Senior Counsel
“He really understands the industry and technical aspects of what we’re trying to achieve.”
Client – Chambers Global
Over three decades, Geoff has advised clients on all aspects of domestic and cross-border tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations and financings. He also has extensive experience advising Canadian-based multinationals on international tax matters.
Geoff has been teaching tax law courses for over 20 years. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he teaches Canadian Income Tax Law, and at Osgoode Hall Law School where he teaches Taxation of Business Enterprises. He has taught International Tax Law at Western University and Osgoode Hall Law School, and co-taught the Advanced Mergers and Acquisitions Workshop to Osgoode students.
Geoff is a regular contributor of tax policy articles and commentary. He was previously a contributing editor of CCH’s International Tax newsletter and Federated Press’ Corporate Structures and Groups.
Senior Counsel
“He really understands the industry and technical aspects of what we’re trying to achieve.”
Client – Chambers Global
Over three decades, Geoff has advised clients on all aspects of domestic and cross-border tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations and financings. He also has extensive experience advising Canadian-based multinationals on international tax matters.
Geoff has been teaching tax law courses for over 20 years. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he teaches Canadian Income Tax Law, and at Osgoode Hall Law School where he teaches Taxation of Business Enterprises. He has taught International Tax Law at Western University and Osgoode Hall Law School, and co-taught the Advanced Mergers and Acquisitions Workshop to Osgoode students.
Geoff is a regular contributor of tax policy articles and commentary. He was previously a contributing editor of CCH’s International Tax newsletter and Federated Press’ Corporate Structures and Groups.
Syndicate of Underwriters
Acted for a syndicate of underwriters, led by BofA Securities, Credit Suisse and Scotiabank, on the US$250-million initial public offering of Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp, a gold-focused streaming and royalty company offering bespoke financing solutions to the metals and mining industry and backed by Elliott Management. This 2021 offering is Canada's largest mining-related IPO in nine years.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an integrated transaction involving (i) the sale by Barrick of all of the shares of Bullfrog Mines LLC to Bullfrog Gold Corp., a U.S.-based gold and silver exploration company; and (ii) a concurrent $22 million equity investment in Bullfrog Gold by Augusta Investments Inc. and certain individuals identified by Augusta.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its earn-in arrangement with Precipitate Gold Corp. (PGC), under which Barrick was granted the right to acquire a 70% interest in PGC's Pueblo Grande project in the Dominican Republic, and a related subscription for common shares of PGC.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in the up to US$430-million sale to Teranga Gold Corporation of a 90% interest in the Massawa gold project in Senegal by a subsidiary of Barrick and its Senegalese joint venture partner.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its US$428-million acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of Acacia Mining plc (Acacia) not already owned by Barrick by way of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (United Kingdom).
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its historic joint venture with Newmont Mining Corporation, which combined their respective mining operations, assets, reserves and talent in Nevada to create the world's largest gold complex.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its proposed US$42-billion merger with Newmont Mining Corporation to combine the world's two largest gold companies.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction transaction for the sale of its 50% interest in Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines in Western Australia, resulting in the sale to Saracen Mineral Holdings Limited for US$750 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its recommended US$18.3-billion share-for-share merger with Randgold Resources Limited. This complex and multijurisdictional transaction created an industry-leading gold company with the greatest concentration of tier one gold assets in the industry and a diversified asset portfolio positioned for growth.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction transaction for the Veladero gold mine in Argentina which resulted in the sale to Shandong Gold of a 50% interest in the mine for US$960 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its sale of a 25% stake in the Cerro Casale Project to Goldcorp, and the negotiation of a 50/50 regional joint venture over the Cerro Casale, Quebrada Seca and Caspiche projects in Chile's Maricunga district. This highly complex and multi-faceted transaction involved the acquisition by Goldcorp of Kinross' entire 25% interest in the Cerro Casale Project and a 25% interest in the project from Barrick, whose holding in the project fell from 75% to 50%. Upon closing of the transaction, the joint venture was established.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its earn-in agreement with Alicanto Minerals of Australia. Under the terms of the Earn-In, Barrick will be able to earn a 65% interest in the Arakaka project in northwest Guyana by meeting total funding requirements of US$10 million over four years.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction transaction for the Zaldívar mine in Chile which resulted in the sale to Antofagasta Plc of a 50% interest in the mine for C$1.005 billion, and related joint venture arrangements.
