Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual general and special meeting of Avante Corp. Please note that this meeting is being recorded. I would like to introduce Emmanuel Mounouchos, Chairman of the meeting. Please go ahead.
Although we are meeting virtually, our goal today is to ensure that our registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders are able to participate fully in the meeting. I invite our shareholders, duly appointed proxy holders, to ask questions and vote on each of the matters of business as if you were attending the meeting in person. I encourage registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders to submit your questions or comments as early as possible so that we may address them at the right moment during the meeting. If you have a question, click on the Ask a Question button located on the left side of your screen, type the question into the space provided, and then press Submit. Please read the instructions in the text box before submitting your question.
In particular, please identify whether your question relates to a motion being considered as part of the business of the meeting. We will try to address questions or comments that directly relate to a particular motion at the appropriate time of the meeting. As always, questions or comments should relate to the business or affairs of the corporation and not be of personal nature. Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders may vote on online platforms throughout the meeting. To do so, click the vote icon on the left side of your screen once the polls are open. Voting will be open throughout the formal portion of the meeting. You may vote at any time until the last item of business has been put to a vote and I declare the voting closed.
If you are a registered shareholder, have appointed a proxy holder, and do not wish to change your voting instructions, then you do not need to indicate. If you have been appointed as a proxy holder, then you need to vote in order for such votes to be counted. If you do wish to change your vote, then voting online will have the effect of revoking your previously submitted proxy. I also want to welcome those of you who are not registered shareholders or duly appointed proxy holders, and thank you for your interest in Avante Corp. I remind you that only registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders are entitled to participate in this meeting, vote, and ask questions. After my introductory remarks, we will proceed to the regular items of business, including the receipt of financial statements, appointment of auditors, and election of directors.
Shareholders will also be asked to approve an ordinary resolution to rely upon the corporation's 10% rolling stock option plan. Before we proceed with the business of meetings today, I would like to introduce the other directors and members of the management of Avante Corp. who have joined us online today. Raj Kapoor, Chief Financial Officer, and Rob Defelice, Chief of Staff. In accordance with the bylaws of the corporation, I will preside as the Chair of this meeting. I hereby appoint Braden Hensley, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada, to act as the Secretary of the meeting. I hereby appoint Rosa Garofalo of the TSX Trust Company to act as scrutineer for the meeting.
The notice of the meeting, together with the management information circular, describe the business of the meeting, and the form of the proxy or voting instruction form remain available to all shareholders of record as of September 15th, 2025, pursuant to the procedures provided in CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 51-932, issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators, and Coordinated Blanket Order 51-932, issued by the Ontario Securities Commission. In accordance with those orders, the proxy cut-off time was waived by the chair and votes were accepted by proxy up until October 20th, 2025, at 5:00 P.M. Toronto time. A quorum of shareholders is present for the transaction of business at this meeting. At least two persons are present in person, each being a shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting as the appointed proxy holder or representative for a shareholder so entitled.
I have received the preliminary scrutineer's report, and it shows that there are at least two shareholders present today in person or by proxy. Accordingly, we have a quorum present. I would ask that the secretary file a copy of the scrutineer's report with the minutes of today's meeting. I would also note that under applicable corporate law, the corporation is permitted to hold this meeting by electronic means that we are using. With that said, I declare this meeting regularly called and properly constituted for the transaction of business. To facilitate proceedings, I have asked Raj Kapoor and Rob Defelice, who are also shareholders or duly appointed proxy holders, to move and second all motions. I will call on them at the appropriate time. This is not intended in any way to curtail discussion.
Each item of business to be considered today requires that a majority of the votes have been submitted in favor in order for the resolution to pass. TSX Trust will open the polls now. The first item of business is a presentation of the audited consolidated financial statements of the corporation for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2025, and 2024, including the auditor's report thereon, as well as the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three-month period ending June 30th, 2025, and 2024. These items are available for inspection by shareholders at the corporation's profile on SEDAR+, and are now placed under
Are there any questions on the financial statements or the auditor's report on the annual financial statements? Any questions at this time?
Thank you. I declare that the audited consolidated financial statement of the corporation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, and 2024, including the auditor's report thereon, as well as the unaudited, condensed and interim consolidated financial statements for the period beginning June 30, 2025 and 2024, have been presented and received. We will now move to the election of the directors. The board of directors fixed the number of directors to be elected at five. The management information circular contains the names and background of the five individuals that have been nominated by the corporation for election, being Daniel Argiros, Wade Burton, Robert Klopot, Emmanuel Mounouchos, and Bruce Bronfman. I confirm that all nominees are eligible for election.
