U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 40-F/A
[Check one]
[ ] Registration statement pursuant to section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or
[X] Annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 |
Commission File Number 1-6138 |
Northgate Exploration Limited |
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) |
(Translation of Registrant's name into English (if applicable)) |
British Columbia, Canada |
(Province or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
1040 Gold and Silver ores |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number (if applicable)) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number (if applicable)) |
2050 - 1055 West Georgia Street |
Vancouver, British Columbia |
Canada V6E 3R5 |
(604) 688-4435 |
(Address and telephone number of Registrant's principal executive offices) |
(Name, address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code) of |
agent for service in the United States) |
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
Name of each exchange | |
Title of each class | on which registered |
Common Shares without | American Stock |
par value | Exchange |
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Act.
(Title of Class) |
(Title of Class) |
For annual reports, indicate by check mark the information filed with this Form:
[ ] Annual information form | [ ] Audited annual financial statements |
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer's classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.
198,759,915 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2003
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by filing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). If "Yes" is marked, indicate the filing number assigned to the Registrant in connection with such Rule.
Yes _____ | 82-_____ | No X |
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes X | No ______ |
Certifications The certifications required by Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) are attached
as Exhibit 1 to this report. The certifications required by Rule 13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) and Section
1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code are attached as Exhibit
2 to this report. Disclosure Controls and Procedures An evaluation was carried out under the supervision of and with the
participation of the Registrant's management, including the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the Registrant's
disclosure controls and procedures. Based upon this evaluation, the Chief
Executive and Chief Financial Officers each concluded that the Registrant's
disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of the end of the period
covered by this report, in timely alerting them to material information required
to be included in the Registrant's periodic SEC reports. The design of any
system of controls is based in part upon certain assumptions about the
likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will
succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions,
regardless of how remote. Audit Committee Northgate Exploration Limited has a separately-designated
standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of
the Exchange Act. Northgate Exploration Limited's audit committee is comprised
of three members: Patrick D. Downey, G. Warren Armstrong and Keith C. Hendrick.
The Registrant's board of directors has determined that Patrick D. Downey is
an "audit committee financial expert" as that term is defined in SEC regulations
and that Mr. Downey is independent under SEC and Nasdaq National Market rules.
All of the members of the audit committee are financially literate and
independent. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics The Registrant has a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to its
principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting
officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. The Registrant's
code of business conduct and ethics can be found on the Registrant's website at www.northgateexploration.ca. Principal Accountant Fees and Services KPMG LLP served as the Registrant's independent public accountants for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003. The Registrant paid the following fees to
KPMG for professional and other services rendered by them during fiscal year
2003 and fiscal year 2002: Audit Fees: Fees in the amount of US$192,400 and US$267,289 in 2003 and 2002,
respectively, related to the audits of the Registrant's annual financial
statements, consultation with respect to the implementation of new accounting
and reporting guidance and other accounting and reporting issues, assistance
with the quarterly interim financial statements, and the review of documents
filed with securities regulatory bodies (such as the British Columbia Securities
Commission and the SEC) or issued in connection with securities offerings.
Audit-Related Fees: Fees in the amount of US$28,400 and
US$20,505 in 2003 and 2002, respectively, related to accounting consultations
and guidance with respect to documentation and testing of internal controls and
due diligence assistance. Tax Fees: Fees in the amount of US$21,700 and US$30,662 in 2003 and 2002,
respectively, related to Canadian tax compliance and tax planning and advisory
services. All Other Fees: The Registrant did not pay KPMG for any other services
related to fiscal year 2003 and fiscal year 2002. In May 2003, the Audit Committee of the Registrant established the policy of
requiring pre-approval of all services to be rendered by the independent public
accountants. Since that time, all fees paid or committed to the independent
public accountants were reviewed and pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements Information on the Registrant's off-balance sheet
arrangements is included on Page 20 and 21 of the Registrant's 2003 Annual
report which is attached as Exhibit 2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form
40-F for the year ended December 31, 2003 and is incorporated by reference in
this report. Contractual Obligations Information on the Registrant's contractual obligations is included on Page
20 of the Registrant's 2003 Annual Report which is attached as Exhibit 2 to the
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2003 and
is incorporated by reference in this report.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number Description | |
1 | Certifications required by Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities |
Exchange Act | |
2 | Certifications pursuant to U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section |
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form 40-F and has duly caused this Annual Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
Registrant: | Northgate Exploration Limited |
By: (Signature) | /s/ JON A. DOUGLAS |
Name and Title: | Jon A. Douglas, Senior Vice President |
and Chief Financial Officer | |
Date: | April 28, 2004 |
EXHIBIT 1 CERTIFICATIONS I, Kenneth G. Stowe, certify that: Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
this report; a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to
ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is
being prepared; b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report, based on
such evaluations; and c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by
the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
reporting; and a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information; and b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal controls
over financial reporting.
Date: April 28, 2004 | /s/ Kenneth G. Stowe |
Kenneth G. Stowe | |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
I, Jon A. Douglas, certify that: Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
this report; a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to
ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is
being prepared; b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report, based on
such evaluations; and c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by
the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
reporting; and a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information; and b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal controls
over financial reporting.
Date: April 28, 2004 | /s/ Jon A. Douglas |
Jon A. Douglas | |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
EXHIBIT 2 CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO In connection with the Annual Report of Northgate Exploration Limited (the
"Company") on Form 40 F/A for the year ended December 31, 2003 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Kenneth
G. Stowe, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify,
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge: (1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and (2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material
respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
/s/ KENNETH G. STOWE |
Kenneth G. Stowe |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
April 28, 2004 |
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO In connection with the Annual Report of Northgate Exploration Limited (the
"Company ") on Form 40 F/A for the year ended December 31, 2003 as filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Jon
A. Douglas, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge: (1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and (2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material
respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
/s/ JON A. DOUGLAS
Jon A. Douglas
Senior Vice
President and
Chief Financial
Officer
April 28, 2004