Directions for Conservatory Measures to Tammy Turner—October 12, 2011

Conservatory Measures

What is a conservatory measure?

The Superintendent of Bankruptcy puts in place conservatory measures when a bankruptcy or insolvency estate needs protection. It might be in cases of Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT) malfeasance or if serious wrongdoing on the part of a LIT puts estate files at risk. Conservatory measures may also be put in place if a LIT becomes ill or dies without a valid succession agreement. Finally, conservatory measures may be put in place if a LIT, for whatever reason, has allowed the administration of his or her practice to become substandard.

Canada

In the matter of:
Martin Daniel Bell
Graham Mathew Inc.


Directions for Conservatory Measures
(Section 14.03 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act)


Whereas the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the Act) provides the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (the Superintendent) with the general power to supervise the administration of all estates and matters to which the Act applies;

Whereas Martin Daniel Bell (the trustee) was the holder of an individual licence as trustee in bankruptcy;

Whereas Graham Mathew Inc. was the holder of a corporate licence as trustee in bankruptcy;

Whereas an investigation made by the Superintendent pursuant to section 5(3)(e) of the Act revealed that the trustee had a number of deficiencies in the control of estate trust funds and estate administrations;

Whereas the Assistant Superintendent, Trustee Compliance and the Senior Bankruptcy Analyst have learned that:

  • a number of estates had funds missing from the estate accounts;
  • the trustee failed to deposit cash payments received from insolvent persons in the estate accounts;
  • the trustee converted for his own benefit amounts for deposit to the corporate trustee's general account from August 4, 2006 to September 11, 2006;
  • in the summer of 2006, the trustee altered the name of the payee on a cheque made payable to a solicitor from an estate trust account, by inserting the name of the trustee's spouse; and,
  • the trustee failed to report the above violations to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy;

Whereas the trustee has failed to deposit forthwith in an estate trust all funds received for an estate, failed to maintain up-to-date books and records, including a proper control ledger, of estate funds; and permitted unauthorized payments from estate trust accounts;

Whereas a June 2007 practice review by the Senior Bankruptcy Analyst of the trustee's books and records revealed that the trustee was drawing fees prior to obtaining proper authorization;

Whereas the licenses of the trustee and the corporate trustee, respectively, were cancelled pursuant to a decision of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy dated February 4, 2011.

Whereas I believe on reasonable grounds that the estates require protection;

Whereas the Superintendent may, for the protection of an estate, exercise the powers set out in subsection 14.03(1) of the Act, in the circumstances referred to in subsection 14.03(2) of the Act;

Whereas the Superintendent has delegated to me, in accordance with subsection 14.01(2) of the Act, the powers of the Superintendent as specified at subsection 14.03(1) of the Act, in the circumstance referred to in subsection 14.03(2), a copy of which delegation is attached, along with copies of sections 14.01, 14.02 and 14.03 of the Act;

Whereas paragraphs 14.03(2)(a) of the Act applies;

I, Karen Smith, in my capacity as delegate for the Superintendent, direct, pursuant to paragraphs 14.03(1)(a) and (b) of the Act, Ms. Tammy Turner, Guardian Trustee:

  1. To take the necessary steps to administer all estates and estate files previously administered by either Martin Daniel Bell or Graham Mathew Inc., as well as any closed estates that may require further administration and any other of the trustee's files identified by the Official Receiver as requiring further administration;
  2. To keep the said property and records, deeds, books, documents, computerized data and bank accounts related to such files, to make an inventory of them, to preserve them and to administer them in accordance with the sections of the Act;
  3. To continue the administration of these files in accordance with the duties and responsibilities incumbent on trustees in bankruptcy according to the Act;

That these directions take effect immediately and will remain in effect until such time as the undersigned is satisfied that they are no longer required;

That in accordance with section 14.03(3) of the Act, these directions bind Tammy Turner, who must comply with them;

That, pursuant to section 14.03(4) of the Act, a person who complies with this direction is not liable for any act done by that person only to comply with this direction.

Signed at the City of Toronto, Ontario, this 12 day of October, 2011.

space to insert signature

Karen Smith
Assistant Superintendent


This document has been reproduced as submitted by the delegate of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy.