Bill C-86 Includes Important Changes to Patent, Trademark and Copyright Acts

On October 29, 2018, the government tabled Bill C-86, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 2018 and other measures. This Bill includes enabling legislation for the creation of a College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents as well as other important changes to the Patent Act, Trade-marks Act and Copyright Act. Division 7 of the Bill, Intellectual Property Strategy, can be found here. 

IPIC's Past President appeared before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) on Bill C-86 on November 7, 2018. IPIC had to move very quickly with the help of many volunteers and committee members to review Bill C-86 in just a few days before appearing at FINA. Only being granted five minutes to speak, IPIC had to focus the majority of the verbal remarks on high priority issues that we have seen with the legislation to establish the College of Patent and Trademark Agents in Division 7, Subdivision D of the Bill. 

IPIC also was made aware that FINA would be wrapping up their review very quickly, with a clause by clause review of the legislation beginning on November 15th, and a goal of returning the Bill to the House for 3rd reading by November 20th. If you would like to watch the IPIC appearance, including the question and answer period with the FINA members afterwards, you can view it here (Mr. Lynds’ speech begins at 17:30). IPIC’s written follow-up remarks are available here.

IPIC has been invited to appear before the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (BANC) on November 21, 2018 on Bill C-86. The BANC Committee has been asked by the Senate to review Division 7 of the Bill, and have decided to split the review of Division 7 into two parts. The first part being a review of the draft College of Patent Agents and Trade-mark Agents Act, and the second part being a review of amendments to existing IP legislation. IPIC President Patrick Smith will be appearing on behalf of IPIC at 3:30 to discuss the IP legislative amendments, and at 4:45 to discuss the enabling legislation to create the College. For those interested in viewing the Senate Committee meetings remotely, please visit SenVu on November 21st to stream the meeting audio (and video if available).