income for a
taxation year all interest on a Note that accrues or is deemed
to accrue to the Resident Holder to the end of that taxation
year, or becomes receivable or is received by the Resident
Holder before the end of that taxation year, except to the
extent that such amount was included in the Resident
Holders income for a preceding taxation year.
Any other Resident Holder, including an individual, will be
required to include in computing its income for a taxation year
any interest on a Note that is received or receivable by such
Resident Holder in that year (depending upon the method
regularly followed by the Resident Holder in computing income),
to the extent that such amount was not otherwise included in the
Resident Holders income for a preceding taxation year.
A Resident Holder that is a Canadian-controlled private
corporation (as defined in the Tax Act) may be liable for
a refundable tax of
62/3
% on investment income. For this purpose, investment income will
generally include interest income.
S-22
On an assignment or other transfer of a Note, including a
redemption, a payment on maturity, or a purchase for
cancellation, a Resident Holder will generally also be required
to include in income the amount of interest accrued on the Note
from the date of the last interest payment to the date of
disposition to the extent that such amount has not otherwise
been included in the Resident Holders income for the
taxation year or a preceding taxation year.
In addition, any premium paid by the Company to a Resident
Holder as a result of the Companys exercise of its
optional redemption right will generally be deemed to be
interest received by a Resident Holder at the time of the
redemption and will be required to be included in computing the
Resident Holders income as described above to the extent
that it can reasonably be considered to relate to, and does not
exceed the value at the time of the redemption of, the interest
that would have been paid or payable by the Company on the Note
for a taxation year ending after the redemption.
Disposition of Notes
In general, a disposition or deemed disposition, including a
redemption, payment on maturity or purchase for cancellation,
will give rise to a capital gain (or capital loss) to the extent
that the proceeds of disposition, net of any accrued interest
and any amounts included in the Resident Holders income on
such disposition or deemed disposition as interest, exceed (or
are less than) the adjusted cost base of the Note to the
Resident Holder immediately before the disposition or deemed
disposition and any reasonable costs of disposition.
Under the current provisions of the Tax Act, one half of the
amount of any capital gain (a taxable capital gain)
realized by a Resident Holder in a taxation year generally must
be included in the Resident Holders income in that year,
and, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of the Tax
Act, one half of the amount of any capital loss (an
allowable capital loss) realized by a Resident
Holder in a taxation year generally must be deducted from
taxable capital gains realized by the Resident Holder in that
year. Allowable capital losses in excess of taxable capitals
gains in any particular year may be carried back and deducted in
any of the three preceding taxation years or carried forward and
deducted in any subsequent taxation year against net taxable
capital gains realized in such years to the extent and under the
circumstances described in the Tax Act. A capital gain realized
by an individual or a trust (other than specified trusts) may
give rise to a liability for alternative minimum tax.
As discussed above, a Resident Holder that is a
Canadian-controlled private corporation (as defined
in the Tax Act) may be liable for an additional refundable tax
of
62/3 %
on investment income. For this purpose, investment income will
generally include taxable capital gains.
Non-Residents of Canada
The following portion of the summary is generally applicable to
a Holder who, at all relevant times, for purposes of the Tax
Act, is not, and is not deemed to be, a resident of Canada and
has not and will not use or hold or be deemed to use or hold the
Notes in or in the course of carrying on business in Canada (a
Non-Resident). Special rules, which are not
discussed below, may apply to a non-resident of Canada that is
an insurer which carries on business in Canada and elsewhere.
Amounts which are, or are deemed to be, interest for purposes of
the Tax Act paid or credited by the Company on the Notes to a
Non-Resident that deals at arms length with the Company at
the time such interest is paid or credited will not be subject
to non-resident withholding tax and no non-resident withholding
tax will apply to the proceeds received by a Non-Resident on a
disposition of a Note. For the purposes of the Tax Act, related
persons (as defined in the Tax Act) are deemed not to deal at
arms length and it is a question of fact whether persons
not related to each other deal at arms length.
No other tax on income or gains will be payable by a
Non-Resident on interest, principal, or premium or on the
proceeds received by a Non-Resident on the disposition of a Note.
Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income
tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of
a Note by a U.S. holder (as defined below) who
purchases such Note pursuant to, and at the price set forth on
the cover of, this prospectus supplement and holds the Note as a
capital asset (generally, property held for
investment) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the Code). This summary is based upon existing
U.S. federal income tax law, which is subject to change or
different interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect.
This summary does not discuss all aspects of U.S. federal
income taxation that may be important to particular investors
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in light of their individual investment circumstances, such as
investors subject to special tax rules (e.g., financial
institutions, insurance companies, broker-dealers, partnerships
and their partners, regulated investment companies, and
tax-exempt organizations) or to persons that will hold a Note as
part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale, or
other integrated security transaction for U.S. federal
income tax purposes or that have a functional currency other
than the U.S. dollar, all of whom may be subject to tax
rules that differ significantly from those summarized below. In
addition, this summary does not address holders who own,
actually or constructively, 10% or more of the voting stock of
TELUS, nor does the summary discuss U.S. federal estate and
gift, U.S. state and local, or
non-U.S. tax
considerations. Each prospective investor is urged to consult
a tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local, and
non-U.S. income
and other tax considerations of an investment in a Note.
For purposes of this summary, a U.S. holder is
a beneficial owner of a Note that is, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, (i) an individual who is a citizen or
resident of the U.S., (ii) a corporation created in or
organized under the law of the U.S., any state thereof, or the
District of Columbia, (iii) an estate the income of which
is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax
purposes regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust
(A) the administration of which is subject to the primary
supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more
U.S. persons who have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust, or (B) that elected to
be subject to tax as a U.S. person under the Code.
If a partnership, or other entity or arrangement treated as a
partnership for United States federal income tax purposes,
owns a Note, the tax treatment of the partner in the partnership
will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of
the partnership. Partners in a partnership that own a Note
should consult their tax advisors as to the particular
United States federal income tax consequences applicable
to them.
Payment of Interest
In general, interest paid or payable on a Note to a
U.S. holder will be subject to tax as foreign source
ordinary interest income at the time it is received or accrued,
in accordance with such holders method of accounting for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. A cash method
U.S. holder must include in income the U.S. dollar
value of each interest payment based on the spot rate in effect
on the date such interest payment is received, regardless of
whether the payment is converted into U.S. dollars. In the
case of an accrual method U.S. holder, the amount of any
interest income accrued during any accrual period generally will
be determined by translating such accrual interest income into
U.S. dollars at the average exchange rate applicable to the
accrual period (or, with respect to an accrual period that spans
two taxable years, at the average exchange rate for the partial
period within the relevant taxable year). Such a holder will
recognize exchange gain or loss with respect to any accrued
interest income on the date that payment in respect of such
interest income is received in an amount equal to the difference
between (i) the U.S. dollar value of such payment,
based on the spot rate in effect on the date such payment is
received, and (ii) the amount of interest income accrued in
respect of such payment. Any such exchange gain or loss will
generally be treated as U.S. source ordinary income or loss.
Notwithstanding the rule regarding the translation of accrued
interest income described above, an accrual method
U.S. holder may elect to translate accrued interest income
using the spot rate in effect on the last day of the accrual
period (or, with respect to an accrual period that spans two
taxable years, using the spot rate in effect on the last day of
the relevant taxable year) or, if the last day of an accrual
period is within five business days of the date of receipt of
the accrued interest, translate such interest using the spot
rate in effect on the date of such receipt. This election must
be applied consistently to all debt instruments from year to
year and cannot be changed without consent of the
U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Sale, Exchange, or Other Disposition of a Note
Unless a nonrecognition provision applies, upon the sale,
exchange, or other disposition of a Note, a U.S. holder
will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the
difference between (i) the amount of cash received plus the
fair market value of any property received on such disposition
(other than (a) amounts attributable to accrued interest
not previously included in income, which will be subject to tax
as foreign source interest income, as discussed above, and
(b) exchange gain or loss with respect to the principal
amount of the Note, as discussed in the following paragraph) and
(ii) such holders adjusted tax basis in the Note. The
U.S. dollar value of any Canadian dollars received by a
U.S. holder upon the sale, exchange, or other disposition
of a Note will generally be determined using the spot exchange
rate in effect on the date of such disposition. A
U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in a Note generally
will equal the cost of the Note to such holder less any
principal payments received by such holder with respect thereto.
The cost of a Note to a U.S. holder will be the
U.S. dollar value of the Canadian dollar purchase price,
translated at the spot rate on
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the date of purchase. The conversion of U.S. dollars into
Canadian dollars and the immediate use of those Canadian dollars
to purchase a Note will generally not result in a taxable gain
or loss to the U.S. holder. A U.S. holder will have a
tax basis in any Canadian dollars received on the sale, exchange
or other disposition of a Note equal to the U.S. dollar
value of the Canadian dollars on the date of receipt. Any such
gain or loss attributable to the sale, exchange, or other
disposition of a Note (except with respect to exchange gain or
loss with respect to the principal amount of the Note, as
discussed in the following paragraph) will generally be
U.S. source and will be long-term gain or loss if the
U.S. holder has held the Note for more than one year. The
claim of a deduction in respect of a capital loss is subject to
limitations.
