I called Peter Koven who many of you will recognize as the reporter who has generally covered the Noront story.
I asked whether he was tracking Rosseau' s efforts to seize control of the company. He said that he was.
I identified myself as a shareholder who has been with the company in excess of 18 years and who had never lost faith in Richard Nemis or his team. I told him about the incredicle grassroots response by the retail shareholders against the Rosseau bid, and wondered whether this might not make a compelling story given the new found strength the small shareholder has to come together and voice a common position using the internet, and specifically sites like Agoracom.
Peter told me that he is planning on writing something prior to the AGM. He was reluctant to write about the retail response with Agoracom as he had already done that story with Aurelian.
I pointed out that this was precisely why this was newsworthy, insofar as Anderson had proven his track record of disregarding his shareholders when he made his pact with the devil. Peter did say that he found Anderson's inclusion on the Rosseau slate as odd. He noted that with the present market conditions, the Aurelian shareholders fared quite well.
I then explained the difference between being long on a company to enjoy the ultimate value of the proven resource, and playing the market and being subject to the vagaries of outside, unrelated, influences. I made it clear that in my estimation, Rosseau was in the second category.
At the same time, I learned that Peter has had good relations with Warren Irwin in the past. He does not seem convinced that this is a grab and dump situation. He expressed genuine surprise when I suggested that it has likely been Rosseau's group that has been shorting the stock over the last few months. Peter was unsure of this and said that he believed that Irwin had held the roughly 9% of shares for some time. He said that he would ask Irwin that question respecting shorting.
If there is a way of proving that Irwin or his group have been shorting, we need to find that out.
I said that I did not see any compelling reason presented by Rosseau, in its circular or otherwise, to justify this attempt to take over the company. Peter volunteered that it may have had something to do with Richard Nemis's early exuberance, and the comparisons to Voisey's Bay. I pointed out that Richard in fact avoided these comparisons, but that this find likely will prove larger than Voisey's Bay, and that the degree of success enjoyed by the company in the course of just one year was spectacular.
Peter agreed that this may turn out to be a very large resource, but felt that the early exuberance may have sent the wrong message to shareholders.
I pointed out that Warren Irwin bought a ton of this stock at the $5.00 PP, and that he clearly would have made that decision, not on exuberance, but on the song of the drills.
Peter agreed.
Bottom line, we will see some press coverage before the AGM. Peter agreed to call me as a retail (long term) investor when the time comes.
As Bloomberg is not particularly reliable, I would appreciate hearing (through PM if you prefer) of any objecive source on who was shorting the hell out of us over the last six months.
I will continue to keep you all apprised.
See you at $20.00
crazydik