New Gold Inc.
Acted for New Gold Inc. in the sale of its 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile to Goldcorp Inc. in exchange for a $90-million cash payment, a 4% gold stream on life-of-project gold production from the El Morro property and cancellation of a $93-million carried funding loan. In conjunction with the transaction, Goldcorp and Teck Resources Limited announced their intention to combine their respective El Morro and Relincho properties into a 50/50 joint venture with the interim name of Project Corridor.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with its US$610-million gold and silver streaming agreement with Royal Gold Inc. for production linked to Barrick's 60 percent interest in the Pueblo Viejo mine.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction for the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea which resulted in the US$298-million sale of a 50% interest in Barrick (Niugini) Limited, the company that owns 95% of and manages the Porgera Joint Venture gold mine in Papua New Guinea, and related strategic cooperation agreements.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction transaction for the sale of its 100% interest in the Cowal gold mine in New South Wales, Australia which resulted in the sale of the mine to Evolution Mining Limited for US$550 million.
Burger King Worldwide, Inc.
Acted for Burger King Worldwide, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Tim Hortons Inc. for approximately US$12.5 billion, the related financing, which involved a US$3-billion preferred equity investment from Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a secured US$7.25-billion credit facility and a private placement of US$2.25 billion of second lien secured notes, and an associated tender offer for Tim Hortons' outstanding US$1.2 billion of debt securities. This transaction resulted in the creation of Restaurant Brands International, a new global company headquartered in Canada, and the third-largest quick service restaurant in the world with approximately US$23 billion in system sales and over 18,000 restaurants in 100 countries. The transaction was recognized as Global M&A Deal of the Year: Canada by The American Lawyer's 2015 Global Legal Awards.
McCain Foods
Acted for McCain Foods on the sale of its North American frozen pizza business to Dr. Oetker.
Augusta Resource Corporation
Acted for Augusta Resource Corporation in connection with the defence of the unsolicited take-over bid made by HudBay Minerals Inc., which ultimately resulted in a negotiated transaction representing total equity value of $540 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its proposed $35-billion merger with Newmont Mining Corporation (now known as Newmont Goldcorp Corporation).
Sandspring Resources Ltd.
Acted for Sandspring Resources Ltd. in its early deposit gold stream transaction pursuant to which Sandspring agreed to sell 10% of the life-of-mine gold production from its Toroparu project located in Guyana, South America, to a subsidiary of Silver Wheaton Corp. in exchange for an up-front US$148.5-million cash deposit plus an ongoing production payment of the lesser of the market price and US$400 per payable ounce of gold.
Russel Metals Inc.
Acted for Russel Metals Inc. in connection with its acquisition of the operations of Monarch Supply Ltd., an oilfield supply company predominately serving the Drayton Valley, Alberta area.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted as Canadian counsel to Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with Barrick's approximately US$3-billion bought deal public offering and associated tender offer for its outstanding debt securities.
Barrick Gold Corporation and Barrick North America Finance LLC
Acted as Canadian counsel for Barrick Gold Corporation and Barrick North America Finance LLC in connection with an offering of US$3-billion of debt securities comprised of US$650-million of notes due 2018 and US$1.5-billion of notes due 2023 of Barrick Gold Corporation and US$850-million of notes due 2043 of Barrick North America Finance LLC.
Colossus Minerals Inc.
Acted for Colossus Minerals Inc. in connection with its agreement to sell to Sandstorm Gold Ltd. refined precious metals in an amount equivalent to a portion of the life-of-mine payable platinum, palladium and gold produced from Colossus' 75% owned Serra Pelada Project located in Brazil, in exchange for a US$75-million cash deposit as well as ongoing payments for each ounce of metal delivered.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with the establishment of a US$4-billion unsecured revolving credit facility with a syndicate of Canadian and international banks.
Russel Metals Inc.
Acted for Russel Metals Inc. in connection with its $30-million acquisition of the operating assets, land and buildings of Alberta Industrial Metals Ltd., a metals distribution and processing service center located in Red Deer, Alberta, by way of separate share and asset purchases.
Russel Metals Inc.
Acted for Russel Metals Inc. in its $300-million bought deal private placement of high yield notes due April 19, 2022.
Enerflex Ltd. and Toromont Industries Ltd.
Acted for Enerflex Ltd. and Toromont Industries Ltd. in connection with the $1.1-billion initial public offering of Enerflex effected through a spinoff of Enerflex's common shares to Toromont's shareholders.