U.S. holders are required to recognize any gain or loss
attributable to changes in currency exchange rates upon the
retirement, sale, exchange, or other disposition of a Note. Such
gain or loss will be subject to tax as U.S. source ordinary
income or loss. Exchange gain or loss with respect to the
principal amount of a Note will generally equal the difference
between: (1) the U.S. dollar value of the Canadian
dollar purchase price of the Note determined using the spot
exchange rate on the date of the retirement, sale, exchange or
other disposition, and (2) the U.S. dollar value of
the Canadian dollar purchase price of the Note, determined using
the spot exchange rate on the date the U.S. holder acquired
the Note. Such gain or loss will be recognized only to the
extent of the total gain or loss realized by the U.S. holder on
a sale, exchange, or other disposition of the Note.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Each U.S. holder of a Note may be subject, under certain
circumstances, to information reporting and backup withholding
with respect to payments of interest on, and gross proceeds from
a sale, exchange or other disposition (including repayment of
principal) of a Note. These backup withholding rules apply if
such holder, among other things, fails to (i) furnish its
correct taxpayer identification number, (ii) certify that
it is not subject to backup withholding, or (iii) otherwise
comply with applicable backup withholding requirements.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as
backup withholding may be credited against a holders
U.S. federal income tax liability. A holder may obtain a
refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup
withholding rules by filing the appropriate claim for a refund
with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Under an agreement (the Agency Agreement) dated
March 8, 2007 between the Agents and the Company, the
Agents have agreed to act as agents of the Company to offer the
Notes for sale to the public on a best efforts basis, if, as and
when issued by the Company, subject to compliance with all
necessary legal requirements and in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the Agency Agreement. The offering price of
each Series was established by negotiation between the Company
and the Agents. The Agents will receive a fee equal to $3.50 for
each $1,000 principal amount of Series CC Notes sold and a
fee equal to $4.00 for each $1,000 principal amount of
Series CD Notes sold.
The obligations of the Agents under the Agency Agreement may be
terminated in their discretion on the basis of their assessment
of the state of the financial markets and also upon the
occurrence of certain stated events. While the Agents have
agreed to use their best efforts to sell the Notes offered under
this prospectus supplement, the Agents will not be obligated to
purchase any Notes which are not sold. The closing of the
issuance of the Series CC Notes is not conditional on the
closing of the issuance of the Series CD Notes, nor vice
versa.
The Offering is being made concurrently in all the provinces of
Canada and in the United States pursuant to a
multijurisdictional disclosure system implemented by securities
regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States. Subject
to applicable law, the Agents may offer the Notes outside the
United States and Canada. No sales will be effected in any
province of Canada by any Agent not duly registered as a
securities dealer under the laws of such province, other than
sales effected pursuant to the exemptions from the registration
requirements under the laws of such province.
The Notes are offered subject to certain conditions, including
the right of the Company to reject orders in whole or in part.
In accordance with a rule of the Ontario Securities Commission
and a policy statement of the Autorité des marchés
financiers, the Agents may not, throughout the period of
distribution, bid for or purchase Notes. The foregoing
restriction is subject to exceptions, on the condition that the
bid or purchase is not engaged in for the purpose of creating
actual or apparent active trading in, or raising prices of, the
Notes. These exceptions include a bid or purchase
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permitted under the Universal Market Integrity Rules for
Canadian Marketplaces of Market Regulation Services Inc.
relating to market stabilization and passive market-making
activities and a bid or purchase made for and on behalf of a
customer where the order was not solicited during the period of
distribution. Subject to the foregoing and applicable laws, in
connection with the Offering, and subject to the first exception
mentioned above, the Agents may engage in over-allotment and
stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover short positions
created by the Agents in connection with the Offering.
Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases
for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the
market price of the Notes and short positions created by the
Agents involve the sale by the Agents of a greater number of
Notes than may be offered by the Company in the Offering. These
activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the
market price of the Notes, which may be higher than the price
that might otherwise prevail in the open market; these
activities, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. These
transactions may be effected in the
over-the-counter market
or otherwise.
The Company and the Agents have agreed to indemnify each other
against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Canadian provincial securities legislation. There is no public
market for the Notes and the Company does not intend to list the
Notes on any exchange.
Each of the Agents is an affiliate of a bank or a financial
institution which is a lender to the Company under the
2007 Credit Facility and each of the Agents, other than
HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. and Desjardins Securities Inc., is
an affiliate of a bank that is a counter party to certain cross
currency interest rate swap agreements with the Company. The
2007 Credit Facility consists of a $2 billion
five-year revolving
credit facility (as of March 2, 2007, approximately
$100 million utilized in the form of letters of credit and
approximately $1.9 billion available). Consequently, the
Company may be considered to be a connected issuer of each such
Agent for purposes of the securities legislation of certain
Canadian provinces.
TELUS is and has been in compliance with the terms of the 2007
Credit Facility and the cross currency interest rate swap
agreements. Neither the lenders under the 2007 Credit Facility,
the counterparties under the cross currency interest rate swap
agreements, nor the Agents were involved in the Companys
decision to distribute the Notes offered hereby. The Agents
negotiated the terms and conditions of the Offering and will not
benefit in any manner from the Offering other than the payment
of their commission as described above. The proceeds of the
Offering will not be applied for the benefit of the Agents or
their affiliates.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the Offering will be
passed upon on behalf of the Company by Bennett Jones LLP,
Toronto, Ontario and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom LLP, New York, New York, and on behalf of the
Agents by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Toronto,
Ontario and New York, New York. The partners and
associates of each of such law firms as a group each
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, less than one percent
of the outstanding securities of the Company.
AUDITORS, REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT
The Auditors for the Company are Deloitte & Touche LLP,
Chartered Accountants, 1055 Dunsmuir Street, Suite 2100,
Vancouver, British Columbia V7X 1P4. Deloitte &
Touche LLP is independent within the meaning of the Rules of
Professional Conduct of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of British Columbia.
Registers for the registration and transfer of the Notes issued
in registered form will be kept at the principal offices of the
Trustee in the City of Calgary, Alberta.
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No securities regulatory authority has expressed an opinion
about these securities and it is an offence to claim
otherwise.
This short form prospectus has been filed under legislation
in each of the provinces of Canada that permits certain
information about these securities to be determined after this
prospectus has become final and that permits the omission from
this prospectus of that information. The legislation requires
the delivery to purchasers of a prospectus supplement containing
the omitted information within a specified period of time after
agreeing to purchase any of the securities.
SHORT FORM BASE SHELF PROSPECTUS DATED AUGUST 24, 2005
New Issue
TELUS Corporation
$3,000,000,000
Debt Securities
Preferred Shares
Non-Voting Shares
Common Shares
Warrants to Purchase Equity Securities
Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities
Share Purchase Contracts
Share Purchase or Equity Units
TELUS Corporation (TELUS or the Company)
may offer and issue from time to time, debt securities (the
Debt Securities), preferred shares, non-voting
shares and common shares (the Equity Securities),
warrants to purchase Equity Securities and warrants to purchase
Debt Securities (the Warrants), share purchase
contracts and share purchase or equity units (all of the
foregoing, collectively, the Securities) of up to
$3,000,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of Securities
(or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign currencies or
composite currencies, including United States dollars) during
the 25 month period that this short form shelf prospectus
(the Prospectus), including any amendments thereto,
is valid. Securities may be offered separately or together, in
amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined based on market
conditions at the time of sale and set forth in an accompanying
shelf prospectus supplement (a Prospectus
Supplement).
The specific terms of the Securities with respect to a
particular offering will be set out in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and may include, where applicable (i) in the
case of Debt Securities, the specific designation, aggregate
principal amount, the currency or the currency unit for which
the Debt Securities may be purchased, the maturity, interest
provisions, authorized denominations, offering price, covenants,
events of default, any terms for redemption or retraction, any
exchange or conversion terms, whether the debt is senior or
subordinated and any other terms specific to the Debt Securities
being offered; (ii) in the case of Equity Securities, the
designation of the particular class and series, the number of
shares offered, the issue price, dividend rate, if any, and any
other terms specific to the Equity Securities being offered;
(iii) in the case of Warrants, the designation, number and
terms of the Equity Securities or Debt Securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Warrants, any procedures that will result
in the adjustment of these numbers, the exercise price, dates
and periods of exercise, the currency in which the Warrants are
issued and any other specific terms; (iv) in the case of
share purchase contracts, the designation, number and terms of
the Equity Securities to be purchased under the share purchase
contract, any procedures that will result in the adjustment of
these numbers, the purchase price and purchase date or dates of
the Equity Securities, any requirements of the purchaser to
secure its obligations under the share purchase contract and any
other specific terms; and (v) in the case of share purchase
or equity units, the terms of the component share purchase
contract and Debt Securities or third party obligations, any
requirements of the purchaser to secure its obligations under
the share purchase contract by the Debt Securities or third
party obligations and any other specific terms. Where required
by statute, regulation or policy, and where Securities are
offered in currencies other than Canadian dollars, appropriate
disclosure of foreign exchange rates applicable to such
Securities will be included in the Prospectus Supplement
describing such Securities.
