In June of this year, the Canadian Federal Government released the ‘National Indigenous Economic Strategy for Canada 2022’ (NIES). The NIES builds on the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, as well as the premise that full reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is impossible without economic reconciliation.  It serves as a blueprint to achieve meaningful engagement and inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian economy, with the ultimate aim that Indigenous communities will achieve self-sufficiency and socio-economic equality with the rest of Canada.

As part of IPIC’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) project, Building Back Through Innovation & Increasing Diversity in Canada’s IP Sector, and in celebration of Pride Season which runs from June-September, IPIC has reached out to the UK organization IP Inclusive to find out about their division IP Out. IP Out is the IP Inclusive Community for LGBT+ people and their allies working in the IP professions. They provide support and networking opportunities for LGBT+ people and their allies in the UK. We wanted to find out more about the group and why they think such a group could be beneficial to Canadian IP professionals. Here’s what they had to say:

For a young practitioner, it can be a challenge to build a reputation, get your name out, and become known in your field. Establishing credibility is difficult, since new lawyers generally cannot rely on a long track-record of practical experience or recognized credentials that are available to seasoned veterans. Yet gaining that experience and reputation is a key part of a rewarding and successful career in law. Fortunately, there are clear, easy, and high-value steps a young practitioner can take to get started.

In recent years, environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) considerations have become increasingly important for Canadian companies and innovators. From consumer demand for increased sustainability, transparency, and social accountability, to investors’ focus on ESG in investment decision-making processes; ESG criteria are now a significant marker for company success. As such, robust ESG practices are imperative for companies in order to manage operational, regulatory, fiduciary, reputational, and innovative risks.

It is no secret that a gap exists when it comes to protecting certain forms of Indigenous intellectual property (IP). While conventional IP tools are excellent in ensuring contemporary songwriters, inventors and brand owners keep control of what they make, these tools are less helpful when it comes to Indigenous traditional knowledge and cultural expression.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Committee is excited to bring UnscrIPted a series of articles related to the evolving digital landscape, highlighting non-fungible tokens (NFTs), new mobile and web-based applications, branding in the metaverse and artificial intelligence. NFTs: the Basics: An NFT can be described as a piece of digital content that is linked to the Ethereum blockchain. An NFT can be any digital asset, a unique way to represent art, collectibles, drawings, and anything else that requires provable ownership. NFTs can only have one owner at a time and are not interchangeable for other items as each NFT has unique properties. Simply put, no two NFTs are the same...

In June 2022, IPIC is kicking off a concentrated fundraising effort in support of IPIC’s Educational Foundation, the Patent & Trademark Institute Educational Foundation (PTIEF) – and you can help the Foundation receive an extra $20,000 to help with its objectives of supporting education and scholarship in the field of IP law. Your timing couldn't be better, because June 2022 is also the Great Canadian Giving Challenge!

Offered in partnership between the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and McGill University School of Continuing Studies, this program offers a comprehensive suite of pragmatic courses to help practitioners in the legal, business and government sectors keep up to date on the latest in intellectual property. Taught by seasoned IP professionals, the program is made up of three specialized courses in the areas of patents, trademarks and copyright. Participants can sign up for individual modules, full courses, or enroll in the entire program to gain knowledge of a specific aspect of IP, acquire the insights needed to protect a portfolio of intellectual property, or advance their careers in the area of IP law.

IP Conciliation Proceeding is a tool available in Japan, aiming to resolve an IP dispute between parties in a speedy manner based on the proposition that parties have agreed to bring their dispute through IP Conciliation and have engaged in negotiation prior to the proceeding. IP Conciliation Proceeding is different from litigation and provisional disposition.

This June 2022, IPIC will be kicking off a concentrated fundraising effort in support of IPIC’s Educational Foundation. Here is everything you need to know about the Foundation and how you can get involved. Q. What is the IPIC Foundation? A. Formally known as the Patent and Trademark Institute Educational Foundation (PTIEF) the Foundation is a registered Canadian charity with the main objective of supporting education and scholarship in the field of IP law. The trustees of the Foundation are the executive members of IPIC’s Board.

The Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) is inviting you to participate in an upcoming Diversity Demographic and Inclusion Survey launching on June 6 – June 17, 2022. This survey is an integral part of IPIC’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) project, Building Back Through Innovation & Increasing Diversity in Canada’s IP Sector. The project includes EDI initiatives and programming to support the advancement of Canadian women as leaders and decision-makers in the intellectual property (IP) sector.

The promise of a new “free speech” era for Twitter has made some relieved, others peeved. With the news that Elon Musk intends to make the platform a “digital town hall,” both fans and critics anxiously await what form the new debate landscape will take. However the rules of engagement are drafted, the boundaries of what speech is allowed will have some legal limits. Hate speech and defamation are easy examples – but one often overlooked and underappreciated boundary is intellectual property.