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Accretion expense amounted to $1,069,000 for the current quarter ($2,351,000 for the six-month period), compared to $1,225,000 for the same quarter the previous year ($2,432,000 for the six-month period). Accretion expense represents the imputed interest under GAAP on the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Convertible notes. The Company accretes the carrying values of the convertible notes to their face value through a charge to earnings over their expected lives. As of June 30, 2009, $13,000,000 of the Amended 2006 Notes, $500,000 of the Amended 2007 Notes and CDN$21,115,000 of the 2009 Notes remained outstanding.

Gain on extinguishment of debt amounted to $17,020,000 and resulted from amendments to the terms of the 2006 and 2007 Notes that took place at the time of a refinancing of the Company in April 2009. Refer Liquidity and Capital Resources section for details.

Change in the fair value of third party Asset-Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP) increased by $524,000 for the current quarter (increase of $183,000 for the six-month period) compared to nil for the same quarter the previous year (decrease of $375,000 for the six-month period). This represents net changes during the periods on the valuation of ABCP held by the Company. Refer Liquidity and Capital Resources section for details.

Foreign exchange loss amounted to $426,000 for the current quarter (loss of $303,000 for the six-month period), compared to a gain of $106,000 for the same quarter the previous year (gain of $860,000 for the six-month period). Foreign exchange gains or losses arise on the movement in foreign exchange rates in relation to the Company's net monetary assets denominated in currencies other than US dollars, the Co
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