Warrants will not be offered for sale separately to any member
of the public in Canada unless the offering is in connection
with and forms part of the consideration for an acquisition or
merger transaction or unless the Prospectus Supplement
describing the specific terms of the Warrants to be offered
separately is first approved for filing by each of the
securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in
Canada where the Warrants will be offered for sale. In addition,
TELUS has filed an undertaking with each of the securities
commissions or similar regulatory authorities in Canada that it
will not distribute share purchase contracts or share purchase
or equity units that, at the time of distribution, are novel
specified derivatives or novel asset-backed securities, without
pre-clearing with the applicable regulator the disclosure to be
contained in the Prospectus Supplement pertaining to the
distribution of such securities.
For the purpose of calculating the Canadian dollar equivalent of
the aggregate principal amount of Securities issued under this
Prospectus from time to time, Securities denominated in or
issued in, as applicable, a currency (the Securities
Currency) other than Canadian dollars will be translated
into Canadian dollars at the date of issue of such Securities
using the spot wholesale transactions buying rate of the Bank of
Canada for the purchase of Canadian dollars with the Securities
Currency in effect as of noon (Toronto time) on the date of
issue of such Securities.
This offering is made by a Canadian issuer that is permitted,
under a multijurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the
United States, to prepare this prospectus in accordance with the
disclosure requirements of Canada. Prospective investors should
be aware that such requirements are different from those of the
United States. The financial statements included or incorporated
herein, if any, have been prepared in accordance with Canadian
generally accepted accounting principles, and may be subject to
Canadian auditing and auditor independence standards, and, thus,
may not be comparable to financial statements of
United States companies.
Prospective investors should be aware that acquisition of the
securities described herein may have tax consequences both in
the United States and in Canada. Such consequences for investors
who are resident in, or citizens of, the United States may
not be described fully herein.
The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the
federal securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact
that TELUS is incorporated or organized under the laws of
Canada, that some or all of its officers and directors may be
residents of Canada, that some or all of the underwriters or
experts named in the registration statement may be residents of
Canada, and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of
TELUS and said persons may be located outside the
United States.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the
Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Commission passed
upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This Prospectus constitutes a public offering of these
Securities only in those jurisdictions where they may be
lawfully offered for sale and therein only by persons permitted
to sell such Securities. The Company may offer and sell
Securities to or through underwriters or dealers and also may
offer and sell certain Securities directly to other purchasers
or through agents. A Prospectus Supplement relating to each
issue of Securities offered thereby will set forth the names of
any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of such
Securities and the compensation of any such underwriters,
dealers or agents. The common shares and the non-voting shares
of TELUS are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbols T and T.NV., respectively, and
the non-voting shares of TELUS are also listed on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol TU. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Securities
other than the common shares and non-voting shares of TELUS will
not be listed on any securities exchange. The offering of
Securities hereunder is subject to approval of certain legal
matters on behalf of TELUS by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP,
Toronto, Ontario and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, New York, New York.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this
Prospectus to TELUS or the Company are
references to TELUS Corporation, its consolidated subsidiaries
and predecessor companies.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Information has been incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus from documents filed with securities commissions or
similar authorities in Canada. Copies of the
documents incorporated herein by reference may be obtained on
request without charge from the Vice President, Legal Services,
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of TELUS, 3777 Kingsway,
Burnaby, British Columbia V5H 3Z7 (telephone 604.697.8029). For
the purpose of the Province of Québec, this Prospectus
contains information to be completed by consulting the permanent
information record. A copy of the permanent information record
may be obtained from the Vice President, Legal Services, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary of TELUS at the above-mentioned
address and telephone number. Copies of these documents are
available on the System for Electronic Documents Analysis and
Retrieval of the Canadian Securities Administrators
(SEDAR), at www.sedar.com.
The following documents of the Company, which have been filed
with the securities commissions or similar regulatory
authorities in each of the provinces of Canada, are specifically
incorporated by reference into, and form an integral part of,
this Prospectus:
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(a) |
the annual information form of the Company dated March 23,
2005 for the year ended December 31, 2004; |
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(b) |
the audited consolidated financial statements as at and for the
years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 and the report of
the auditors thereon; |
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(c) |
the managements discussion and analysis of financial
results for the year ended December 31, 2004
(the MD&A); |
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(d) |
the information circular dated March 21, 2005, prepared in
connection with the Companys annual and special meeting
and the class meetings held on May 4, 2005, except the
sections entitled Mandate and Report of the Corporate
Governance Committee, Mandate and Report of the
Human Resources and Compensation Committee, Report
on Executive Compensation, Performance Graph
and Appendix A; |
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(e) |
the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements as at
and for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2005; |
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the managements discussion and analysis of financial
results for the period ended June 30, 2005
(the Interim MD&A); and |
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the Risks and uncertainties section of the
managements discussion and analysis of financial results
for the period ended March 31, 2005. |
Any documents of the types referred to above and any material
change reports (excluding confidential reports) filed by the
Company pursuant to the requirements of applicable securities
legislation after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
completion or withdrawal of this offering shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference into this Prospectus.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed
to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for the purposes of this Prospectus to
the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement. The modifying or superseding statement need not state
that it has modified or superseded a prior statement or include
any other information set forth in the document which it
modifies or supersedes. The making of such a modifying or
superseding statement shall not be deemed an admission for any
purposes that the modified or superseded statement, when made,
constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue statement of a
material fact or an omission to state a material fact that is
required to be stated or that is necessary to make a statement
not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was
made. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not
constitute a part of this Prospectus, except as so modified or
superseded.
A Prospectus Supplement containing the specific terms of an
offering of Securities, updated disclosure of earnings coverage
ratios, if applicable, and other information relating to the
Securities, will be delivered to prospective purchasers of such
Securities together with this Prospectus and will be deemed to
be incorporated into this Prospectus as of the date of such
Prospectus Supplement only for the purpose of the offering of
the Securities covered by that Prospectus Supplement.
Upon a new annual information form and the related annual
financial statements being filed by the Company, with, and,
where required, accepted by, the applicable securities
regulatory authorities during the currency of this Prospectus,
the previous annual information form, the previous annual
financial statements and all quarterly financial statements,
material change reports and information circulars filed prior to
the commencement of the Companys financial year in which
the new annual information form is filed shall be deemed no
longer to be incorporated into this Prospectus for purposes of
further offers and sales of Securities hereunder.
REFERENCE TO CURRENCY
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references herein to
currency are references to Canadian dollars. For Securities
issued in other than Canadian currency, potential purchasers
should be aware that foreign exchange fluctuations are likely to
occur from time to time and that the Company does not make any
representation with respect to currency values from time to
time. Investors should consult their own advisors with respect
to the potential risk of currency fluctuations. On
August 23, 2005, the inverse of the noon buying rate in New
York City for cable transfers in Canadian dollars as certified
for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York was
Cdn$1.00 = US$0.8344.
3
TELUS CORPORATION
TELUS was incorporated under the Company Act (British
Columbia) (the BC Company Act) on
October 26, 1998 under the name BCT.TELUS Communications
Inc. (BCT). On January 31, 1999, pursuant to a
court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business
Corporations Act among BCT, BC TELECOM Inc.
(BC TELECOM) and TELUS Corporation
(TC), BCT acquired all of the shares of each of BC TELECOM and TC in exchange for common shares and
non-voting shares of
BCT and BC TELECOM was dissolved. On May 3, 2000, BCT
changed its name to TELUS Corporation and in February 2005, the
Company transitioned under the Business Corporations Act
(British Columbia), successor to the BC Company Act.
TELUS maintains its registered office at 21st Floor,
3777 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 3Z7
and its executive office at Floor 8, 555 Robson
Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3K9.
The only material subsidiaries of TELUS are TELUS Communications
Inc. (TCI) and TELE-MOBILE COMPANY (TELUS
Mobility), each owning assets which constitute more than
10 per cent of the consolidated assets of TELUS as at
December 31, 2004 and each generating sales and operating
revenues which exceed 10 per cent of the consolidated sales
and operating revenues of TELUS for the year ended
December 31, 2004. TELUS owns 100 per cent of the
voting shares in TCI directly, and 100 per cent of the
partnership interests in TELUS Mobility indirectly.
The following organization chart sets forth these TELUS
subsidiaries and partnerships, as well as their respective
jurisdictions of incorporation or establishment and TELUS
ownership:
4
BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY
TELUS is the largest telecommunications company in western
Canada and the second largest telecommunications company in
Canada. TELUS is a leading Canadian telecommunications provider
whose subsidiaries provide a full range of communication
products and services. TELUS provides its communications
services through two business segments: TELUS Communications and
TELUS Mobility.
TELUS Communications, a full-service incumbent local exchange
carrier in Western Canada and Eastern Quebec, provides a wide
range of telecommunication products and services including data,
Internet protocol (IP), voice, video and other services to
consumers and businesses. With its national wireline next
generation network, which offers advanced
IP-based network
applications, TELUS Communications is also a national provider
of data, IP and voice solutions for business customers across
Canada. TELUS Mobility is a national facilities-based wireless
provider with 4,147,700 subscribers as at June 30,
2005. The business of TELUS Mobility includes the provision of
digital personal communications services, enhanced specialized
mobile radio services, wireless Internet, paging and analogue
cellular services.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Except as may otherwise be set forth in a Prospectus Supplement,
the net proceeds to be received by the Company from the issue
and sale from time to time of Securities will be added to the
general funds of the Company to be used to repay existing
indebtedness of TELUS, to fund capital expenditures and for
other general corporate purposes. Each Prospectus Supplement
will contain specific information concerning the use of proceeds
from that sale of Securities.
