Food Designations and Trade-Marks the Quebec Act Respecting Reserved Designations
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FOODDESIGNATIONSANDTRADE-MARKS
THEQUEBECACTRESPECTINGRESERVEDDESIGNATIONS
LaurentCarrière*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,L.L.P.
Lawyers,PatentandTrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria–BlocE–8thFloor
Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.(514)9876242–Fax(514)8457874
www.robic.ca–info@robic.com
TheQuebecActrespectingReservedDesignations(S.Q.1996,c.51)received
assentonDecember16,1996butonlycameintoforceonOctober15,1997with
itsrelatedRegulation.
TheobjectofthisActistherecognitionofdesignationswhichareattributedto
agriculturalandfoodproductsasanattestationoftheirmethodofproduction,
regionoforiginorspecificity.
ItconfersupontheMinisterofAgriculture,FisheriesandFoodthepowerto
recognizedesignationsifitisdemonstratedthatthedesignationsmeetthe
criteriaandrequirementsdeterminedbyregulation,andtoreservetheuse
thereofinQuebectothemembersoftheaccreditatedcertificationbodies
(basically,thoserespectingISO39,61and65).
Onceadesignationhasbeenreserved,nopersonmayuseitintheadvertising,
labellingordisplayofanyproduct,orincommercialdocumentsofanynature
relatingthereto,unlesstheproducthasbeencertifiedbyanaccreditated
certificationbody.StringentpenalprovisionsaresetforthintheAct.
Assuch,thisprovinciallawwouldappearsimple;however,realproblemsare
foreseeableinitsapplicationinview,forinstance,ofsomeoftheprovisionsof
theTrade-marksActwhichisoffederaljurisdiction.
Indeed,nothingpreventsanonaccreditatedbodyfromregistering,asa
trade-mark,awordthatwillincludepartofthereserveddesignation(orbe
confusinglysimilarwithsame).However,undersection19oftheTrade-marksAct,
theregistrationofatrade-markgivesitsownertheexclusiverighttotheuseof
thetrade-markthroughoutCanada,whichincludestheprovinceofQuebec.
©CIPS,1998.
*OfLEGERROBICRICHARD
,L.L.P.,amultidisciplinaryfirmoflawyers,andpatentandtrademark
agents.PublishedintheSpring1998issue(Vol.2,No.2)ofourNewsletter.Publication068.012E.
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WouldtherecognitionofareserveddesignationundertheQuebecActimpinge
upontherighttouseaconflictingtrade-markinQuebec(whetherregistered
beforeoraftertherecognitionofadesignation),evenifthefoodproductdoes
otherwiserespecttherelevantprovincialandfederallegislationinregardof
production,healthandlabelling?
Furthermore,section25oftheTrade-marksActprovidesthatacertificationmark
whichisdescriptiveoftheplaceoforiginofthegoodscanneverthelessbe
registeredbyarepresentativeofacommercialorganizationofthearea.Insuch
acase,everypersonofthisareaisentitledtousethecertificationmark,whether
certifiedornot.Itisthereforedoubtfulthattheaccreditationboardswouldrush
toobtainsuchfederalprotectionwhichcouldotherwiseerodetheprovincial
exclusivity!
Theinteractionoftheprovincialreserveddesignationswiththefederal
Trade-marksActaswellastheotherprovisionsdealingwithfreeinterprovincial
commerceistobecloselymonitored,asinterestingclashesareexpected.
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