Applicable standard for motion to strike reviewed
APPLICABLESTANDARDFORMOTIONTOSTRIKEREVIEWED
CATHERINEDAIGLE*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,
L.L.P.
L
AWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS
InMövenpick-HoldingvInterManagementServicesLimited(2008FC328;2008-03-
07),theFederalCourthasreviewedtheapplicablestandardforamotiontostrikeout
partsofacounterparty’spleadings.
Mövenpick-Holdingfiledsuitagainstthedefendants(twocompaniesandtwo
individuals)undertheTrade-marksAct,allegingviolationofitsMARCHÉtrademarks
forrestaurantservices.ThedefendantscounterclaimedthattheMARCHÉmarks
wereinvalid.Mövenpickfiledamotiontostrikevariousparagraphsofthe
defendants’pleadings.TheprothonotarydismissedthemotionandMövenpick
appealedtotheFederalCourt.
Mövenpick’sdemandtostrikeoutcertainparagraphscontainedinthedefendants’
pleadingswasmadepursuanttoRule221(1)(a)oftheFederalCourtsRules,which
statesthatapleadingmaybestruckoutonthegrounds,amongothers,that:
·itdisclosesnoreasonablecauseofaction;and
·itisimmaterialorredundant.
Thecourtnotedthattheapplicablestandardinsuchacaseisveryhigh,asthe
movingpartymustsatisfythecourtthattheallegationsoffact,ifdemonstrated,can
supportareasonabledefence.
Inherdecision,theprothonotaryhadfoundthat,withtheexceptionoftheintentional
aspectoftheallegationsoffraudulentmisrepresentationscontainedinthestatement
ofdefence,allfactsallegedintheimpugnedparagraphswererelevanttothe
statementofdefenceandcounterclaim,particularlywithregardtotheclaimsof
confusion,passingoffanddepreciationofgoodwill.
Thecourtagreedwiththedefendantsthattheirallegationsdisclosedallmaterial
factsnecessarytomeetthetestforinvaliditysetoutincaselaw(seeWCC
ContainersSalesLtdvHaul-AllEquipmentLtd(2003FC962)).Thecourtalsonoted
CIPS,2008.
*Lawyer,CatherineDaigleisamemberofLEGERROBICRICHARD,L.L.P..,amultidisciplinaryfirmof
lawyers,andpatentandtrademarkagents.Publisgedinthe2008-04-14issueofWorldTrademark
Report.Publication293.054.
2
thatalthoughithadjurisdictiontodecidetheissuesraisedbytheparties,thisshould
notbedoneprematurelyatthisstageoftheproceedings,butatthehearingstage.
Sincethecourtwasnotconvincedthattherewasanygroundtointerveneandannul
theprothonotary’sorder,Mövenpick’smotionwasdismissedwithcosts
3
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