EARNINGS COVERAGES
The earnings coverages set forth below do not give
pro forma effect to any offering of Securities or
any change in indebtedness not reflected in the financial
statements of the Company for the twelve month periods ended
December 31, 2004 and June 30, 2005. The ratio for the
twelve month period ended June 30, 2005 is based on
unaudited financial information.
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 and
June 30, 2005, the Companys consolidated earnings
before income taxes and gross interest expense was
$1,467.9 million and $1,702.0 million, respectively.
Gross annual interest expense for these periods was
$647.0 million and $654.2 million, respectively. The
following coverages were calculated on a consolidated basis for
the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2004 and
June 30, 2005:
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Earnings coverage on long-term debt obligations
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description of the terms of Debt Securities sets
forth certain general terms and provisions of Debt Securities in
respect of which a Prospectus Supplement will be filed. The
particular terms and provisions of Debt Securities offered by
any Prospectus Supplement will be described in the Prospectus
Supplement filed in respect of such Debt Securities.
Debt Securities will be issued under an indenture dated
May 22, 2001 (the Trust Indenture) between the
Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada
(the Trustee). The following summary of certain
provisions of the Trust Indenture does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Trust Indenture. All capitalized terms are as defined in the
Trust Indenture (unless otherwise defined herein).
General
The Trust Indenture provides that Debt Securities may be issued
thereunder from time to time in one or more series. Specific
terms and conditions which apply to such series will be set out
in a supplement to the Trust Indenture. The Debt Securities will
be direct, unconditional and, unless otherwise indicated in the
relevant Prospectus Supplement, unsecured obligations of the
Company. As of August 23, 2005, $1,578,000,000 and
US$3,091,500,000 principal amount of Debt Securities are
outstanding under the Trust Indenture.
5
The Prospectus Supplement relating to the particular Debt
Securities offered thereby describes the terms of such Debt
Securities, including, where applicable:
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(i) |
the designation, aggregate principal amount and denominations of
such Debt Securities; |
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(ii) |
the price at which such Debt Securities will be issued or
whether such Debt Securities will be issued on a
non-fixed price basis; |
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(iii) |
the date or dates on which such Debt Securities will mature and
the portion (if less than all of the principal amount) of
such Debt Securities to be payable upon declaration of an
acceleration of maturity; |
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(iv) |
the currency or currencies in which such Debt Securities are
being sold and in which the principal of (and premium,
if any), and interest, if any, on, such Debt
Securities will be payable, whether the holder of any such Debt
Securities or the Company may elect the currency in which
payments thereon are to be made and if so, the manner of such
election; |
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(v) |
whether the Debt Securities of such series are interest bearing
and, in the case of interest bearing Debt Securities, the rate
or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum at which
such Debt Securities will bear interest, if any; |
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(vi) |
the date from which interest on such Debt Securities, whether
payable in cash, in kind, or in shares, will accrue, the date or
dates on which such interest will be payable and the date on
which payment of such interest will commence; |
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(vii) |
the dates on which and the price or prices at which such Debt
Securities will, pursuant to any required repayment provisions,
or may, pursuant to any repurchase or redemption provisions, be
repurchased, redeemed or repaid and the other terms and
provisions of any such optional repurchase or redemption or
required repayment; |
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(viii) |
any special provisions for the payment of additional interest
with respect to such Debt Securities; |
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(ix) |
any additional covenants included for the benefit of holders of
such Debt Securities; |
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(x) |
the general terms or provisions, if any, pursuant to which such
Debt Securities are to be guaranteed or secured; |
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(xi) |
any additional events of default provided with respect to such
Debt Securities; |
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(xii) |
any exchange on which Debt Securities of a series will be listed; |
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(xiii) |
terms for any conversion or exchange into other securities; |
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(xiv) |
subordination terms, if any, of the Debt Securities of such
series; |
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(xv) |
any special tax implications of or any special tax provision, or
indemnities relating to Debt Securities of such series; and |
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(xvi) |
any other terms of such Debt Securities. |
Payment
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, payment of principal of (and premium,
if any) on Debt Securities will be made in the designated
currency against surrender of such Debt Securities at the office
of the Trustee in Toronto. Unless otherwise indicated in the
Prospectus Supplement related thereto, payment of any instalment
of interest on Debt Securities will be made to the Person
(as defined below) in whose name such Debt Security is
registered immediately prior to the close of business on the
record date for such interest by electronic funds transfer.
Negative Pledge
The Trust Indenture contains provisions to the effect that the
Company will not, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary
(as defined below) to create or assume any Lien (as defined
below) upon any present or future Principal Property
(as defined below), or any Property (as defined below)
which, together with any other Property subject to Liens in the
same transaction or a series of related transactions, would in
the aggregate constitute a Principal Property, of the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary, to secure Indebtedness (as defined
below) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary unless the Debt
Securities, other than Debt Securities which by their terms do
not have the benefit of the
6
Negative Pledge (together with, if the Company shall so
determine, any other Indebtedness of the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary ranking equally with the Debt Securities
then existing or thereafter created), shall be concurrently
secured equally and ratably with (or prior to) such other
Indebtedness so long as such Lien is outstanding.
The restrictions set forth above shall not apply to Permitted
Liens, which are defined in the Trust Indenture to include:
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(i) |
with respect to any series of Debt Securities, Liens existing on
the Closing Date (as defined below) for such series; |
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(ii) |
Liens on any Property of any Person existing at the time such
Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, or at the time such
Person amalgamates or merges with the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary, which Liens are not created in contemplation of such
Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or effecting such
amalgamation or merger; |
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(iii) |
Liens on any Property existing at the time such Property is
acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Liens to
secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price of
such Property upon the acquisition of such Property by the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or to secure any Indebtedness
incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 270 days
after, the later of the date of acquisition of such Property and
the date such Property is placed in service, for the purpose of
financing all or any part of the purchase price thereof, or
Liens to secure any Indebtedness incurred for the purpose of
financing the cost to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of
improvements to such acquired Property or to secure any
indebtedness incurred for the purpose of financing all or any
part of the purchase price or the cost of construction of the
Property subject to such Liens; |
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(iv) |
Liens securing any Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing
to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary; |
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(v) |
Liens on Property of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
securing indebtedness or other obligations issued by Canada or
the United States of America or any state or any department,
agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of Canada or
the United States of America or any state, or by any other
country or any political subdivision of any other country, for
the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price
of, or, in the case of real property, the cost of construction
on or improvement of, any property or assets subject to the
Liens, including Liens incurred in connection with pollution
control, industrial revenue or similar financings; |
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(vi) |
any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions,
renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any Lien
referred to in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), (iii),
(iv) and (v); provided, however, that such new Lien is
limited to the Property which was subject to the prior Lien
immediately before such extension, renewal or replacement, and
provided, further, that the principal amount of Indebtedness
secured by the prior Lien immediately prior to such extension,
renewal or replacement is not increased; |
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(vii) |
any other Liens not otherwise qualifying as a permitted Lien
provided that, at the applicable time, the aggregate principal
amount of the Indebtedness secured by all such other Liens, when
added to the Attributable Debt determined at such time of the
then outstanding Unrestricted Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
(as defined below) to which the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary is a party, does not exceed 15% of the then
applicable Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (as defined below);
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any other Liens identified in the Prospectus Supplement relating
to the series of Debt Securities issued. |
Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction (as defined below), except
for:
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(i) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction in respect of which the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled, in the
manner described in Negative Pledge above (other
than clause (vii)), to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien on
the applicable Principal Property at least equal in amount to
the Attributable Debt (as defined below) in respect of such Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction without equally and ratably securing
the Debt Securities; or |
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(ii) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction that is not otherwise
permitted under clause (i) above and in respect of which
the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled, in
the manner described in clause (vii) of Negative
Pledge above, to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien on
the applicable Principal Property at least equal in amount to
the Attributable Debt in respect of such Sale and Lease-Back
Transaction without equally and ratably securing the Debt
Securities (any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction entered into in
compliance with this paragraph being an Unrestricted Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction); or |
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(iii) |
any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction if the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary shall apply or cause to be applied, in the
case of such sale or transfer for cash, an amount equal to the
greater of the fair market value of the Principal Property sold
or transferred and leased back pursuant to such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction or the net proceeds of such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction and, in the case of such sale or transfer
otherwise than for cash, an amount equal to the fair market
value of the Principal Property sold or transferred and leased
back pursuant to such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, to
(x) the retirement (other than any mandatory retirement),
within 180 days after the effective date of such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, of Indebtedness of the Company (which
may but need not include any Debt Securities) ranking on a
parity with, or prior to, such Debt Securities and owing to a
Person other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company,
or (y) the purchase, construction or improvement of real
property or personal property used by the Company or its
Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business. |
Modification of the Trust Indenture
With certain exceptions, the Trust Indenture, the rights and
obligations of the Company and the rights of the holders of a
particular series of Debt Securities may be modified by the
Company with the consent of the holders of not less than a
majority in aggregate principal amount of such series of Debt
Securities or a majority in principal amount of such series
voted at a duly constituted meeting; but no such modification
may be made which would (i) reduce in any manner the amount of,
or change the currency of payment of, or delay the time of any
payments (whether of principal, premium, interest or otherwise),
(ii) change the definition of or the manner of calculating
amounts to which any holder is entitled; or (iii) reduce
the above-stated percentage of Debt Securities of such series,
in each case without the consent of the holder of each Debt
Security of such series so affected or the consent of 100% of
the principal amount of such the Debt Securities of such series
voted at a duly constituted meeting.