Toromont Industries Ltd.
Acted for Toromont Industries Ltd. in connection with the spin-off of its $1.1-billion natural gas compression business, Enerflex Ltd., to Toromont's shareholders, which is one of the largest demerger transactions completed in Canada in the last ten years.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted as Canadian counsel for Barrick Gold Corporation, and its subsidiary Barrick North America Finance LLC, in connection with an offering of US$4 billion in debt securities comprised of US$700 million of 1.75% notes due 2014 and US$1.1 billion of 2.90% notes due 2016 of Barrick, as well as US$1.35 billion of 4.40% notes due 2021 and US$850 million of 5.70% notes due 2041 of Barrick North America Finance LLC.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries in its US$3-billion bridge facility agreement and $2-billion revolving credit facility arranged by RBC Capital Markets and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc.
Minmetals Exploration & Development (Luxembourg) Limited S.a.r.l.
Acted for Minmetals Exploration & Development (Luxembourg) Limited S.a.r.l. in connection with its acquisition, on a private placement basis, of 5% of the issued and outstanding shares of Century Iron Mines Corporation (formerly Red Rock Capital Corp.). In connection with the acquisition of shares, Davies also acted for Minmetals in respect of the material terms of an Offtake Agreement to be entered into between Minmetals and Century providing for the purchase by Minmetals of iron ore produced from Century's Duncan Lake Property.
Nunavut Iron Ore Acquisition Inc.
Acted for Nunavut Iron Ore Acquisition Inc. and The Energy and Minerals Group in takeover bid proceedings at the Ontario Securities Commission in connection with their unsolicited takeover bid for Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation, and their subsequent successful joint bid with ArcelorMittal, in a transaction valued at $590 million. Nunavut succeeded in its efforts to cease trade the Shareholders Rights Plan of Baffinland, and as a result was able to proceed with its unsolicited bid.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with the acquisition of an additional 25% interest in the Cerro Casale project in Chile from Kinross Gold Corporation for US$475 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted as Canadian counsel to Barrick Gold Corporation and African Barrick Gold plc in connection with the US$864-million initial public offering of African Barrick Gold. The offering was one of the largest recent initial public offerings on the London Stock Exchange.
Toromont Industries Ltd.
Acted for Toromont Industries Ltd. in its successful cash and share unsolicited takeover bid to acquire Enerflex Systems Income Fund, resulting in a $684-million supported transaction, and also acted for Toromont in establishing an unsecured $450-million term credit facility with a syndicate of banks to finance the acquisition.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with the private placement by its affiliate of US$1.25 billion of notes maturing in 2020 and 2039, each guaranteed by Barrick, and the subsequent exchange of such notes for registered securities.
Russel Metals Inc.
Acted for Russel Metals Inc. in its $175-million bought deal public offering of convertible debentures due 2016.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in connection with its agreement to sell to Silver Wheaton Corp. silver in an amount equal to 25% of the life-of-mine silver production from Barrick's Pascua-Lama project and 100% of silver production from Barrick's Lagunas Norte, Pierina and Veladero mines until project completion at Pascua-Lama in exchange for a US$625-million cash deposit and US$3.90 cash per ounce of silver.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation on its US$750-million underwritten public offering of 6.95% notes due 2019 made in the United States pursuant to the Multi-jurisdictional Disclosure System and led by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Richmont Mines Inc.
Acted for Richmont Mines Inc. in its acquisition of Patricia Mining Corp. by way of a plan of arrangement for cash and share consideration.
Mercator Minerals Ltd.
Acted for Mercator Minerals Ltd. in the structuring of its silver sale arrangements with Silver Wheaton Corp., pursuant to which silver equivalent to all of the silver produced by Mercator's Mineral Park mine in Arizona will be sold to Silver Wheaton in exchange for an up-front payment of US$42 million and further payments of US$3.90 per ounce.
Points International Ltd.
Acted for Points International Ltd. in its $49-million public treasury and secondary offering of common shares.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation on tax and financing matters in connection with its acquisition of the remaining 40% interest in the Cortez joint venture in Nevada from a subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc for cash consideration of US$1.695 billion.
China Minmetals Non-Ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. and Jiangxi Copper Company Ltd.
