News

At IPIC’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday, September 29, 2022 in Whistler, members voted in a new IPIC Board of Directors for 2022-2023. The Board is composed of nine members: four officers, the immediate past president and four directors. To take into account the diversity of roles existing in the profession, the Board is comprised of IP lawyers, patents agents, trademark agents, litigators and corporate practitioners.

Counsel for the Defendants in 278861 Ontario Inc. v Bhagwani et al, 2022 ONSC 905 have asked IPIC to intervene in an appeal to be heard in the Ontario Divisional Court. The appeal relates to the proposed use trademark “Bombay Frankies”. The Intervention Committee has reviewed the request and recommended to the IPIC Board of Directors that IPIC file an intervention provided that pro bono counsel can be retained. The Intervention Committee also recommends that the Chair of the Litigation Committee solicit interest in identifying intervention counsel willing to act on a pro bono basis. Given that the appeal will take place in Ontario, preference should be given to Ontario counsel. The IPIC Board has met on the matter and has agreed that IPIC should intervene on the matter.

Paul was described by long-time friend and colleague Charles Boulakia as “one of a kind, a truly unique soul, a keen wit, and a good friend. I, and the rest of his colleagues at Ridout & Maybee, are devastated by the loss.” The following tribute was provided by his firm where he was a member of the Ridout & Maybee LLP family since 2003.

IPIC wishes to offer its sincere condolences following the passing of Peter W. McBurney, a long-time member of the Institute for 62 years and Past President of IPIC from 1985-1986. 

IPIC wishes to extend its congratulations and recognition to the applicants who successfully passed the Trademark Administrator Exam earlier this month and have been awarded the designation of Certified Canadian Trademark Administrator.

IPIC was pleased with the government’s commitment to study IPIC’s recommendation for a patent box tax incentive, however, it is clear much work is left to be done to gain the government’s support on the importance of other IP incentives, such as First Patent Program, a Brand Protection Strategy, and other IP subsidies and policies IPIC has advocated for over the last few years.

Late last month IPIC President Louis-Pierre Gravelle was invited to present before the Standing Committee on Finance (FINA), and Member of Parliament Julie Dzerowicz, on IPIC’s recommendations for the 2022 Federal Budget. President Gravelle was part of a panel of key innovation stakeholders assembled by MP Dzerowicz. Given the short time frame for FINA to hear from stakeholders as part of their pre-budget consultations, MP Dzerowicz was charged with assembling the panel and communicating the relevance and importance of these recommendations to the committee.

Join Aird & Berlis and Aird & McBurney this Thursday February 17 to hear from trailblazing Black women who are thriving in the legal sector. Esteemed panelists will explain how they have navigated challenges and seized opportunities to take their careers to where they are today.

The Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and IP Osgoode are delighted to announce our 2022 Canadian writing challenge in intellectual property law.

A decision of a Prothonotary of the Federal Court in JANSSEN Inc. and MITSUBISHI TANABE PHARMA Corporation v. SANDOZ CANADA Inc. (2021 FC 1265) in November of 2021 included an interpretation of the 2016 amendments to the Patent Act which granted privilege to communications between a patent agent and their client (Section 16.1 of the Patent Act).

The IP Village is the result of a collaboration between the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC), the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Export Development Canada (EDC), Global Affairs Canada's Trade Commissioner Service (GAC–TCS), the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

IPIC members are invited to send their comments to admin@ipic.ca by February 7, 2021, to assist IPIC’s Patent Committee with a view to IPIC preparing a submission on the consultation.  The consultation closes February 25, 2022.