Committees – If the board has standing committees other than the audit, compensation and nominating committees, identify the committees and describe their function.
Policy and Board Governance Committee
Members: Walter DeBoni (Chair), Herbert C. Pinder, Jr., John Stewart and Mac Van Wielingen, all of whom are independent directors.
The Policy and Board Governance Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to reviewing the effectiveness of the board and its committees; developing and reviewing the Trust's approach to corporate governance matters; and reviewing, developing and recommending to the board for approval, procedures designed to ensure that the Board of Directors can function independently of management. The committee annually reviews the need to recruit and recommend new members to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors giving consideration to the competencies, skills and personal qualities of the candidates and of the existing board; and recommends to the Board of Directors the nominees for election at each annual meeting. The effectiveness of individual members of the Board of Directors and the Board of Directors is reviewed through a yearly self assessment and inquiry questionnaire.
Health, Safety & Environment Committee
Members: Walt DeBoni (Chair), Fred Coles and John Stewart, all of whom are independent directors.
The Health, Safety and Environment Committee assists the board in its responsibility for oversight and due diligence by reviewing, reporting and making recommendations to the board on the development and implementation of the standards and policies of ARC Resources with respect to the areas of health, safety and environment. This committee meets separately with management of ARC Resources, which has responsibility for such matters and reports to the Board.
Reserves Committee
Members: Fred Coles (Chair), Fred Dyment and Michael Kanovsky, all of whom are independent directors.
The Reserves Committee assists the board in meeting its responsibilities to review the qualifications, experience, reserve evaluation approach and costs of the independent engineering firm that performs ARC Resources' reserve evaluation; and to review the annual independent engineering report. The committee reviews and recommends for approval by the board on an annual basis the statements of reserve data and other information specified in National Instrument 51 101. The committee also reviews any other oil and gas reserve report prior to release by the Trust to the public and reviews all of the disclosure in the Annual Information Form and elsewhere related to the oil and gas activities of the Trust.
Assessments – Disclose whether or not the board, its committees and individual directors are regularly assessed with respect to their effectiveness and contribution. If assessments are regularly conducted, describe the process used for the assessments. If assessments are not regularly conducted, describe how the board satisfies itself that the board, its committees, and its individual directors are performing effectively.
The effectiveness of individual members of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors and each committee of the Board of Directors is reviewed through a yearly self assessment and inquiry questionnaire. The results from the self evaluations and inquiry questionnaires are reviewed by the Policy and Board Governance Committee and the results are presented to the Board of Directors as a whole for its review. The committees of the Board of Directors are also assessed on a yearly basis by the chair and vice-chair of the Board of Directors in conjunction with the Policy and Board Governance Committee.
Other Activities of the Board of Directors of ARC Resources
The Board of Directors holds regularly scheduled meetings at least quarterly to perform its responsibilities, including those specific responsibilities delegated to it under the Trust Indenture which includes substantially all management matters related to the Trust or adopted by the Board. In particular, significant operational decisions and all decisions relating to: (i) the acquisition and disposition of properties for a purchase price or proceeds in excess of an amount established by the Board of Directors from time to time; (ii) the approval of capital expenditure budgets; and (iii) establishment of credit facilities are made by the Board of Directors of ARC Resources. In addition, the Trustee has delegated certain matters to the Board of Directors of ARC Resources including all decisions relating to: (i) matters relating to any offers for Trust Units; (ii) issuances of additional Trust Units; and (iii) the determination of the amount of distributable income.
The Board of Directors and its committees has access to senior management on a regular basis as Mr. Dielwart, the Chief Executive Officer, is a director and attends all meetings of the Board of Directors along with other executive officers who are invited to attend directors meetings to provide necessary information to facilitate decision making activities.
The Board of Directors and the Policy and Board Governance Committee have developed position descriptions for the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer with a view to ensuring that the Board of Directors can operate efficiently on a fully informed basis independent of management. As such, the Chief Executive Officer reports directly to the Board of Directors. The Board has determined that none of the directors who serve on its committees has a material relationship with ARC that could reasonably interfere with the exercise of a director's independent judgment. The Chairman of the Board is an independent director and, in conjunction with the Vice-Chairman, is responsible for managing the affairs of the Board and its committees, including ensuring the Board is organized properly, functions effectively and independently of management and meets its obligations and responsibilities.
The Board, in part, performs its mandated responsibilities through the activities of its five committees: the Audit Committee, the Policy and Board Governance Committee, the Health, Safety and Environment Committee, the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and the Reserve Committee, all of which are entirely comprised of unrelated directors.
Other Matters Relating to the Audit Committee
All of the members of the Audit Committee are independent and financially literate. For more information relating to the background of the Audit Committee members, see "Matters to be Acted Upon at the Meeting – Election of Directors of ARC Resources".
The Audit Committee pre-approves all non-audit services performed by the Trust's external auditor. The aggregate fees billed by the Trust's external auditor for audit services in 2005 was $280,750 and in 2004 was $235,000. In addition, there was $110,900 in 2005 and $46,165 in 2004 billed by the Trust's external auditor for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Trust's financial statements. The services for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 related to the French translation of certain publicly filed financial documents.
The external auditor also billed $110,532 in 2005 and $72,503 in 2004 for municipal property tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
In 2004, ARC Resources revised and distributed to all of its directors, officers and employees a code of business conduct and ethics dealing with business integrity, accuracy of records and reporting, conflicts of interest, insider trading, protection and proper use of the Trust's assets, reporting of illegal or unethical behavior and other matters. Employees are required to contact the Chair of the Audit Committee in relation to any concerns as to questionable accounting, auditing or financial reporting. The code specifically addresses standards of conduct for senior financial officers and requires a quarterly affirmation of compliance. The code is available on the Trust's website at http://www.arcenergytrust.com.
Indebtedness of Directors and Senior Officeers and Others
There is not, and has not been, any indebtedness outstanding from directors or senior officers of ARC Resources or directors or senior officers of the Manager or the Trustee to the Trust or ARC Resources in fiscal 2004 or 2005.
Interest of Informed Persons in Material Transactions
There were no other material interests, direct or indirect, of directors or senior officers of ARC Resources or directors and senior officers of the Manager, nominees for director of ARC Resources, any Unitholder who beneficially owns more than 10 per cent of the Trust Units of the Trust (or any director or executive officer of any such Unitholder), or any known associate or affiliate of such persons, in any transaction during 2005 or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect the Trust or ARC Resources or any of their subsidiaries other than as disclosed herein.
Interest of Certain Persons and Companies in Matters to be Acted Upon
Management of ARC Resources is not aware of any material interest of any director, senior officer or nominee for director of ARC Resources, or of any associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing, in respect of any matter to be acted on at the Meeting except as disclosed herein.
Additional Information
Additional information relating to the Trust is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Financial information in respect of the Trust and its affairs is provided in the Trust's annual audited comparative financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005 and the related management's discussion and analysis. Copies of the Corporation's financial statements and related management discussion and analysis are available upon request from the Trust at 2100, 440 - 2nd Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 5E9 (toll free number 1-888-272-4900).
Other Matters
Management of ARC Resources knows of no amendment, variation or other matter to come before the Meeting other than the matters referred to in the Notice of Annual and Special Meeting; however, if any other matter properly comes before the Meeting, the accompanying proxy will be voted on such matter in accordance with the best judgment of the person or persons voting the proxy.
Approval
The contents and sending of this Information Circular - Proxy Statement has been approved by the Board of Directors of ARC Resources on behalf of the Trust.
Schedule "B"
Mnadate of the Board of Directors
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