Events of Default
The Trust Indenture provides that any one or more of the
following events shall constitute an event of default with
respect to any series of Debt Securities thereunder: (i) a
default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any,
on) any Debt Securities of such series when the same becomes due
and payable at maturity, upon acceleration, redemption or
otherwise, or in any obligation to repurchase Debt Securities of
such series when required pursuant to the Trust Indenture;
(ii) a default in the payment of interest on any Debt
Securities of such series when the same becomes due and payable,
and such default continues for a period of 30 days;
(iii) default in the performance of or breach of any other
covenant or agreement of the Company with respect to such series
under the Trust Indenture or the Debt Securities and such
default or breach continues for a period of 60 days after
written notice to the Company by the Trustee or the holders of
25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
Debt Securities of such series; (iv) if any representation
or warranty made by the Company in relation to a series of Debt
Securities was incorrect in any material respect when made and
if it is capable of being corrected such misrepresentation is
not corrected within 60 days after written notice to the
Company by the Trustee or the holders of 25% or more in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of
such series (v) any failure to pay when due or within any
applicable grace period, any payment of Indebtedness of the
Company or a Subsidiary in excess of US$75 million (or its
equivalent in any other currency or currencies), or any default
in respect of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary
having an aggregate principal amount exceeding
US$75 million (or its equivalent in any other currency or
currencies) after the expiration of any applicable grace period,
if such default has resulted in such Indebtedness in excess of
such aggregate principal amount becoming due prior to its stated
maturity; (vi) a distress, attachment, execution or other
similar legal process for any amount exceeding
US$75 million (or its equivalent in any other currency or
currencies) is levied or enforced against any part of the
Property of the Company or any Subsidiary and is not paid out,
satisfied or withdrawn within 60 days of the date of such
levy or enforcement; or (vii) certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency or
8
reorganization of the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company is
required to file with the Trustee an annual officers
certificate as to the absence of certain defaults under the
Trust Indenture.
The Trust Indenture provides that if an event of default (other
than an event of default specified in clause (vii) above in
relation to the Company) shall occur and be continuing with
respect to a series of Debt Securities issued thereunder, the
Trustee may in its discretion and shall upon request of the
holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
outstanding Debt Securities of such series declare the principal
of, together with accrued interest on, all Debt Securities of
such series to be due and payable. In certain cases, the holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such series of
Debt Securities or a majority in principal amount of such series
voted at a duly constituted meeting may on behalf of the holders
of all such Debt Securities waive any past default or event of
default and rescind and annul any such declaration and its
consequences.
The Trust Indenture further provides that if an event of default
specified in clause (vii) in relation to the Company
occurs, the principal of and any accrued interest on the Debt
Securities then outstanding shall become immediately due and
payable; provided however that at any time after an automatic
acceleration with respect to the Debt Securities has been made,
the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such
series of Debt Securities or a majority in principal amount of
such series voted at a duly constituted meeting may, under
certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration and
its consequences.
The Trust Indenture contains a provision entitling the Trustee,
subject to its duty during a default to act with the required
standard of care, to be indemnified by the holders of Debt
Securities of such series before proceeding to exercise any
right or power under the Trust Indenture at the request of such
holders. The Trust Indenture provides that no holder of Debt
Securities of any series may pursue a remedy with respect to the
Trust Indenture except in the case of failure of the Trustee to
act.
Defeasance
Defeasance of Certain Obligations
If the supplement to the Trust Indenture provides, the Company
may elect, with respect to any series of Debt Securities, either
to be discharged from its obligations or to be released from its
obligations to comply with the terms, provisions or conditions
relating to the negative pledge, the restriction on Sale and
Lease-Back
Transactions, the restrictions on amalgamations described below,
any other covenants or any event of default (other than a
default in the payment of principal or interest under such
series of Debt Securities). Following such election, the Company
will be so discharged, provided: (i) the Company has, at
least 91 days prior to such discharge becoming effective,
irrevocably deposited with the Trustee, as specific security
pledged for, and dedicated solely to, the due payment and
ultimate satisfaction of all of its obligations under the Trust
Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of the series
affected, (a) funds in the currency or currencies in which
such Debt Securities are payable, and/or (b) an amount of
direct obligations of, or obligations the payment of principal
of and interest, if any, on which are fully guaranteed by, the
government that issued the currency or currencies in which Debt
Securities of such series are payable, and that are not subject
to prepayment, redemption or call, as will together with the
predetermined and certain income to accrue thereon without
consideration of any reinvestment thereof, be sufficient (in the
case of such obligations, through the payment of interest and
principal thereunder) to pay (x) the principal of (and
premium, if any) and interest on the outstanding Debt Securities
of the particular series on their stated due dates or maturity,
as the case may be, and (y) any mandatory prepayments on
the day on which such prepayments are due and payable;
(ii) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the Debt
Securities affected will not recognize income, gain or loss for
Canadian federal income tax purposes as a result of such
defeasance in respect of the Companys obligations and will
be subject to Canadian federal income tax on the same basis as
if such defeasance had not occurred; (iii) such deposit
will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a
default under, the Trust Indenture or any other material
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which it is bound; (iv) no event of default with respect to
the Debt Securities of such series or event that, with notice or
lapse of time, would become such an event of default shall have
occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;
(v) if the Debt Securities affected are listed on any stock
exchange or securities exchange, the Company shall have
delivered to the Trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect
that such deposit and defeasance will not cause such Debt
Securities to be delisted; and (vi) the Company shall have
delivered to the Trustee an officers certificate and an
opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent
to the defeasance have been satisfied.
9
Other Defeasance Arrangements
If so described in the Prospectus Supplement related to Debt
Securities of a specific series, the Company may enter into
certain other arrangements providing for the due payment and
ultimate satisfaction of its obligations with respect to such
series of Debt Securities by the deposit with the Trustee of
funds or obligations of the type referred to under
Defeasance of Certain Obligations. The
Prospectus Supplement will more fully describe the provisions,
if any, relating thereto.
Amalgamation, Consolidation, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease
The Trust Indenture provides that the Company will not
consolidate, merge or amalgamate with any other Person or effect
any conveyance, transfer or lease of its Property substantially
as an entirety, unless, in such case: (i) the person formed
by such consolidation or amalgamation or with which the Company
is merged (or the Person that leases or that acquires by
conveyance, sale or transfer the Property of the Company
substantially as an entirety) (such corporation or Person being
referred to as the Successor Corporation) is a
corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of
Canada or any province thereof; (ii) the Successor
Corporation shall expressly, by supplemental indenture, assume
and become bound by the obligations of the Company under the
terms of the Trust Indenture; (iii) after giving effect to
such transaction no default or event of default shall have
occurred and be continuing under the Trust Indenture or in
respect of the Debt Securities of any series; and (iv) the
Successor Corporation delivers to the Trustee an officers
certificate and legal opinion confirming that the foregoing
conditions have been met.
Governing Law
The Trust Indenture is governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the Province of Ontario.
Certain Definitions
Affiliate means, with respect to any Person,
any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or
more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under
common control with, such Person.
Attributable Debt shall mean, in respect of a
Sale and Lease-Back
Transaction, at the time of determination, the Capital Lease
Obligations under the Capital Lease resulting from such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction
as reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company.
Attributable Debt may be reduced by the present value of the
rental obligations, calculated on the same basis, that any
sublessee has for all or part of the same property.
Capital Lease means a lease that is required
to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance
with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.
Capital Lease Obligations means indebtedness
represented by obligations under a Capital Lease. The amount of
indebtedness will be the capitalized amount of the obligations
determined in accordance with Canadian generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied.
Closing Date means the date on which the Debt
Securities are issued.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of TELUS and
its Subsidiaries means the consolidated total assets of TELUS
and its Subsidiaries as reflected in TELUS most recent
consolidated balance sheet preceding the date of determination
prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied, less
(a) current liabilities, excluding the amount of those
which are by their terms extendable or renewable at the option
of the obligor to a date more than 12 months after the date
as of which the amount is being determined and current
maturities of long-term
debt and Capital Lease Obligations, and (b) goodwill,
tradenames, trademarks, patents, minority interests of others,
unamortized debt discount and expense and other similar
intangible assets, excluding any investments in permits,
licenses and the subscriber base.