The corporation has not received any notice of any other director nominations in connection with the meeting in accordance with its advance notice bylaw or via shareholder proposal in accordance with the Ontario Business Corporations Act, accordingly. The only persons eligible to be nominated for election to the board of directors of the corporation are the management nominees. I now ask for a motion that each of these nominees be elected to serve as directors.
I move that each of the five persons nominated be elected as a director of the corporation to hold office until the next annual general meeting of shareholders of the corporation or until their successors duly elected or appointed, unless their post is vacated earlier.
I second the motion.
We will now address any questions or comments from shareholders or proxy holders that are directly related to the election of the directors. Have any questions or comments come in?
We have received a question from a shareholder, Mr. George Christopoulos. That's part of a package of questions that he has provided, so we will delay the answering of those questions until the close of the formal business of the meeting.
Okay. Thank you. The meeting for election of directors is open, and we invite shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders to submit their votes for each nominee if they have not already done so. As I mentioned earlier, if you have already voted or sent in the proxy, there's no need to do anything unless you wish to change one or more votes. If you have been appointed as a proxy holder, then you need to vote in order for your votes to be counted. The next item of business is the appointment of the auditor. I now ask for a motion on this matter.
I move that Deloitte LLP be appointed the auditor of the corporation to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the corporation.
I second the motion.
We will now address any questions or comments from the shareholders or proxy holders that are directly related to the appointment of the auditor. Have any questions or comments come in?
Again, there is a question that relates to the appointment of the auditor. That will be delayed till prior to the close of business of the meeting, as it is part of a package of questions from Mr. Christopoulos.
Thank you. We invite shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders to submit their vote if they have not already done so. As a reminder, if you have already voted or sent in a proxy, there is no need to do anything unless you wish to change your vote. If you have been appointed as a proxy holder, then you need to vote in order for it to be counted. The next item of business is the approval of the stock option plan for the corporation. In accordance with the TSX Venture Exchange policy, the corporation's stock option plan must receive annual shareholder approval. There have been no changes made to the option plan since it was approved last year. I now ask for a motion on this matter.
I move that the ordinary resolution set out on page 11 of the management information circular with respect to the approval of the stock option plan of the corporation be approved.
I second the motion.
We will now address any questions or comments from the shareholder or proxy holders that are directly related to the approval of the stock option plan. Have any questions or comments come in?
There have been questions that have come in. I think this would be the appropriate time to go through the questions before we close any voting on the matters that have come in from Mr. Christopoulos. Mr. Christopoulos is a registered shareholder and has asked questions at the meeting that have been put to the, which we can ensure the mechanism that's available on other TSX Trust meeting platform. The questions are lengthy in nature, so I will go through them. I'm here with the chair of the meeting. My name is Paul Fitzgerald. I'm counsel to Avante Corp. I'm a lawyer with Norton Rose Fulbright, and the chair of the meeting has asked me to go through the questions that have been provided by Mr. Christopoulos. The very first question, a preliminary question that relates to matters before the meeting. Mr.
Christopoulos notes that pursuant to subsection 100(4) of the Ontario Business Corporations Act, shareholders have a right to examine the shareholder list. He indicates in his question that, "My past emails to Avante Corp.'s CFO requesting an opportunity to review the shareholder list have gone unanswered.
Since Avante has made it impossible for its shareholders to exercise their right to examine the list of shareholders at today's meeting, will Avante confirm that a shareholder list for today's meeting has been prepared and that it will be made available to any shareholder who visits its head office, 1959 Leslie Street, Toronto, during business hours, and for greater certainty, including both this week and next week? On behalf of the chair, the response is that a shareholders list has been prepared, that a shareholders list request was not provided with respect to this particular meeting, but that the shareholders list will be available for review at the corporation's head office during regular business hours following this meeting. The next question relates to the presentation of financial statements. Mr.
Christopoulos indicates that if they have not already done so, shareholders should read George Christopoulos's press release dated October 15, 2025. His statement is, "Avante's 2025 circular amended the amount of audit and accounting fees for 2024 from CAD 355,863 to CAD 684,409, which seems to represent an expense adjustment and an increase of CAD 328,546 for 2024. For 2024, 100% bonuses were paid to each of the CEO and CFO of CAD 375,000 and CAD 200,000 respectively, for a total of CAD 575,000." His questions are, "Did Avante consider the impact of the adjustment to the 2024 fees on the right of the CEO and CFO to the 2024 bonuses?