Acted for China Minmetals Non-Ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. and Jiangxi Copper Company Ltd., both Chinese state-controlled corporations, in their takeover bid for Northern Peru Copper Corp. valued at $455 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its $773-million negotiated all-cash takeover bid for Arizona Star Resource Corp.
Wega Mining ASA
Acted for Wega Mining ASA in its $118-million acquisition of Goldbelt Resources Ltd., the first time in Canada that a takeover bid was combined with a 19.9% private placement of shares of the target.
Zinifex Limited
Acted for Zinifex Limited (now OZ Minerals Ltd.) in its $360-million negotiated takeover bid for Wolfden Resources Inc.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its all-cash US$1.53-billion unsolicited takeover bid to acquire NovaGold Resources Inc.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in an auction transaction for the sale of its 50% stake in the South Deep mine in South Africa to Gold Fields Limited, resulting in the sale for total consideration of US$1.525 billion.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its $60-million negotiated takeover bid for Pioneer Metals Corporation.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its pre-bid agreement with Goldcorp Inc. to dispose of certain assets acquired by Barrick in its takeover bid for Placer Dome Inc. and in the subsequent disposition of US$1.6 billion of assets to Goldcorp.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its successful $10.2 billion hostile acquisition of Placer Dome Inc., at the time the largest hostile bid in Canadian history and still the largest completed acquisition in the world's gold mining industry.
Man Financial Inc.
Acted as Canadian counsel for Man Financial Inc. (now MF Global Ltd.), a global broker for exchange-traded futures and options, in its negotiated acquisition of the Canadian operations of Refco Group Ltd.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Acted as counsel for a syndicate of banks in the US$2.5-billion credit financing offered to Novelis Inc. and for the initial purchasers in the US$1.4-billion issuance of senior notes, as part of Alcan Inc.'s spin-off of its aluminum rolled products business.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation with respect to its acquisition of Tethyan Copper Co. Ltd. in a transaction valued at $115 million.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation which entered into a joint venture with Falconbridge Limited in respect of the Kabanga nickel deposit in Tanzania pursuant to which Falconbridge acquired an indirect 50% interest in the Kabanga nickel deposit and related concessions for $15 million and agreed to fund a $50-million work plan and the next $95 million of development expenses at the deposit.
Barrick Gold Corporation
Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its US$28-million subscription for shares and warrants of Celtic Resources Holdings plc, a London Stock Exchange AIM-listed company with mining interests in Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as participation rights in Celtic's future acquisitions in Kazakhstan.
Interview, Strictly Money with Saijal Patel podcast, “Is Canada in Dire Need of a Tax Overhaul? With Geoffrey Turner”
Dec. 31, 2023 - Listen to Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.
Canadian Tax Foundation, 2023 Ontario Tax Conference, “Source of Income after Paletta”; Toronto, ON
Oct. 24, 2023 - Download this article.
Canadian Tax Foundation, Pillar Two Symposium, “Translating Model Rules: IIR and UTPR”; Ottawa, ON
July 27, 2022
Keeping Canadian Corporate Tax Rates Competitive
June 19, 2020 - Perspectives on Tax Law & Policy, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Canadian Tax Foundation)
Read the article.
Easing Foreign Affiliate Compliance Burdens in a Full Exemption System for Foreign-Source Active Business Income
Jan. 01, 2020 - 2020 Conference Report, 11th ed., (Canadian Tax Foundation)
The Best Lawyers in Canada—Tax Law
Who’s Who Legal: Corporate Tax—Advisory; Who’s Who Legal: Canada—Corporate Tax
Ontario, 1993
Osgoode Hall Law School, LLM (Tax), 2005
University of Toronto, LLB (Honours), 1991
Queen’s University, BA (Economics) (Honours, Gold Medallist), 1988
Canadian Tax Foundation
Pearson College UWC, board member
Conservative Party of Canada, Candidate of Record for Etobicoke Centre, September 2021 federal election
Etobicoke Centre Conservative Association, board member
Etobicoke-Lakeshore Conservative Association, past president and board member
JDRF, Toronto Law Challenge Ride to Defeat Diabetes, cabinet
Geoff teaches Canadian Income Tax Law at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and Taxation of Business Enterprises at Osgoode Hall Law School. He has previously taught International Tax Law at Osgoode Hall Law School and Western University (for which he was twice awarded the Students’ Council teaching award of excellence), and the tax component of the Advanced Mergers and Acquisitions Workshop at Osgoode Hall Law School.
