Effective January 1st 2022, all of the members of SMITHS IP are now practising as part of the firm Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP. Feel free to contact us at our new home and emails at Oyen Wiggs.

Category: IP Practice and Law

Infringing Use as a Defence to Infringement

Can a trademark infringer argue that its own infringing use has rendered the trademark unenforceable?

In Canada, absolutely yes, though the prospects of success in that argument will depend on the facts.  A trademark can become unenforceable if it ceases to be distinctive of the owner (s. 18(1)(b), Trade-marks Act).

Read More

DMCA Notices Interdict Online Distribution of Infringing Software

Beyond being useful to remove infringing images, videos and articles from web pages, Digital Millenium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) notices can be used to interdict online platforms and fulfilment services that support the distribution and sale of infringing software.

Read More

Canada to implement the #Madrid Protocol, Nice Agreement and Singapore Treaty

Canada’s legislation implementing the Madrid Protocol, the Nice Agreement and the Singapore Treaty takes effect on June 17, 2019. While Canada will begin using the Nice classification, it will maintain the requirement to specify goods and services. Canada is also eliminating the requirement to declare whether and when the trademark was used in Canada.

Read More

Significant Changes to Canadian IP Legislation

In the evening of October 29, the Canadian government tabled Bill C-86.  Mimicking the previous conservative government's approach, the so-called Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 is an omnibus bill containing very significant changes to IP legislation.

Read More

IBM Stem 4 Girls And IPIC Annual Conference

Dana Turner-Ryan volunteered at the IBM STEM 4 Girls event during the IPIC Annual Conference in Vancouver on October 11, 2018.  The event brought together 30 girls in grades 7 and 8 to participate in a one day camp.

Read More