News

This November 28th the IPIC Foundation (Patent &Trademark Institute Educational Foundation (PTIEF), whose objective is to support education and scholarship in the field of IP law, will be participating in GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday occurs the Tuesday following Black Friday and Cyber Monday and is a global day of giving, a day to-do good that harnesses the power of social media to raise awareness and funds for important causes. More than 6 million Canadians participate in GivingTuesday annually and last year, over $50 million was raised for Canadian charities on GivingTuesday!

Patent and Trademark Institute Education Foundation is a registered charity managed by IPIC that awards prizes to the candidates who obtain the highest marks in the patent and trademark agent exams.

IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Catherine (Cat) Lovrics is this year's recipient of the Institute’s Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award. Cat received the award on October 13, 2023, for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers at IPIC as Chair of the Copyright Committee, past Chair of the Copyright Policy Committee, as well as frequent contributor to the Internet Committee, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and IP Trade Policy Committee, among other initiatives.

The Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award is presented to a young professional or future leader member of IPIC who has made significant contributions to an IPIC Committee, Community, or other substantial IPIC initiative over the past year. This individual will have demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC along with the value and future of the IP profession in Canada. IPIC’s Board of Directors is delighted to announce Jean Lee as the recipient of this year’s Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award, presented on October 13, 2023.

The IPIC Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence recognizes an intellectual property (IP) professional in Canada, who demonstrated excellence in their practice during the past year in the successful prosecution of a landmark patent or trademark property, the prosecution or defense of a legal action where the result has a significant, positive impact on Canadian IP policy, or who has made an extraordinary contribution to the IP profession. IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Heather Mueller as the recipient of the inaugural Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence. Heather Mueller was presented with this prestigious award on October 13, 2023, in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to the IP profession.

The IPIC Member of Distinction Award recognizes IP professionals who have made significant contributions to the Institute for a minimum of 20 consecutive years. These individuals have demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC and the IP profession in Canada. IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce Carol Hitchman as the recipient of this year's Member of Distinction Award. Carol Hitchman received the award on October 13, 2023, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to IPIC.

At IPIC’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2023 in Whistler, members voted in a new IPIC Board of Directors for 2023-2024. The Board is composed of nine members: four officers, the immediate past president and four directors.

Paula Clancy Elected as IPIC President for 2023-2024 Term IPIC is thrilled to announce Paula Clancy as our newly elected President for the 2023 to 2024 term! Paula brings a...

June 21, 2023, marked an important milestone in the path towards reconciliation as the federal government issued an action plan for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (“the UN Declaration Act”). The UN Declaration Act requires the federal government to work in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples to identify the measures necessary to ensure that federal laws are consistent with UNDRIP, and to develop an action plan for achieving the objectives of UNDRIP. The action plan is an important step in upholding and implementing the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

The Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence is given to an intellectual property (IP) professional in Canada; an IP Agent and/or Lawyer, and member of Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) who has demonstrated excellence in their practice during the past year in the successful prosecution of a landmark patent or trademark property, the prosecution or defense of a legal action where the result has a significant, positive effect on Canadian IP policy and/or who has made an extraordinary contribution to the IP profession.

Last week the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016 of IPIC member John C. Cotter, Partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto, as associate judge of the Federal Court.

Throughout this month IPIC is pleased to offer access to its On-Demand webinars on the following topics: IP & Indigenous Arts and Culture - Copyright in Focus; Forging a New Path in the Protection of Indigenous Intellectual Property; and Introduction to Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions at no cost to members and non-members.