OPPOSITIONPROCEEDINGSNOTNECESSARILYTHEAPPROPRIATEFORUMTO
DECIDEISSUEOFUNLAWFULUSEOFTRADE-MARK,FEDERALCOURTRULES
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
ArecentdecisionoftheTrialDivisionoftheFederalCourtofCanadarejected
anappealagainstafindingofconfusionbetweenthetrade-markMR.
COFFEEinassociationwithcoffeeandthetrade-markMISTERCOFFEEin
associationwithcoffeeequipment,coffeeandothercoffeesupplyservicesin
circumstanceswherethelawfulnessoftheopponent’suseofitstrade-mark
wasquestioned.(SunbeamProducts,Inc.v.MisterCoffee&ServicesInc.,
2001FCT1218(November7,2001,Kelen,J.).
OnDecember14,1990,SunbeamProducts,Inc.’spredecessorintitle
(hereinafter”Sunbeam”,whetherreferringtoSunbeamProducts,Inc.orits
predecessor)filedanapplicationwiththeRegistraroftrade-markstoregister
thetrade-markMR.COFFEEinassociationwithcoffeeonthebasisof
proposeduseofthetrade-markinCanada.
SunbeamwasalreadytheownerofotherMR.COFFEEtrade-markscovering
“coffeebrewersanddisposablecoffeefilters”aswellas”decanters”.
WhenSunbeam’s1990applicationwaspublishedforoppositionpurposesa
yearlater,MisterCoffee&ServicesInc.(hereinafter”MCS”)filedastatement
ofoppositionandallegedconfusionwithitspreviouslyusedtrade-mark
MISTERCOFFEE.TheevidencefiledbyMCSrevealedthatithadbeenusing
thistrade-markandtrade-nameMISTERCOFFEEinassociationwithitsbusiness
sinceitsinceptionin1980.Itofferedacompletecoffeesupplyservicefor
officesunderthetrade-markMISTERCOFFEE.MCSfurtherestablishedthatit
haduseditsnameMISTERCOFFEEspecificallyinassociationwithcoffee
equipment,coffeeandothercoffeesupplyservicesforaperiodoften(10)
yearspriortoSunbeam’sapplicationfiledin1990.