The Bank of Nova Scotia DECEMBER 7, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Distribution Notice................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Financial Data ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Forward-looking Statements .................................................................................................................................................. 1 CORPORATE STRUCTURE................................................................................................................................................ 2 Name, Address and Place of Incorporation....................................................................................................................... 2 Intercorporate Relationships.............................................................................................................................................. 2 GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BANK’S BUSINESS ............................................................................................ 2 Three-Year History ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE BANK’S BUSINESS ................................................................................................................... 3 General Summary.............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Social and Environmental Policies.................................................................................................................................... 7 Risk Factors....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 DIVIDENDS.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 DESCRIPTION OF THE BANK’S CAPITAL STRUCTURE ............................................................................................. 9 Common Shares ................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Preferred Shares - General ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Certain Provisions of the Preferred Shares...................................................................................................................... 10 Dividends ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Redemption ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Rights Upon Dissolution or Winding-Up........................................................................................................................ 11 Restrictions on Dividends and Retirement of Shares ...................................................................................................... 11 Exchange Rights.............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Conversion Rights........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Purchase for Cancellation................................................................................................................................................ 12 Issuance of Other Series of Preferred Shares .................................................................................................................. 12 Voting Rights .................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Certain Provisions of Authorized Preferred Shares of the Bank ..................................................................................... 12 Dividends ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Redemption ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Rights Upon Dissolution or Winding-Up........................................................................................................................ 13 Restrictions on Dividends and Retirement of Shares ...................................................................................................... 13 Conversion Rights........................................................................................................................................................... 14 Purchase for Cancellation................................................................................................................................................ 14 Issuance of Other Series of Preferred Shares .................................................................................................................. 15 Voting Rights .................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Constraints on Ownership of the Bank’s Shares ............................................................................................................. 15 Credit Ratings of Securities and Liquidity ...................................................................................................................... 15 Moody’s Investor Service ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Standard & Poor's Rating Services.................................................................................................................................. 16 Fitch Ratings ................................................................................................................................................................... 16 DBRS Limited................................................................................................................................................................. 16 MARKET FOR SECURITIES OF THE BANK ................................................................................................................. 17 Trading Price and Volume of the Bank’s Common and Preferred Shares ...................................................................... 18 Prior Sales............................................................................................................................................................................ 19 DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE BANK........................................................................................ 19 Directors and Board Committees of the Bank................................................................................................................. 19 Executive Officers of the Bank ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Cease Trade Orders, Bankruptcies, Penalties or Sanctions ............................................................................................. 22 Shareholdings of Management........................................................................................................................................ 23 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS ............................................................................................ 23 INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS................................................... 24 TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR.......................................................................................................................... 24 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.............................................................................................................................................. 24 EXPERTS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 24 THE BANK’S AUDIT AND CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE.................................................................................. 24 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION........................................................................................................................................ 26 Schedule A........................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Schedule B ..........................................................................................................................................................................