Now on Facebook...

Please join our new Facebook page!

CBC Radio News Coverage...

Please tune into CBC Radio News tomorrow morning at 6:30am, 7:30am, or 8:30am. CBC Radio News will be covering our story!!

There Is No *I* In Team...

On Monday night, a committee of Shire investment victims met for the first time. The committee is composed of Shire investment victims who have joined the class action claim and are as committed to championing our cause as I have been.

The purpose of the committee is to ensure that utmost efforts are continually being made to bring the full force of the regulatory, legal, political, and media channels to bear on our situation and recover our money. However their role is not to provide advice or opinion on individual situations and circumstances you may be facing as a result of your investment in Shire.

Our committee members are: Suzanne, Lucia, Patrick, Mark, Rob, Carolynn and Devin. The expertise within the committee includes investment, mortgage financing, fundraising, economic, management, and legal backgrounds.
You may be hearing from members of our committee by telephone over the coming days or weeks.

A meeting with Cleone Couch...

I am pleased to advise that on Friday, August 21, 2009, our legal counsel, John Blair, and I had a lengthy meeting with Cleone Couch, her legal counsel, and a representative of Ernst & Young LLP to discuss the status of various Shire projects. The atmosphere was one of cooperation and mutual courtesy and Ms. Couch provided a significant amount of information that supplements what we knew from prior correspondence, court searches, title documents and other sources. Ernst & Young LLP is working diligently to gather information and formulate a plan to deal with the various properties on a going forward basis. We are gratified that both Ernst & Young LLP and Shire seem to perceive the utility of involving the investors in the process. A preliminary report will hopefully be ready for the next court appearance in the CCAA action set for September 4, 2009. Mr. Blair and I are currently examining the benefit of retaining property development experts to assist us, Shire and the court in assessing the development, sale or other prospects for the various Shire projects, some of which appear to be more viable, or at least capable of monetization, than others. Obviously, considerable progress is being made and will continue on several fronts in the near future.

Please Note: You are not represented in the class action unless you have sent in your signed retainer letter along with your payment to John Blair’s office. Please contact me if you require further information.

Shire seeks CCAA Arrangement...

Please review the following documents along with the update from John Blair's office:

CCAA Affidavit
CCAA Initial Order
Update from Borden Ladner Gervais

Overall, we feel that this is excellent news! Please contact me if you have any questions: investor@telus.net

Further information can be obtained from Ernst & Young at www.ey.com/ca/shire or by calling Ernst & Young at 403-206-5432

The National Post Covers Our Story...

The National Post carried our story today on page A8, this is the same story by reporter Daryl Slade carried in the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal. You can also find the story online here.

The Calgary Herald Covers Our Story...

Reporter Daryl Slade from The Calgary Herald covered out story in today's paper in the City & Region section, Page B2. You can also read the story online here.

Update: The story was also carried by the Edmonton Journal here and on page F3 on August 12th.

Late moving notice... with no forwarding address.

Shire sent out a letter to investors today about their move. I find it interesting that they date their letter on August 4th, but the email clearly shows that the letter was sent today (August 7th) at 7:57pm MST which is after my blog post about their move. Also surprising is their mention that they tried to re-negotiate their lease with the landlord. It is my understanding that Shire sufficiently moved out of the space without notice to the landlord and as such, the landlord has locked them out.

Is there a new Shire address? Why were investors not notified of the move prior to the move?? What are the dates of the September meetings? What is the location?

The number you have reached is not in service ....

Shire International phone number 403-262-1222 is no longer in service. Their website indicates this to be the case, one can only assume that it is being moved to a new location.

No forwarding address...

So much for restructuring! It has come to my attention that Shire International has moved out of its office location. The company who manages the building has had some troubles with individuals trying to gain access to the Shire office space. As Shire has moved out of the space and has not yet provided a new address, you will need to undertake other means to contact Shire International such as phone, email or telepathy....

More letters from Shire....

Here is another letter sent out by Shire this week. Is it coincidence that they sent out a letter when I announced the meeting, and now another letter when I post about joining legal action?

When I forwarded this letter to Mr. John Blair, this was his reply:

I extended an invitation to her (through her lawyer) to meet with me to explain in a friendly setting exactly what happened with everyone's money and the projects. I indicated we would like to see bank records and other ledgers. This was an excellent opportunity to clear her name but she has not taken us up on it.

Please don't rely on just Cleone or me for the facts, contact the ASC:

1. Contact the Alberta Securities Commission Public Inquiries at
   Local: (403) 355-4151
   Toll-Free: (877) 355-4488
   Email: inquiries@asc.ca
   
   
2. Contact the ASC Investigator, Vi Pickering:
   Phone: 403-297-7745
   Email: vi.pickering@asc.ca

Back in town...

