No Intention to Distribute Required to Establish Use of a Trade-Mark in Canada
NOINTENTIONTODISTRIBUTEREQUIREDTOESTABLISHUSEOFATRADE-MARKIN
CANADA
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
ArecentdecisionoftheTrialDivisionoftheFederalCourtofCanada
confirmedthataforeigntrade-markownerneednotcontroltheactivitiesof
adistributorinCanadainordertobenefitfromthe”use”madeofthetrade-
markinCanada.TheCourtrestatedtheprinciplethatonemustnotaskwho
isusingthetrade-markbutratherwhosetrade-markisbeingused.(S.A.
Jetstreamv.R.D.InternationalStylesCollectionsLtd./LesCollectionsdeStyle
R.D.InternationalesLtée,F.C.T.D.,No.T-1330-92,7May1993).
Useofatrade-markinassociationwithwaresisdefinedatSubsection4(1)of
theTrade-marksAct,R.S.C.1985,c.T-13inthefollowingmanner:”4(1)A
trade-markisdeemedtobeusedinassociationwithwaresif,atthetimeof
thetransferofthepropertyinorpossessionofthewares,inthenormalcourse
oftrade,itismarkedonthewaresthemselvesoronthepackagesinwhich
theyaredistributedoritisinanyothermannersoassociatedwiththewares
thatnoticeoftheassociationisthengiventothepersontowhomthe
propertyorpossessionistransferred.”
PlaintiffS.A.Jetstream(“Jetstream”)initiatedproceedingsonJune5,1992in
ordertoexpungefromtheCanadianTrade-MarkRegistertheregistrationfor
thetrade-markVOTRENOMforclothingwhichhadbeenobtainedbyR.D.
InternationalStylesCollectionsLtd./LesCollectionsdeStyleR.D.
InternationalesLtée(“R.D.”)onMarch29,1991followinganapplicationfiled
onNovember15,1989onthebasisofproposeduseofthetrade-markin
Canada.JetstreamallegedthatR.D.’sregistrationwasinvalidonthebasis
that,asofNovember15,1989,Jetstreamhadpreviouslyuseditsowntrade-
markVOTRENOM…inassociationwithclothinginCanada.
JetstreamisaFrenchcompanyspecializinginthedesign,manufacturing,
promotionandsalesofarticlesofclothingunderthetrade-markVOTRE
NOM…Itallegedthatitstrade-markVOTRENOM…hadbeenpresentin
CanadasinceatleastasearlyasOctober21,1989.Initsevidence,
JetstreampresentedthetestimonyofMr.MauriceOuaknine,presidentof
JacalainInc.,aMontrealclothingstore.Mr.Ouaknineindicatedthathe
purchasedinParisonOctober13,1989,17articlesofclothingunderthe
trade-markVOTRENOM…atJetstream’sheadofficeforresaleatJacalain’s
premisesinMontreal.Jetstreamknewthatthearticleswouldberesoldin
Montreal.Infact,JacalainresoldtoconsumersinMontrealthese17articles
ofclothingbetweenOctober21,1989andNovember13,1989.
Initsdefence,R.D.pleadedthatanypriordistributionforthetrade-mark
VOTRENOM…inassociationwitharticlesofclothingwasnotcarriedoutby
JetstreaminCanada,butwas,ifatall,carriedoutbyanindependent
distributor,onitsownbehalf.Inotherwords,R.D.submittedthattheevidence
didnotrevealanyintentiononthepartofJetstreamtoactuallyuseitstrade-
markVOTRENOM…inCanada.Mr.JusticeDenaultrejectedthisargument
andindicatedthatSection4oftheTrade-marksActdidnotrequireproofof
anyintentionregardingdistributionofproductsunderatrade-markin
Canada,todetermineifusehadoccurred.IntheCourt’sview,Subsection
4(1)contemplatesthatsalesbetweentheretailerandthepublicenuretothe
benefitofthemanufactureranditsuseinCanada.Thus,theCourt
concludedthatJetstream’strade-markVOTRENOM…hadbeenusedin
CanadapriortoNovember15,1989.
Asitssecondargument,R.D.pleadedthatnorightsoverthetrade-mark
VOTRENOM…shouldberecognizedtoJetstream,asthe17articlesof
clothingpurchasedbyJacalainhadallegedlybeenbroughtintoCanada
illegally,theappropriateandapplicablerightsnothavingbeenpaid.The
Courtrejectedthisargument,notingthatnoevidencehadbeenpresented
tothateffect;itfurtheraddedthattheallegationandeventheproofofan
activityinCanadabyatrade-markownerwhichviolatestheprovisionsofa
statuteotherthantheTrade-marksAct,doesnotcausethatownertoloseits
rightsoveritstrade-mark.
Finally,theCourtconfirmedJetstream’spriorrightstothetrade-markVOTRE
NOM..andorderedthatR.D.’sregistrationbeexpunged.
Publishedat(1993),7W.I.P.R.178-179NoIntentiontoDistributeRequiredto
EstablishUseofaTrade-MarkinCanada.
LEGERROBICRICHARD,1993.
ROBIC,ungrouped’avocatsetd’agentsdebrevetsetdemarquesdecommercevoué
depuis1892àlaprotectionetàlavalorisationdelapropriétéintellectuelledanstousles
domaines:brevets,dessinsindustrielsetmodèlesutilitaires;marquesdecommerce,marques
decertificationetappellationsd’origine;droitsd’auteur,propriétélittéraireetartistique,droits
voisinsetdel’artisteinterprète;informatique,logicielsetcircuitsintégrés;biotechnologies,
pharmaceutiquesetobtentionsvégétales;secretsdecommerce,know-howet
concurrence;licences,franchisesettransfertsdetechnologies;commerceélectronique,
distributionetdroitdesaffaires;marquage,publicitéetétiquetage;poursuite,litigeet
arbitrage;vérificationdiligenteetaudit;etce,tantauCanadaqu’ailleursdanslemonde.La
maîtrisedesintangibles.
ROBIC,agroupoflawyersandofpatentandtrademarkagentsdedicatedsince1892tothe
protectionandthevalorizationofallfieldsofintellectualproperty:patents,industrialdesigns
andutilitypatents;trademarks,certificationmarksandindicationsoforigin;copyrightand
entertainmentlaw,artistsandperformers,neighbouringrights;computer,softwareand
integratedcircuits;biotechnologies,pharmaceuticalsandplantbreeders;tradesecrets,
know-how,competitionandanti-trust;licensing,franchisingandtechnologytransfers;e-
commerce,distributionandbusinesslaw;marketing,publicityandlabelling;prosecution
litigationandarbitration;duediligence;inCanadaandthroughouttheworld.Ideaslive
here.
COPYRIGHTER
IDEASLIVEHERE
ILATOUTDEMÊMEFALLUL’INVENTER!
LAMAÎTRISEDESINTANGIBLES
LEGERROBICRICHARD
NOSFENÊTRESGRANDESOUVERTESSURLEMONDEDESAFFAIRES
PATENTER
R
ROBIC
ROBIC+DROIT+AFFAIRES+SCIENCES+ARTS
ROBIC++++
ROBIC+LAW+BUSINESS+SCIENCE+ART
THETRADEMARKERGROUP
TRADEMARKER
VOSIDÉESÀLAPORTÉEDUMONDE,DESAFFAIRESÀLAGRANDEURDELAPLANÈTE
YOURBUSINESSISTHEWORLDOFIDEAS;OURBUSINESSBRINGSYOURIDEASTOTHEWORLD