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Related Party Transactions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transactions [Abstract] |
Related Party Transactions | Related Party Transactions
(a) | The Company incurred fees and paid cash incentive awards totaling $13,592, $15,992 and $2,739 in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, relating to companies controlled by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company in respect of services rendered pursuant to a management services agreement and incentive plans.
On April 25, 2007, the Company entered into a new Management Services Agreement (as amended and restated on May 6, 2013, the “Services Agreement”) with Miles Nadal and with Nadal Management, Inc. to set forth the terms and conditions on which Miles Nadal will continue to provide services to the Company as its Chief Executive Officer. The Services Agreement is subject to automatic one-year extensions unless either party gives to the other a 60-day advance written notice of its intention not to renew. Effective January 1, 2013, the annual retainer amount (base salary) under the Services Agreement was increased to $1,750; effective January 1, 2014, the annual retainer amount was increased to $1,850; and effective January 1, 2015, the annual retainer amount was increased to $2,000. During 2012 and 2013 and in accordance with this Services Agreement, Mr. Nadal repaid an amount equal to $475 and $5,445 of loans due to the Company. As of April 26, 2013, Mr. Nadal has repaid and satisfied in full the remaining principal balance of all previously outstanding loans made by the Company to Mr. Nadal and his affiliates. After giving effect to this final repayment by Mr. Nadal to the Company, there is currently $0 remaining due and owing to the Company in respect of all prior loans.
(b) | Pursuant to the amended Services Agreement, the Company agreed to provide to its CEO, Miles S. Nadal a special bonus of C$10,000 upon the first to occur of (i) the average market price of the Company’s Class A subordinate voting shares is C$30 per share or more for more than 20 consecutive trading days (measured as of the close of trading on each applicable date) or (ii) a change of control of the Company. This bonus is payable until the date that is three years after the date on which Mr. Nadal is no longer employed by the Company for any reason. During November 2013, this bonus was earned and paid to Mr. Nadal in the amount of C$10,000 (U.S. $9,649).
(c) | Beginning in 2014, MDC has chartered for business purposes an airplane and helicopter (together, the “Aircraft”) owned by entities controlled by Mr. Nadal and leased to an independent corporate aircraft management company. Entities controlled by Mr. Nadal paid for the purchases of the Aircraft and are legally responsible and have paid for all operating, personnel and maintenance costs associated with the Aircraft’s operations. Payments by third parties to charter the Aircraft from the corporate aircraft management company will offset a portion of the costs. Payments by MDC for the business use of the Aircraft by Mr. Nadal and other Executive employees of MDC are made to the corporate aircraft management company at a fixed hourly rate set forth in the aircraft service agreement between the aircraft management company and entities controlled by Mr. Nadal. In 2014, MDC paid a total of $1,620 for the business use of the Aircraft.
(d) | In 2000, the Company purchased 1,600,000 shares in Trapeze Media Limited (“Trapeze”) for $215. At the same time, the Company’s CEO purchased 4,280,000 shares of Trapeze for $576, the Company’s former Chief Financial Officer and a Managing Director of the Company each purchased 50,000 Trapeze shares for $7 and a Board Member of the Company purchased 75,000 shares of Trapeze for $10. In 2001, the Company purchased an additional 1,250,000 shares for $161, and the Company’s CEO purchased 500,000 shares for $64. In 2002, the Company’s CEO purchased 3,691,930 shares of Trapeze for $470. All of these purchases were made at identical prices (C$.20/share). In 2003, the Company and the CEO exchanged their units in Trapeze for non-voting shares and entered into a voting trust agreement.
During 2013, an MDC partner firm provided services to Trapeze in exchange for fees equal to $187, respectively. Trapeze did not provide any services to MDC nor its partner firms in the three years ended December 31, 2014, prior to the July 31, 2014 acquisition. On July 31, 2014, Union Advertising Canada LP (an MDC subsidiary), acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding stock of Trapeze Media Limited. Trapeze Media is a Toronto-based digital advertising company. Prior to the acquisition, the Company owned 18% of the equity interests in Trapeze, and Miles Nadal (the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer) owned 54% of the equity interests. The total estimated aggregate consideration for 100% of the equity interests in Trapeze was $5,281 (or $4,373 excluding the Company’s current equity interest). MDC recorded other income of $908 representing a gain on the previously held 18% interest in Trapeze. Mr. Nadal recused himself from all Board discussions relating to Trapeze.The Stock Purchase Agreement for the Trapeze transaction contains customary representations and warranties and covenants of each party. Breaches of any representations and warranties will be subject to customary indemnification provisions.The acquisition of Trapeze by Union is expected to create an integrated agency with strong digital capabilities and more significant scale. In order to maximize the operating efficiency of the combined operations, the employees of Trapeze relocated into Union’s current offices, and certain changes were made to the combined entity’s executive management team.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph b -Article 3A Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph k -Article 4 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39691-107864 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39678-107864 + Details
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