Indebtedness means, with respect to any
Person, (without duplication) (a) any liability of such
Person (1) for borrowed money, or under any reimbursement
obligation relating to a letter of credit, or (2) evidenced
by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including a
purchase money obligation arising in connection with the
acquisition of any businesses, properties or assets of any kind,
other than a trade payable or a current liability arising in the
ordinary course of business), or (3) for the payment of
Capital Lease Obligations; (b) any liability of others
described in the preceding clause (a) that the Person has
guaranteed or that is otherwise its legal liability; (c) any
amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal,
extension or refunding of any liability of the types referred to
in clauses (a) and (b) above; and (d) in the case of
any Restricted Subsidiary, the aggregate amount at which any
preference shares
10
of such Restricted Subsidiary are redeemable or retractable at
the option of the holder (excluding any such preference shares
that are owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary).
Lien means any mortgage, pledge, lien,
security interest, charge or other encumbrance or preferential
arrangement (including any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof other than a
title retention agreement in connection with the purchase of
goods in the ordinary course of business which is outstanding
for not more than 90 days).
Person means any natural person, corporation,
firm, partnership, joint venture or other unincorporated
association, trust, government or governmental authority and
pronouns have a similar extended meaning.
Principal Property means at any time any
Property which has a fair market value or a book value in excess
of US$5.0 million (or its equivalent in any other currency
or currencies).
Property means any asset, revenue or any
other property or property right or interest, whether tangible
or intangible, real or personal, including, without limitation,
any right to receive income.
Restricted Subsidiary means (a) TELUS
Communications Inc. and (b) at any time any other
Subsidiary of TELUS if at the end of the most recent fiscal
quarter for which the Company has issued its financial
statements, the total assets of such Subsidiary exceeds 10% of
consolidated assets of TELUS and its Subsidiaries, determined in
accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied, provided that Restricted
Subsidiary shall not include any Subsidiary that is principally
engaged in the wireless business or TELUS Québec Inc.
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction means any
transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which
the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or transfers any
Principal Property, or any Property which together with any
other Property subject to the same transaction or series of
related transactions would in the aggregate constitute a
Principal Property, of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary
to any Person and leases back such Principal Property (or other
Properties) by way of a Capital Lease Obligation but does not
include (a) any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction between the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or between Restricted
Subsidiaries, or (b) any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction
where the term of the lease back is less than three years.
Subsidiary means any company or other
business entity which the Company owns or controls (either
directly or through one or more other Subsidiaries) more than
50% of the issued share capital or other ownership interest, in
each case having ordinary voting power to elect directors,
managers or trustees of such company or other business entity
(whether or not capital stock or other ownership interest or any
other class or classes shall or might have voting power upon the
occurrence of any contingency).
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL
General
The following sets forth the terms and provisions of the
existing capital of the Company. The particular terms and
provisions of the Equity Securities offered by a Prospectus
Supplement and the extent to which these general terms and
provisions apply will be described in such Prospectus
Supplement. The Company is authorized under its Notice of
Articles to issue up to 1,000,000,000 shares of each class of
first preferred shares (the First Preferred Shares),
second preferred shares (the Second Preferred
Shares), non-voting shares (the Non-Voting
Shares) or common shares (the Common Shares).
Certain of the rights and attributes of each class are described
below.
First Preferred Shares
Shares Issuable in Series
The First Preferred Shares may be issued at any time or from
time to time in one or more series. Before any shares of a
series are issued, the Board of Directors of the Company shall
fix the number of shares that will form such series and shall,
subject to the limitations set out in the articles of the
Company, determine the designation, rights, privileges,
restrictions and conditions to be attached to the First
Preferred Shares of such series, except that no series shall be
granted the right to vote at a general meeting of the
shareholders of the Company or the right to be convertible or
exchangeable for Common Shares, directly or indirectly.
11
Priority
The First Preferred Shares of each series shall rank on a parity
with the First Preferred Shares of every other series with
respect to dividends and return of capital and shall be entitled
to a preference over the Second Preferred Shares and the Common
Shares and Non-Voting Shares and over any other shares ranking
junior to the First Preferred Shares with respect to priority in
payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets in the
event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company,
whether voluntary or involuntary, or any other distribution of
the assets of the Company among its shareholders for the purpose
of winding-up its affairs.
Voting Rights
Except as required by law, holders of the First Preferred Shares
as a class shall not be entitled to receive notice of, to attend
or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders of the Company,
provided that the rights, privileges, restrictions and
conditions attached to the First Preferred Shares as a class may
be added to, changed or removed only with the approval of the
holders of the First Preferred Shares given in such manner as
may then be required by law, subject to a minimum requirement
that such approval be given by resolution signed by the holders
of not less than two-thirds of the First Preferred Shares then
outstanding, or passed by an affirmative vote of at least
two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting of the holders of the
First Preferred Shares duly called for that purpose.
Second Preferred Shares
Shares Issuable in Series
The Second Preferred Shares may be issued at any time or from
time to time in one or more series. Before any shares of a
series are issued, the Board of Directors of the Company shall
fix the number of shares that will form such series and shall,
subject to the limitations set out in the articles of the
Company, determine the designation, rights, privileges,
restrictions and conditions to be attached to the Second
Preferred Shares of such series, except that no series shall be
granted the right to vote at a general meeting of the
shareholders of the Company or the right to be convertible or
exchangeable for Common Shares, directly or indirectly.
Priority
The Second Preferred Shares of each series shall rank on a
parity with the Second Preferred Shares of every other series
with respect to dividends and return of capital and shall,
subject to the prior rights of the holders of the First
Preferred Shares, be entitled to a preference over the Common
Shares and the Non-Voting Shares and over any other shares
ranking junior to the Second Preferred Shares with respect to
priority in payment of dividends and in the distribution of
assets in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or any other
distribution of the assets of the Company among its shareholders
for the purpose of winding-up its affairs.
Voting Rights
Except as required by law, holders of the Second Preferred
Shares as a class shall not be entitled to receive notice of, to
attend or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders of the
Company, provided that the rights, privileges, restrictions and
conditions attached to the Second Preferred Shares as a class
may be added to, changed or removed only with the approval of
the holders of the Second Preferred Shares given in such manner
as may then be required by law, subject to a minimum requirement
that such approval be given by resolution signed by the holders
of not less than two-thirds of the Second Preferred Shares then
outstanding, or passed by an affirmative vote of at least
two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting of the holders of the
Second Preferred Shares duly called for that purpose.
Common Shares and Non-Voting Shares
Priority
The holders of Common Shares and Non-Voting Shares shall be
entitled to participate equally with each other as to dividends
and the Company shall pay dividends thereon, as and when
declared by the Board of Directors of the Company out of monies
properly applicable to the payment of dividends, in amounts per
share and at the same time on all such Common Shares and
Non-Voting Shares at the time outstanding as the Board of
Directors of the Company may from time to time determine. In the
event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the
Company or other distribution of assets of the Company among its
shareholders for the purpose of winding-up its affairs, all the
property and assets of the Company which remain after payment to
the holders of any shares ranking in priority to the Common
12
Shares and Non-Voting Shares in respect of payment upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of all amounts attributed
and properly payable to such holders of such other shares in the
event of such liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or
distribution, shall be paid and distributed equally, share for
share, to the holders of the Common Shares and the Non-Voting
Shares, without preference or distinction.
Voting Rights
The holders of the Common Shares shall be entitled to receive
notice of and to attend (in person or by proxy) and be heard at
all general meetings of the shareholders of the Company (other
than separate meetings of the holders of shares of any other
class of shares of the Company or any other series of shares of
such other class of shares) and to vote at all such general
meetings with each holder of Common Shares being entitled to one
vote per Common Share held at all such meetings. The holders of
Non-Voting Shares shall be entitled to receive notice of and to
attend (in person or by proxy) and be heard at all general
meetings of the shareholders of the Company (other than at
separate meetings of the holders of shares of any other class of
shares of the Company or of shares of any other series of shares
of any such other class of shares other than the Common Shares)
and shall be entitled to receive all notices of meetings,
information circulars and other written information from the
Company that the holders of Common Shares are entitled to
receive from the Company but not to vote at such general
meetings, unless otherwise required by law.
Anti-Dilution
Neither the Common Shares nor the Non-Voting Shares shall be
subdivided, consolidated, reclassified or otherwise changed
unless contemporaneously therewith the other class is
subdivided, consolidated, reclassified or otherwise changed in
the same proportion and in the same manner.
Non-Voting Share Conversion Rights
In the event an offer is made to purchase Common Shares that
(i) must, by reason of applicable securities legislation or
the requirements of a stock exchange on which the Common Shares
are listed, be made to all or substantially all of the holders
of Common Shares who are in a province of Canada to which the
requirement applies, and (ii) is not made concurrently with
an offer to purchase Non-Voting Shares that is identical to the
offer to purchase Common Shares in terms of price per share and
percentage of outstanding shares to be taken up exclusive of
shares owned immediately prior to the offer by the Offeror (as
defined in the articles of the Company), and in all other
material respects, and that has no condition attached thereto
other than the right not to take up and pay for shares tendered
if no shares are purchased pursuant to the offer for Common
Shares, then each outstanding Non-Voting Share shall be
convertible into one fully paid and non-assessable Common Share
at the option of the holder thereof exercisable during the
period commencing on the eighth day after the date on which the
offer to purchase Common Shares was made or deemed to be made
and expiring on the expiry date of such offer.
