Law360 Canada ( October 31, 2018, 8:36 AM EDT) -- Appeal by MacMillan, Highlands LLC, and Highlands LLP, from an oppression ruling in favour of two shareholder petitioners of Purcell Basin Minerals, Radford and Lacey. MacMillan was the sole director, president and officer of Purcell. The petitioner shareholders alleged MacMillan engaged in oppressive or unfairly prejudicial conduct that had harmed their interests. Their complaint focused on a series of transactions through which MacMillan caused Purcell to issue shares to himself or companies he controlled, thereby effectively giving him control of the company to safeguard against an anticipated attempt by shareholders to remove him from his position. MacMillan also used that control to grant himself a favourable compensation package he failed to disclose to shareholders, and to extend secured loans from Purcell to his private companies. MacMillan took the position that his conduct was consistent with Purcell's best interests. The trial judge found that MacMillan's conduct constituted oppression and granted a series of remedies that effectively set aside the impugned transactions. MacMillan and his companies appealed....