e40vf
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 40-F
Check One
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Registration Statement Pursuant to Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
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Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009
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Commission File Number: 001-14684 |
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
N/A
(Translation of Registrants name into English (if applicable))
Alberta, Canada
(Province or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
4841
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number (if applicable))
N/A
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number (if applicable))
Suite 900,
630
3rd
Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 4L4
(403) 750-4500
(Address and telephone number of Registrants principal executive offices)
CT
Corporation System, 111 Eighth Avenue,
13th
Floor, New York, NY 10011 (212) 894-8940
(Name, address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code of agent
for service in the United States)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
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Title of each class
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Name of each exchange on which registered |
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Class B Non-Voting |
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Participating Shares
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New York Stock Exchange |
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Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.
6.10% Senior Notes due 2012
7.5% Senior Notes due 2013
6.15% Senior Notes due 2016
5.70% Senior Notes due 2017
6.50% Senior Notes due 2014
5.65% Senior Notes due 2019
6.75% Senior Notes due 2039
(Title of Class)
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For annual reports, indicate by check mark the information filed with this Form:
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þ Annual information form
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þ Audited annual financial statements |
The following are the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuers classes of capital
or common stock as of August 31, 2009:
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Class A Participating Shares
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22,520,064 issued and outstanding |
Class B Non-Voting Participating Shares
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407,717,782 issued and outstanding |
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by filing the information contained in this Form
is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act). If Yes is marked, indicate the filing
number assigned to the Registrant in connection with such Rule
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed
by Section 13 of 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter
period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its
corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted
pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit and post such files).
DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Shaw Communications Inc. (the Corporation) has designed disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information relating to
the Corporation, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer by others within the Corporation, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, on a regular basis, including during the period in which the Corporations Annual
Report on Form 40-F relating to financial results for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009 is
being prepared. The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this
report. Based on the evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have
concluded, as of that evaluation date, that the Corporations disclosure controls and procedures
were effective to ensure that the material information relating to the Corporation (including its
consolidated subsidiaries) required to be included in the Corporations periodic filings under the
Exchange Act, was (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and
communicated to the Corporations management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
MANAGEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROLS
See
page 53 of Exhibit 1.
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AUDITOR ATTESTATION
See
page 55 of Exhibit 1.
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009, there were no significant changes in the
Corporations internal controls over financial reporting, or in other factors that could
significantly affect such internal controls, that have materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Corporations internal control over financial reporting.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Corporation has a standing audit committee of the board of directors (the Audit Committee)
established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee
consists of Paul K. Pew (Chair), Gregory J. Keating, Jeffrey C. Royer and Carl E. Vogel. Each
member of the Audit Committee is an independent director, as that term is defined by the New York
Stock Exchanges listing standards applicable to the Corporation.
AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
The board of directors of the Corporation has determined that it has three audit committee
financial experts serving on its Audit Committee. Each of Paul K. Pew, Jeffrey C. Royer and Carl
E. Vogel has been determined to be such an audit committee financial expert, within the meaning of
Item 407 of Regulation S-K. Each of Mr. Pew, Mr. Royer and Mr. Vogel is independent, as that term
is defined by the New York Stock Exchanges listing standards applicable to the Corporation. The
Securities and Exchange Commission has indicated that the designation of Mr. Pew, Mr. Royer and Mr.
Vogel as an audit committee financial expert does not make any of Mr. Pew, Mr. Royer and Mr. Vogel
an expert for any purpose, impose any duties, obligations or liability on Mr. Pew, Mr. Royer and
Mr. Vogel that are greater than those imposed on members of the Audit Committee and board of
directors of the Corporation who do not carry this designation, or affect the duties, obligations
or liabilities of any other member of the Audit Committee.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The aggregate amounts paid or accrued by the Corporation with respect to fees payable to Ernst &
Young LLP for audit (including financings and Sarbanes-Oxley Act-related services), audit-related,
tax and other services in the fiscal years ended August 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
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Type of Service |
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Fiscal 2009 |
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Fiscal 2008 |
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Audit Fees |
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2,026,295 |
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1,888,875 |
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Audit-related Fees |
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Tax Fees |
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21,010 |
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83,004 |
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All Other Fees |
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Total |
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2,047,305 |
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1,971,879 |
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The tax fees paid in fiscal 2009 and 2008 were related to linear property tax compliance.
The Audit Committee of the Corporation considered and agreed that the above fees are compatible
with maintaining the independence of the Corporations auditors. Further, the Audit Committee
determined that, in order to ensure the continued independence of the auditors, only limited
non-audit related services will be provided to the Corporation by Ernst & Young LLP and in such
case, only with the prior approval of the Audit Committee. The Chair of the Audit Committee has
been delegated authority to approve the
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retainer of Ernst & Young LLP to provide non-audit services in extraordinary circumstances where it
is not feasible or practical to convene a meeting of the Audit Committee, subject to an aggregate
limit of $150,000 in fees payable to Ernst & Young LLP for such services at any time until ratified
by the Audit Committee. The Chair of the Audit Committee is required to report any such services
approved by him to the Audit Committee.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009, none of the services described above were approved by
the Audit Committee pursuant to the de minimus exception set forth in Rule 2-01, paragraph
(c)(7)(i)(C) of Regulation S-X.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Corporation has adopted a code of ethics (the Shaw Business Conduct Standards) that applies
to all employees and officers, including its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer,
principal accounting officer and persons performing similar functions. A copy of the Shaw Business
Conduct Standards, as amended, is available on the Corporations website. To access the Shaw
Business Conduct Standards, visit the Corporations website at www.shaw.ca and select Investor
Relations, then select Other Corporate Governance Information, and then select Business Conduct
Standards. Except for the Shaw Business Conduct Standards, no information contained on the
Corporations website shall be incorporated by reference in this Form 40-F.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
The Corporation has no off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in General Instruction B(11) to
Form 40-F.
TABULAR DISCLOSURE OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
See page 52 of Exhibit 1.
UNDERTAKING AND CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS
The Corporation undertakes to make available, in person or by telephone, representatives to respond
to inquiries made by the Commission staff, and to furnish promptly, when requested to do so by the
Commission staff, information relating to: the securities registered pursuant to Form 40-F; the
securities in relation to which the obligation to file an annual report on Form 40-F arises; or
transactions in said securities.
The Corporation has previously filed a Form F-X in connection with each class of securities to
which the obligation to file this Form 40-F arises. Any change to the name and address of the
agent for service of process shall be communicated promptly to the Commission by amendment to Form
F-X.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant certifies that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form 40-F and has duly caused this Form 40-F to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
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SHAW COMMUNICATIONS INC.
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By: |
/s/ Steve Wilson
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Steve Wilson, |
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Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer |
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Dated: November 30, 2009
EXHIBITS
The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Form 40-F:
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Exhibit Number |
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Document |
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1.
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Annual Report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009. |
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2.
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Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009. |
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3.
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Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. |
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4.
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Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated November 30, 2009. |
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Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated November 30, 2009. |