Will a portion or all of the 2024 bonuses be repaid to Avante? The chair has ruled that this question is not relevant to the actual financial statements themselves. The next question that Mr. Christopoulos has relates to the election of directors. He has indicated as his first question, A, "I would like to discuss Avante's director nominees." His statement is, "If they have not already done so, shareholders should read George Christopoulos's press release dated October 15, 2025. George Christopoulos will withhold in respect of all five nominees. All five nominees named in Avante's circular are representatives of Emmanuel Mounouchos and Fairfax. No other shareholder has board representation despite Avante's ability to deliver even a reasonable quantum of profit, and while shareholders have been unreasonably diluted by excessive stock options and other even more significant equity-based compensation.
Unless any of the five have objected during the course of directors' meetings, all five have been complicit in denying shareholders their fundamental right to know the detailed voting results of the meeting of shareholders, which was withheld for both 2023 and 2024. Unless any of the five has objected during the course of directors' meetings, all five have been complicit in respect of the unfair and excessive compensation of the CEO and CFO. Unless any of the five have objected during the course of directors' meetings, all five have been complicit in denying Avante shareholders their right to an in-person annual meeting. Shareholders were promised an in-person annual meeting a year ago, yet here we are virtually again for the sixth consecutive year. That's the end of statement A. I note there is no question with that.
Statement B, "I would like to discuss the three director nominations as provided for by paragraph 99 of the Ontario Business Corporations Act." His statement is, "If they have not already done so, shareholders should read George Christopoulos's press release dated October 15, 2025." He then goes on to list three directors for discussions. The three directors, I would note, are the same as what were proposed last year by Mr. Christopoulos. There is no question that relates to the election of directors, and I note that any nominations from the floor would not be available as they do not meet the requirements per Avante Corp. bylaws, and did not fall within the purview of the reported shareholder proposal, which was not received in a timely basis from Mr. Christopoulos.
His third question relates to the appointment of auditors, and his discussion is, "If they have not already done so, shareholders should read George Christopoulos's press release dated October 15, 2025. George Christopoulos will withhold in respect of the auditor." His statement is, "Overall, Avante's business shrank incredibly following the sale of Logixx Security Inc. For fiscal year ended March 2021, revenues were CAD 92.5 million, and its audit and accounting fees were CAD 351,350, or 0.38% of revenue. Since the shrinking of Avante and the replacement of Avante's entire board of directors since March 30, 2022, and the reappointment of Emmanuel Mounouchos as CEO, relatively speaking, Avante's audit and accounting fees have soared." I note that there is not a particular question that relates to the appointment of auditors.
The fourth question relates to the ratification of the stock option plan, and Mr. Christopoulos's discussion indicates, "If they have not already done so, shareholders should read George Christopoulos's press release dated October 15, 2025. George Christopoulos will vote against in respect of the stock option plan." He indicates, "Since March 30, 2022, a total of 1,650,000 options have been awarded to Avante's CEO, CFO, and its directors." Over and above the 1,650,000 options, there has been an unconscionable quantum of other equity-based compensation, which he then lists as put out in our executive compensation disclosure in the circular. I do note that there is no particular question that relates to this item. Mr. Chair, that's the close of the questions that have been made available.
Thank you. We invite the shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders to submit their vote if they have not already done so. As we have now discussed all business items on the agenda, I declare voting on all matters closed. I understand that the scrutineer has preliminary tabulations in respect of each of the items of business before the meeting. The preliminary results respecting election of the directors are that a majority of the votes cast at the meeting voted in favor of each of the five entities named in the management information circular. As a result, I declare that Daniel Argiros, Wade Burton, Robert Klopot, Emmanuel Mounouchos, and Ryszard Sandor have been duly elected as directors of the corporation. The preliminary result with respect to the appointment of the auditors is a majority of the votes cast at the meeting were voted in favor of the appointment of Deloitte LLP.
As a result, I declare that Deloitte LLP has been duly appointed auditors of the corporation. On the resolution to approve the stock option plan, a majority of the votes cast at the meeting were voted in favor of the resolution. As a result, I declare that the resolution approving the stock option plan has been passed. The meeting has concluded. On behalf of the corporation, I'd like to thank you for participating in this meeting. Your involvement and commitment is much appreciated. I wish all the best to you and your families. Please stay safe and healthy. Thank you.