I'm back from holidays... lots has happened while I was away including a mail box full of messages. Please be patient while I answer the 140 messages that are waiting here staring at me.

Today, I sent out a letter from John Blair regarding joining the class action and the legal fee structure. The email went out to those already on my distribution list. I will NOT be posting this letter on my blog.

If you are interested in finding out more about the legal action, please email me and I'll add you to my investor list and forward the letter to you. If you've already emailed me over the last two weeks and have not yet heard from me, I'll include the letter with my reply to you - so no need to email me again asking for the letter.

Thanks again for your patience!

Archer ... not missing

Greetings from London. Archer is no longer missing. He contacted me via email since my last post. I have not responded to him ... so Mr. Archer, if you are reading this, please understand that I am thankful for your contact and have forwarded your correspondence to Mr. John Blair who is my counsel and will respond on my behalf as required.

You've been served!

A little update from Holland... Actually, its an update from John Blair and I'm posting it from Holland.

Couch is served. Have not heard from a lawyer yet. Archer and Blain missing. Simon is served and has counsel.
Eyelogic served, and counsel retained.
Alberta lands are liened. We are working on BC lands but that requires a BC legal action---it is almost ready.
Met on Monday with Meyers Norris Penny on them possibly doing our forensic work: tracking assets and money.

Not sure if you'll see anymore updates while I'm away. Take care and talk to you all soon.

Hiatus...

After a very busy few weeks getting all of this going.... I'm off for a much deserved vacation. See you all on the 27th. In the mean time, here is where to get info:

1. Contact your local Securities Commission
2. Contact the Alberta Securities Commission Public Inquiries at
   Local: (403) 355-4151
   Toll-Free: (877) 355-4488
   Email: inquiries@asc.ca
3. Contact the ASC Investigator, Vi Pickering:
   Phone: 403-297-7745
   Email: vi.pickering@asc.ca
   

If you would like to join the investor group, please provide me with:
• Your first and last name
• Your address and contact phone number
• The amount you invested in each of the projects
• Your interest in joining any legal action

Note: You are not required to join legal action to join the investor group

Regina Leader Post covers our story!

Bruce Johnstone from the Regina Leader Post covered our story today! He did miss one point in that I did receive a few interest payments on my investments, but little else.

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/fp/Cease+trade+order+extended/1772708/story.html

Meeting Minutes

Here are the meeting minutes from Monday's meeting!

Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission issues Extended Cease Trade Order

The Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission has issued an extended cease trade order against Shire International Real Estate Investment Ltd., Hawaii Fund, Maples and White Sands Investment Ltd., Shire Asset Management Ltd., Jeanette Cleone Couch

If you are not located in Alberta and are an investor, please also contact your local provincial security commission.

*** If you are an investor in the USA, please contact me as soon as possible. ***

Statement of Claim Filed against Cleone Couch, et al

The Statement of Claim De Wet, et al v. Cleone Couch, et al was filed yesterday. Please let me know if you are interested in finding out more about joining this legal action.

We had a great turnout at the meeting last night. I'll post and email minutes as soon as they're ready.

Defendants - JEANNETTE CLEONE COUCH, SHIRE INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS LTD., SHIRE ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD., THICKWOOD REAL PROPERTY INC., MAPLES AND WHITE SAND INVESTEMENT LTD., HALAMA GARDENS LTD., HALAMA GARDENS LLC, PHILIP ARCHER, CDN MAUI LLP, CHEMAINUS PROPERTIES LTD., SKAHA LAKE DEVELOPMENT LTD., ORILLIA INVESTMENT LTD., BEARSPAW AT 144th AVENUE LTD., FORT MCMONEY PROPERTIES LTD., FORT MCMONEY PROPERTIES II LTD., AC&C DEVELOPMENT GROUP LTD., TSEHUM HARBOUR LTD., BOSUN'S HOLDINGS LTD., TSEHUM HARBOUR PLACE HOLDINGS LTD., TSEHUM HARBOR BONDS LTD., EYELOGIC SYSTEMS INC., TARMAN INC., CC MANAGEMENT INC., KMC CAPITAL INC., WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES INC., LUREE WILLIAMSON, BOB COUCH, DENNIS BLAIN, and ANDREW SIMON.

Shire Restructuring

As I am one to post information from all sides... Please see this letter I received today from Shire International Real Estate Investments Ltd. I'm sure most of you received this same letter, however, I want to ensure everyone gets it.