Canadian Trademark Blog


Provides insight and analysis on Canadian trademark issues and offers a uniquely Canadian perspective on trademark and domain name topics of international interest.

Author: Neil Melliship, Larry Munn, Karen Monteith, Jeffrey Vicq, Tasha Coulter and Niamh Pollak are all members of Clark Wilson in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Blawg Related Categories: Intellectual Property Law • Trademark Law • International • North America • Canada • Associate • Partner

Recent Posts from Canadian Trademark Blog


  • IDNs on the Fast Track

    As has been widely reported, ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) recently  approved the Internationalized Domain Name Fast Track Process at its Open Meeting in Seoul on October 30, 2009. Internationalized Domain…

  • Proving a Trademark Licence

    3082833 Nova Scotia Company v. Lang Michener LLP and Registrar of Trade-marks illustrates the importance of providing evidence of any licences in place when confronted with a summary expungement under section 45 of the Trademarks…

  • BTO Members Taking Care of Legal Business

    Fans of the 70’s Canadian super group, Bachman Turner Overdrive (also commonly known as BTO), may have noted the report of a legal dispute between current and former band members over the rights to the band’s trademarks.  The…

  • Counterfeit Goods: Statutory and Punitive Damages

    Microsoft Corporation v. 1276916 Ontario Ltd. et al is not a trademark case.   However, it is a further illustration of Canadian courts’ willingness to award substantial statutory damages under the Copyright Act, together with punitive…

  • Judgment nets 800 Domains

    According to news reports (here and here),  Chris Bosh, of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors,  was awarded control of 800 domains through a U.S. Federal Court ruling.  The domains, which included  chrisbosh.com,  were apparently wrongfully appropriated from…

  • CIPO Contemplating Changes - Extensions of Time in Examination

    The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (”CIPO”) today announced a new consultation regarding a proposed change in practice with respect to the granting of extensions of time in examination. According to the draft practice notice, CIPO…

  • More Beer Brand Wars

    You can tell that it’s Fall up here in the Great White North.  The weather is turning cooler, the NHL preseason is in full swing and another trademark battle between Canadian brewery icons Molson and Labatts has…

  • Limey! Another Beer Battle a-Brewing

    News today that another battle is brewing in Canada’s notoriously litigious beer industry: Waterloo’s Brick Brewing Co. Ltd.–makers of Canadian beer brands Laker, Formosa, Red Cap, Red Baron and Waterloo–has been sued by Anheuser-Busch Co.…

  • Proactive registrations can save money

    According to a recent study by the domain management and brand protection company Corporation Service Company (CSC), more money is being spent on reclaiming domain names from third parties through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution…

  • High Hurdles to Olympic Trade-mark Use

    With six months left until the start of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, it seems appropriate to highlight another story involving Olympic trademarks.  The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) is not the only Olympic Committee vigilantly monitoring the use of…