The voluntary protocols outline CSA staff expectations related to generating and sending vote entitlement information; setting up vote entitlement accounts; sending proxy vote information and tabulating and recording proxy votes; and informing beneficial owners of any rejected or pro-rated votes.

Over the next two proxy seasons, the CSA will monitor the implementation of the protocols and assess the need for any enhanced regulatory measures. The CSA will also continue to encourage and monitor industry initiatives for paperless meeting vote reconciliation and end-to-end vote confirmation. CSA staff will receive ongoing input on these areas from a technical committee made up of representatives from key service providers involved in the proxy voting process.

Review the press release and the Staff Notice on the CSA's website.

The notice reports the findings of a review announced by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) in Staff Notice 11-332 Cyber Security (Staff Notice 11-332) and provides disclosure expectations for reporting issuers based on those findings.

Review the press release and the Staff Notice on the CSA's website.

The amendments require non-venture reporting issuers in Alberta to provide annual disclosure of the following items in their proxy circular or annual information form:

• any policies regarding the representation of women on the board;
• whether the board or its nominating committee considers the representation of women in the director identification and selection process;
• whether the issuer considers the representation of women in executive officer positions when making executive officer appointments;
• targets regarding the representation of women on the board and in executive officer positions, if any have been set by the issuer;
• the number of women on the board and in executive officer positions; and
• director term limits or other mechanisms of board renewal.

The amendments align the disclosure requirements under NI 58-101 in Alberta with most other jurisdictions in Canada regarding the representation of women on the boards of directors and in executive officer positions. The amendments are effective December 31, 2016.

Review the press release on the ASC's website.

In the article, Devine mentions that one of the key takeaways from the panel, it’s that non-GAAP measures are not prohibited and that you're allowed to use them. Also, investors and analysts and registrants find quite a bit of value in non-GAAP measures, but they need to be high quality.

Review the article on Accounting Today's website.

Canadian MJDS companies and many other cross-border companies incorporated or organized outside of the United States enjoy the benefit of various exemptions under U.S. securities laws on the basis that they qualify as “foreign private issuers.”

Torys LLP released a publication where they analyze on the SEC’s guidance, including:

• The guidance is generally favourable to foreign private issuers and is consistent with past advice that we have given to our foreign private issuer clients.
• In determining foreign private issuer eligibility, companies have some flexibility under the rules, as long as they apply their methodologies consistently.
• A public offering of guaranteed securities and subsequent SEC reporting by a parent and subsidiary may be conducted under the foreign private issuer rules, provided the parent is a foreign private issuer and the parties meet the other criteria for omitting the subsidiary’s financial statements from SEC filings.

Review the publication on the Torys LLP's website.

Provided all necessary Ministerial approvals are obtained, the amendments will come into force on March 8, 2017. There will be a phased implementation of the requirements. Effective September 1, 2017, ETFs will be required to produce and file an ETF Facts and make it available on the ETF’s or the ETF manager’s website. Dealer delivery obligations related to the ETF Facts will come into effect on December 10, 2018.

Review the press release and the summary disclosure document on the CSA's website.

In the publication, they apply the Directive’s requirements in a "mock-up" management report of a fictional company in the food industry, which will especially help companies without prior experience in reporting on non-financial and diversity information.

Around 6,000 European companies are affected by this Directive which Member States have to transpose into their national laws by December 6, 2016.

Review the guide on the Accountancy Europe's website.

This bulletin highlights observations about various financial reporting topics relevant to reporting issuers that prepare financial statements in accordance with IFRS. The objective of this bulletin is to provide useful information to market participants that may assist in preparing future financial reports.

The staff of the OSC wants to:

• communicate considerations for disclosure effectiveness
• share their observations on recent areas of focus
• highlight their expectations for implementation of several new accounting standards.

When disclosing financial information, the staff of the OSC encourages reporting issuers to:

• take a "fresh look" at their financial statement disclosures, and consider how information could be more effectively and efficiently presented
• consider financial reports as communication documents as opposed to a "compliance exercise".

A reporting issuer's management, audit committee, and external auditor each has an important role to play in contributing to disclosure effectiveness.

Review the bulletin on the OSC's website.

Innovation in the capital markets is disrupting traditional business models and investor behaviour, revolutionizing how we do business and fundamentally changing how we interact with each other.

Around the world, securities regulators are being challenged to balance innovation with protection of investors and the integrity of the financial system.

Listen to the OSC Dialogue 2016 as senior market leaders and regulators share their insights on disruptive forces in the capital markets and what disruption means for investors, industry and regulators alike.

"Across the markets we serve, TMX has moved to partner with our clients to seek out new solutions and effect positive change," said Nick Thadaney, President & CEO, Global Equity Capital Markets, TMX Group. "We've seen tremendous interest from our equities markets clients in expanding to four character symbols and, with valuable support from other service providers, we have responded to meet their needs. Providing greater choice on our Exchanges remains a top priority for TMX and we look forward to exploring new opportunities to broaden our solutions and services and lead Canada's markets into the future."

Review the press release on the TMX Group's website.