If all of the Telecommunications Regulations, the
Radiocommunication Regulations and the Broadcasting Direction
(each as defined below) are changed so that there is no
restriction on any non-Canadians (as defined in the
Telecommunications Regulations or the Broadcasting Direction, as
applicable) holding Common Shares in the Company and no
requirement that Canadians (as defined in the Radiocommunication
Regulations) hold Common Shares in the Company, a holder of one
or more Non-Voting Shares shall have the right, at his or her
option, at any time after the date of the last to change of the
Telecommunications Regulations, the Radiocommunication
Regulations and the Broadcasting Direction; and prior to the
closing of business 90 days thereafter (the
Regulatory Conversion Period) to convert any one or
more of such Non-Voting Shares into Common Shares on a
one-for-one basis. If all of the Telecommunications Regulations,
the Radiocommunication Regulations and the Broadcasting
Direction are changed so that there is no restriction on any
non-Canadians (as defined in the Telecommunications Regulations
and the Broadcasting Direction, as applicable) holding Common
Shares in the Company and no requirement that Canadians (as
defined in the Radiocommunication Regulations) hold Common
Shares in the Company and following the Regulatory Conversion
Period there are Non-Voting Shares still outstanding, all
holders of Non-Voting Shares shall be deemed to have exercised
their right to convert the Non-Voting Shares held by them into
Common Shares upon receipt by all of the holders of written
notice by the Company stating that the Company is requiring all
holders to convert their Non-Voting Shares to Common Shares on
the date specified in such notice. Telecommunications
Regulations mean the Canadian Telecommunication Common
Carrier Ownership and Control Regulations made pursuant to the
Telecommunications Act (Canada); Radiocommunication
Regulations mean the Regulations respecting
Radiocommunications, Radio Authorizations, Exemptions from
Authorizations and the Operation of Radio Apparatus,
13
Radio-Sensitive Equipment and Interface Causing Equipment, P.C.
1996 1679 5 November, 1996, as amended or
replaced from time to time, whether by statute, regulation,
direction or by any other form of legislative instrument, and
includes any licences under the Radiocommunication Act
(Canada) held by entities controlled (as defined in the
foregoing Regulations) by the Company; and Broadcasting
Direction means the Direction to the Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
(Ineligibility of Non-Canadians) P.C. 1997 486 8
April 1997, as amended from time to time and any replacement
direction or regulation under the Broadcasting Act
(Canada) or any other form of legislative instrument, with
respect thereto.
Common Share Conversion Right
The Company shall provide notice to each holder of Common Shares
at least 10 days before the record date in respect of each
general meeting of shareholders of the Company at which the
holders of the Non-Voting Shares will be entitled to vote as a
class. In such event and to the extent that, after taking into
account the conversion, the class of persons, each of whom is a
non-Canadian as defined in the Telecommunications Regulations or
the Broadcasting Direction, or is not a Canadian as defined in
the Radiocommunication Regulations (the Constrained
Class), would continue to hold no more than the maximum
number of Common Shares that may be owned and controlled by
persons in the Constrained Class in accordance with the
Telecommunications Regulations, the Radiocommunication
Regulations or the Broadcasting Directions, whichever is the
lowest so that, when added to all other voting shares (as
defined in the Telecommunications Regulations, the
Radiocommunication Regulations or the Broadcasting Direction, as
the case may be) owned or controlled by the Constrained Class,
the Company will be and will continue to be a qualified
corporation as defined in the Telecommunications
Regulations, a corporation that is Canadian (as defined in the
Radiocommunication Regulations) that controls (as defined in the
Radiocommunication Regulations) a person or entity that holds
licences under the Radiocommunication Act (Canada) and a
corporation that is qualified under the Broadcasting Direction
to be the parent of a corporation that is a qualified
corporation as defined in the Broadcasting Direction, each
outstanding Common Share shall be convertible into one
Non-Voting Share on a one-for-one basis.
Ownership and Voting Restrictions
Non-Canadian shareholders shall not beneficially own or control,
other than by way of security only, more than
331/3%
(or such other percentage as may then be prescribed by the
Telecommunications Regulations, the Radiocommunication
Regulations or the Broadcasting Directions, whichever is the
lowest percentage, as the percentage of voting shares that may
be beneficially owned or controlled, by non-Canadians, in order
for a corporation to be a qualified corporation as
defined in the Telecommunications Regulations, a corporation
that is Canadian (as defined in the Radiocommunication
Regulations) that controls (as defined in the Radiocommunication
Regulations) a person or entity that holds licences under the
Radiocommunication Act (Canada) and a corporation that is
qualified under the Broadcasting Direction to be the parent of a
corporation that is a qualified corporation as
defined in the Broadcasting Direction, provided that if no such
percentage is prescribed the relevant percentage shall be deemed
to be 100%) (the Restricted Percentage) of the
issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company (the
Non-Canadian Share Constraint). In the event that it
appears from the central securities register of the Company
that, or in the event of a Directors determination (as
provided for in the articles of the Company) that there is a
contravention of the Non-Canadian Share Constraint: (a) the
Company may pursuant to a Directors determination make a
public announcement, whether by press release, newspaper
advertisements or otherwise, reasonably expected to inform the
markets in which voting shares are traded of the contravention;
and (b) the Company may refuse to (i) accept any
subscription for voting shares from any non-Canadian, (ii) issue
any voting shares to any non-Canadian, (iii) register or
otherwise recognize the transfer of any voting shares from any
Canadian to any non-Canadian, or (iv) purchase or otherwise
acquire any voting shares, except as provided in the articles of
the Company.
In the event of a Directors determination that there is a
contravention of the Non-Canadian Share Constraint and that to
do so would be practicable and would not be unfairly prejudicial
to, and would not unfairly disregard the interests of, persons
beneficially owning or controlling voting shares who are
non-Canadians, the Company shall send a disposition notice to
the registered holders of such of those voting shares as shall
be chosen on the basis of inverse order of registration of all
non-Canadians. The Company may, by Directors
determination, suspend all rights of a shareholder to vote that
would otherwise be attached to any voting shares beneficially
owned, or controlled, by non-Canadians so that the proportion of
the voting shares beneficially owned, or controlled, or
considered by the Telecommunications Regulations, the
Radiocommunication Regulations or the Broadcasting Direction to
be beneficially owned, or controlled, by non-Canadians and with
respect to which voting rights are not suspended is
14
reduced to not more than the Restricted Percentage of the total
issued and outstanding voting shares of the Company. Any
disposition notice required to be sent to a registered holder of
shares pursuant to the foregoing shall, among other things:
(a) specify a date, which shall not be less than
60 days, after the date of the disposition notice, by which
the excess voting shares are to be sold or otherwise disposed of
or, if the Directors determine it to be in the interest of the
Company to permit a conversion, converted into Non-Voting
Shares; and (b) state that unless (i) the registered
holder either sells or otherwise disposes of or converts the
excess voting shares into Non-Voting Shares by the date
specified in the disposition notice on a basis that does not
result in any contravention of the Non-Canadian Share Constraint
and provides to the Company written evidence satisfactory to the
Company of such sale, other disposition or conversion, or
(ii) provides written evidence satisfactory to the Company
that no such sale, other disposition or conversion of excess
voting shares is required, such default shall result in the
consequence of suspension of voting rights and may result in a
consequence of sale or conversion or repurchase or redemption
and the disposition notice shall specify in reasonable detail
the nature and timing of those consequences.
TELUS Rights Plan
TELUS adopted the Rights Plan in March 2000 and issued one right
(a Series A Right) in respect of each
Common Share outstanding as at such date and issued one right
(a Series B Right) in respect of each
Non- Voting Share
outstanding as of such date. The Rights Plan has a term of
10 years subject to shareholder confirmation every
three years. The Rights Plan was amended and confirmed as
amended by the shareholders in 2003 and in May 2005.
As currently stated, the Rights Plan will again require
confirmation in 2008. Each Series A Right, other than those
held by an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Plan)
and certain of its related parties, entitles the holder in
certain circumstances following the acquisition by an Acquiring
Person of more than 20% of the voting shares of TELUS (otherwise
than through the Permitted Bid requirements of
the Rights Plan) to purchase from TELUS $320 worth of Common
Shares for $160 (i.e., at a 50% discount). Each
Series B Right, other than those held by an Acquiring
Person (as defined in the Rights Plan) and certain of its
related parties, entitles the holder in certain circumstances
following the acquisition by an Acquiring Person of 20% or more
of the voting shares of TELUS (otherwise than through the
Permitted Bid requirements of the Rights Plan) to
purchase from TELUS $320 worth of Non-Voting Shares for $160
(i.e., at a 50% discount).
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
This section describes the general terms that will apply to any
warrants (the Warrants) for the purchase of Equity
Securities (the Equity Warrants) or for the purchase
of Debt Securities (the Debt Warrants).
