Trademark

November 28, 2017

CIRA Gives Notorious Cybersquatters the Heave-ho

CIRA 344 - CIRA granted Virox its request to have the domain virox.ca transferred from Nameshield to itself, based on the domain being confusingly similar to Virox’s trademarks, Nameshield having registered the domain in bad faith and Nameshield having no legitimate interest in the domain.
November 21, 2017

Federal Court of Appeal rummages for the truth in Swiss luggage trademarks decision

2017 FCA 215 - The FCA found that trademarks owned by Travelway were confusingly similar to, and passing off on, trademarks owned by Wenger. The FCA's finding reversed a prior decision of the FC.
October 3, 2017
Federal Court Section 7

Federal Court dismisses Section 7(a) Trade-marks Act claim over lack of causal link

2016 FC 986 - The FC dismissed Supertek's claim that Mishan engaged in conduct contrary to Section 7(a) of the Trade-marks Act, in relation to a Canadian patent.
September 27, 2017
Coleen Morrison

Room for doubt?

CIPO has provided some insight to efforts in advance of the implementation of changes to the Canadian trademark system. The actions are comforting even if the statistics suggest there may be cause for concern in respect of recent Examination quality.
June 20, 2017

FC Finds Torque Anchor Patents Invalid or Not Infringed and Violation of Section 7(a) of Trade-marks Act

2016 FC 1279 - The FC found that API violated section 7(a) of the Trade-marks Act by making false or misleading statements tending to discredit the business, goods, or services of Excalibre, when it sent cease and desist letters to some of Excalibre’s customers.
March 23, 2017

Canadian 2017 Budget Plan: A Focus on Innovation and IP

2017 Budget Plan - The Canadian Federal Government announced its Budget Plan for 2017, which proposes a number of positive changes to the Canadian intellectual property regime.
March 21, 2017

Ontario Superior Court Finds Grey Marketing Settlement Agreements Not Void for Restraint of Trade

2016 ONSC 7201 - The ONSC found Bemco to be in breach of its settlement agreement with Mars, and found Mars entitled to summary judgment. The settlement agreement was in relation to Bemco grey marketing Mars' goods.
September 28, 2015

Reputation Management

A well-organized Reputation Management Plan is now a required tool in any corporation’s communication portfolio. Here are a few ideas that should go into your Reputation Management Plan.
September 21, 2015

“OUTRIGGER” Trade-mark Expunged for Deviation

Padcon Ltd v Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, 2015 FC 943 - Padcon's trade-mark for "THE OUTRIGGER STEAKHOUSE AND BAR" was expunged for lack of use by deviation. It's only use was the inclusion of the term "OUTRIGGER" on restaurant menu items and promotional materials.
June 29, 2015

Corporate Restructuring Fails to Avoid Injunction for Trade-mark Infringement

Agros Trading Confectionery SPZOO v K-Max Corp, 2015 ONSC 3166 - This case is an example of one company, who was sued for trade-mark infringement, attempting to evade the court ruling by incorporating a new company to continue selling the infringing products. Even though the infringement was taking place under new companies, infringers were still bound by an injunction preventing them from selling the infringing goods.
May 26, 2015

Interlocutory Injunction Upheld by FCA in Trade-mark Infringement Case

Jamieson Laboratories Ltd v Reckitt Benckiser LLC, 2015 FCA 104 - The FCA upheld an interlocutory injunction preventing Jamieson Laboratories Ltd. from selling its omega-3 fatty acid supplements under the name “OMEGARED”. The injunction was awarded largely because of the finding that Jamieson had strategically rebranded its product line from “Super Krill” To “Omega Red” in order to frustrate the entrance of Reckitt’s “MEGARED” product line into the Canadian market.
January 27, 2015

TMOB Removes Investment Advice from Atticus’s List of Services

Atticus Canada Inc v Atticus Management LLC, 2014 TMOB 196 - Evidence of trade-mark use consisting of copies of license agreements allowing Atticus Capital LP to use the Mark was taken to demonstrate use in association with financial services generally, but not in association with investment advice.
December 23, 2014

Bill C-8 Expands Counterfeit Goods Enforcement and Reworks the Trade-marks Act

Bill C-8 is said to broaden the enforcement measures available to protect copyright and trade-mark rights and to curtail commercial activity in counterfeit goods, and is said to expand the scope of what can be registered as a trade-mark and modernizes the trade-mark application and opposition process. Several definitional changes are also made to key terms in the Trade-marks Act.
July 25, 2014

FCA Confirms Willful IP Infringement Not Sufficient Basis for Punitive Damages

Bauer Hockey Corp v Sport Maska Inc - 2014 FCA 158 - The Court confirmed that punitive damages are available in trade-mark infringement cases, but “[a]llegations of willful and knowing infringement are alone insufficient to support a claim to punitive damages."