The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that dozens of Canada's largest investors are urging public companies to preserve their in-person annual meetings, warning that the shift to virtual-only formats allows managements to silence dissent. The Globe's Jameson Berkow writes that in an open letter being sent to members of the S&P/TSX 60 Index on Thursday, a group of 38 institutional investors, advisers, portfolio managers and non-profits representing a combined $1.7-trillion in assets, say virtual-meeting procedures are undermining shareholder rights. There have been 12 shareholder resolutions put on the ballot at AGMs so far this year calling for companies to commit to maintaining an in-person component in future meetings. Most have either passed or received support from at least 45 per cent of shareholders. Two recent cases are especially notable. CIBC recommended shareholders vote against the resolution at its AGM last week, but it received majority support nonetheless. The same thing happened at BMO's AGM on Tuesday, when 50.7 per cent of shareholders went against the board's recommendation and voted in favour of the resolution to preserve the physical component of future meetings.