1
DOESSIZEMATTER?MARKAPPEARINGINMINUSCULETYPENOTCONSIDERED
USED,FEDERALCOURTOFCANADARULESINEXPUNGEMENTCASE
By
BarryGamache*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,Lawyers
ROBIC,Patent&TrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria-BlocE–8
thFloor
Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.:(514)9876242-Fax:(514)8457874
www.robic.ca-info@robic.com
Canada’sFederalCourtrecentlyruledthatatrade-markappearingin
minusculetypeaspartofalargerdesignwasnotactuallyusedandordered
itsexpungementfromthetrade-markregister(BrouilletteKosiePrincev.
AndrésWinesLtd.,2004CF812(June7,2004,Tremblay-Lamer,J.)).
CanadianwineproducerAndrésWinesLtd.istheownerofthewordtrade-
markINVINOVERITAS,whichwasregisteredinCanadainassociationwith
winesonOctober11,1974underregistrationTMA202,357,onthebasisofuse
ofsuchtrade-markinCanadasinceatleastasearlyas1961.
AttherequestofMontrealbasedtrade-markagentsBrouilletteKosiePrince,
theRegistraroftrade-marksissuedaSection45NoticetoAndrésWinesLtd.,
therecordedowneroftheINVINOVERITASregistration.UnderSection45of
Canada’sTrade-marksAct,R.S.C.1985,c.T-13,theRegistrarmayatanytime
and,atthewrittenrequestmadeafterthreeyearsfromthedateofthe
registrationofatrade-markbyanypersonwhopaystheprescribedfeeshall,
unlesstheRegistrarseesgoodreasontothecontrary,givenoticetothe
registeredownerofthetrade-markrequiringtheregisteredownertofurnish
withinthreemonthsanaffidavitorastatutorydeclarationshowing,with
respecttoeachofthewaresorservicesspecifiedintheregistration,whether
thetrade-markwasinuseinCanadaatanytimeduringthethreeyearperiod
immediatelyprecedingthedateofthenoticeand,ifnot,thedatewhenit
waslastsoinuseandthereasonfortheabsenceofsuchusesincethatdate.
Basically,Section45isa”UseItorLoseIt”provisionunderCanada’sTrade-
marksActwhichenablestheRegistrartoridtheregisteroftrade-markswhich
havebecomedeadwoodandarenolongeractivelyused.Itwassuch
Section45NoticewhichAndrésWinesLtd.receivedfromtheRegistraron