Warrants may be offered separately or together with Equity
Securities or Debt Securities, as the case may be. Each series
of Warrants will be issued under a separate Warrant agreement to
be entered into between the Company and one or more banks or
trust companies acting as Warrant agent. The applicable
Prospectus Supplement will include details of the Warrant
agreements covering the Warrants being offered. The Warrant
agent will act solely as the agent of the Company and will not
assume a relationship of agency with any holders of Warrant
certificates or beneficial owners of Warrants. The following
sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the Warrants
offered under this Prospectus. The specific terms of the
Warrants, and the extent to which the general terms described in
this section apply to those Warrants, will be set forth in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Equity Warrants
The particular terms of each issue of Equity Warrants will be
described in the related Prospectus Supplement. This description
will include, where applicable:
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(i) |
the designation and aggregate number of Equity Warrants; |
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(ii) |
the price at which the Equity Warrants will be offered; |
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(iii) |
the currency or currencies in which the Equity Warrants will be
offered; |
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(iv) |
the designation and terms of the Equity Securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Equity Warrants; |
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(v) |
the date on which the right to exercise the Equity Warrants will
commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
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(vi) |
the number of Equity Securities that may be purchased upon
exercise of each Equity Warrant and the price at which and
currency or currencies in which that amount of securities may be
purchased upon exercise of each Equity Warrant; |
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(vii) |
the designation and terms of any securities with which the
Equity Warrants will be offered, if any, and the number of the
Equity Warrants that will be offered with each security; |
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(viii) |
the date or dates, if any, on or after which the Equity Warrants
and the related securities will be transferable separately; |
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(ix) |
whether the Warrants are subject to redemption or call and, if
so, the terms of such redemption or call provisions; |
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(x) |
material United States and Canadian tax consequences of owning
the Warrants; and |
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(xi) |
any other material terms or conditions of the Warrants. |
Debt Warrants
The particular terms of each issue of Debt Warrants will be
described in the related Prospectus Supplement. This description
will include, where applicable:
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(i) |
the designation and aggregate number of Debt Warrants; |
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(ii) |
the price at which the Debt Warrants will be offered; |
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(iii) |
the currency or currencies in which the Debt Warrants will be
offered; |
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(iv) |
the aggregate principal amount, currency or currencies,
denominations and terms of the series of Debt Securities that
may be purchased upon exercise of the Debt Warrants; |
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(v) |
the designation and terms of any securities with which the Debt
Warrants are being offered, if any, and the number of the Debt
Warrants that will be offered with each security; |
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(vi) |
the date or dates, if any, on or after which the Debt Warrants
and the related securities will be transferable separately; |
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(vii) |
the principal amount of Debt Securities that may be purchased
upon exercise of each Debt Warrant and the price at which and
currency or currencies in which that principal amount of
securities may be purchased upon exercise of each Debt Warrant; |
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(viii) |
the date on which the right to exercise the Debt Warrants will
commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
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(ix) |
the minimum or maximum amount of Debt Warrants that may be
exercised at any one time; |
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(x) |
whether the Warrants will be subject to redemption or call, and,
if so, the terms of such redemption or call provisions; |
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(xi) |
material United States and Canadian tax consequences of owning
the Debt Warrants; and |
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(xii) |
any other material terms or conditions of the Debt Warrants. |
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND SHARE PURCHASE
OR EQUITY UNITS
The Company may issue share purchase contracts, including
contracts obligating holders to purchase from the Company, and
the Company to sell to the holders, a specified number of Equity
Securities, at a future date or dates, or similar contracts
issued on a prepaid basis (in each case,
Share Purchase Contracts). The price per Equity
Security and the number of Equity Securities may be fixed at the
time the Share Purchase Contracts are issued or may be
determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the
Share Purchase Contracts. The Share Purchase Contracts will
require either the share purchase price be paid at the time the
Share Purchase Contracts are issued or that payment be made at a
specified future date. The Share Purchase Contracts may be
issued separately or as part of units consisting of a Share
Purchase Contract and Debt Securities or obligations of third
parties (including U.S. treasury securities)
(the Share Purchase or Equity Units), and may,
or may not serve as collateral for a holders obligations.
The Share Purchase Contracts may require holders to secure their
obligations thereunder in a specified manner. The Share
16
Purchase Contracts also may require the Company to make periodic
payments to the holders of the Share Purchase Contracts or
vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or
refunded on some basis.
The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the terms of
the Share Purchase Contracts or Share Purchase or Equity Units.
The description in the Prospectus Supplement will not
necessarily be complete, and reference will be made to the Share
Purchase Contracts, and, if applicable, collateral, depositary
or custodial arrangements, relating to the Share Purchase
Contracts or Share Purchase or Equity Units. Material
United States and Canadian federal income tax
considerations applicable to the holders of the Share Purchase
or Equity Units and the Share Purchase Contracts will also be
discussed in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
DENOMINATIONS, REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER
The Securities will be issued in fully registered form without
coupons attached in either global or definitive form and in
denominations and integral multiples as set out in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement (unless otherwise provided with
respect to a particular series of Debt Securities pursuant to
the provisions of the Trust Indenture, as supplemented by a
supplemental indenture). Other than in the case of
book-entry only
securities, Securities may be presented for registration of
transfer (with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly
executed) in the city specified for such purpose at the office
of the registrar or transfer agent designated by the Company for
such purpose with respect to any issue of Securities referred to
in the Prospectus Supplement. No service charge will be
made for any transfer, conversion or exchange of the Securities
but the Company may require payment of a sum to cover any
transfer tax or other governmental charge payable in connection
therewith. Such transfer, conversion or exchange will be
effected upon such registrar or transfer agent being satisfied
with the documents of title and the identity of the Person
making the request. If a Prospectus Supplement refers
to any registrar or transfer agent designated by the Company
with respect to any issue of Securities, the Company may at any
time rescind the designation of any such registrar or transfer
agent and appoint another in its place or approve any change in
the location through which such registrar or transfer
agent acts.
In the case of
book-entry only
securities, a global certificate or certificates representing
the Securities will be held by a designated depository for its
participants. The Securities must be purchased or transferred
through such participants, which includes securities brokers and
dealers, banks and trust companies. The depository will
establish and maintain book-entry accounts for its participants
acting on behalf of holders of the Securities. The interests of
such holders of Securities will be represented by entries in the
records maintained by the participants. Holders of Securities
issued in book-entry
only form will not be entitled to receive a certificate or other
instrument evidencing their ownership thereof, except in limited
circumstances. Each holder will receive a customer confirmation
of purchase from the participants from which the Securities are
purchased in accordance with the practices and procedures of
that participant.
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in the Securities should consider
carefully the matters set forth in the sections entitled
Risks and uncertainties in the MD&A, in the
Interim MD&A and in the managements discussion and
analysis of financial results for the period ended
March 31, 2005, each of which is being incorporated herein
by reference.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The Company may sell the Securities to or through underwriters
or dealers, and also may sell Securities to one or more other
purchasers directly or through agents. Each Prospectus
Supplement will set forth the terms of the offering, including
the name or names of any underwriters or agents, the purchase
price or prices of the Securities and the proceeds to the
Company from the sale of the Securities.
The Securities may be sold, from time to time in one or more
transactions at a fixed price or prices which may be changed or
at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices
related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
Underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the
distribution of the Securities may be entitled under agreements
to be entered into with the Company to indemnification by the
Company against certain liabilities, including liabilities under
securities legislation, or to contribution with respect to
payments which such underwriters,
17
dealers or agents may be required to make in respect thereof.
Such underwriters, dealers and agents may be customers of,
engage in transactions with, or perform services for, the
Company in the ordinary course of business.
In connection with any offering of Securities, the underwriters
may over-allot or
effect transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price
of the Securities offered at a level above that which might
otherwise prevail in the open market. Such transactions, if
commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with any offering hereunder
will be passed upon by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP,
Toronto, Ontario and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, New York, New York for the Company. The partners and
associates of such law firms as a group beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, less than one percent of the outstanding
securities of the Company.
DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The following documents have been with or will be filed the
Commission as part of the Registration Statement of which this
Prospectus forms a part: the documents referred to under
Documents Incorporated by Reference; consent of
Deloitte & Touche, LLP;
Form F-X of the
Company; Form F-X
of Computershare Trust Company of Canada and powers of attorney.
18
AUDITORS CONSENT
We have read the short form base shelf prospectus of TELUS
Corporation (the Company) dated August 24, 2005
qualifying the distribution of Debt Securities, Preferred
Shares, Non-Voting
Shares, Common Shares, Warrants to Purchase Equity Securities,
Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities, Share Purchase Contracts,
and Share Purchase or Equity Units of the Company. We have
complied with Canadian generally accepted standards for an
auditors involvement with offering documents.
We consent to the use, through incorporation by reference in the
above-mentioned short
form prospectus, of our report to the shareholders of the
Company on the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as at
December 31, 2004 and 2003; and the consolidated statements
of income, retained earnings and cash flows for each of the
years in the two year period ended December 31, 2004. Our
report is dated February 11, 2005, except as to Note 14(c)
and Note 16(b), which are as of February 16, 2005.
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Vancouver, B.C. |
(Signed) DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP |
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August 24, 2005 |
Chartered Accountants |
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