Proceedings under section 45 of the Trade-marks Act require solid and reliable evidence

P
ROCEEDINGSUNDERSECTION45OFTHETRADE-MARKSACT
REQUIRESOLIDANDRELIABLEEVIDENCE

CATHERINEBERGERON**
LEGERROBICRICHARD,
L.L.P.
L
AWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS
Grapha-HoldingAGv.IllinoisToolWorksInc.,2008FC959(FederalCourt,
BeaudryJ.)
Thisisanappealundersection56oftheTrade-marksAct(the“Act”)ofadecision
renderedbytheRegistrarofTrade-marks(the“Registrar”)maintainingthe
respondent’sregistrationforthetrade-markMULLER,subjectofanadministrative
cancellationproceedingundersection45oftheAct.Theappealisallowedand
registrationforthetrade-markMULLERisexpungedintotalityfromtheregister.
1.FactualBackground
InresponsetotheRegistrar’snoticesenttotherespondentundersection45ofthe
ActonOctober30,2003,therespondentfiledasevidencetheaffidavitofFaruk
Turfan,Vice-PresidentofITWCanadaHoldingsCompany,awhollyowned
subsidiaryoftherespondent.Inhisaffidavit,Mr.Turfanstatesthatthebrochures
attachedtohisaffidavitareforthewareswhicharesoldinCanadainassociation
withthetrade-markMULLERandthat,atthetimeofsale,thetrade-markismarked
onthemachineasshowninthebrochure.Amongstothers,heidentifiesoneofthe
brochuresasbeing“currentlyinuse”and“beinginusesinceabout2002”.
Basedontheevidence,theRegistrarfoundthatthemarkatissuehadbeeninuse
sometimeduringtherelevantperiodanddecidedtomaintaintheregistrationofthe
markinassociationwiththemajorityofthewarescoveredbysaidregistration.
2.Appeal
TheapplicantappealedthedecisionoftheRegistraronthegroundthatthe
respondent’sevidencedidnotsupportafindingthatthewaresactuallysoldwere



















































©CIPS,2008.
Lawyerandtrade-markagent,CatherineBergeronisamemberofLEGERROBICRICHARD,
L.L.P.,amultidisciplinaryfirmoflawyers,andpatentandtrademarkagents.Publishedinthe
SeptemberissueofWorldTrademarkReport.Publication293.056.

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markedwiththesubjectmark.Theapplicantfurthersubmittedthattherewasno
indicationthebrochuresreferredtointherespondent’sevidenceaccompaniedthe
saleofthewaresduringtherelevantperiod.
ItwasnotcontestedbeforetheFederalCourtthattheappropriatestandardof
reviewofthedecisionoftheRegistrarisreasonablenesssincetherespondentdid
notfilenewevidenceonappeal(referencewasmadetoMattel,Inc.v.3894207
CanadaInc.,[2006]1S.C.R.772).
Initsanalysis,theFederalCourtremindedbasicprinciplesofsection45
proceedings,suchasthefactthattheevidencesubmittedmustsupplyfactsfrom
whichaconclusionofusemayfollowasalogicalinference(referencewasmadeto
Osler,Hoskin&Harcourtv.UnitedStatesTobaccoCo.(1997),77C.P.R.(3d)475
(F.C.)),andthattheevidencemustalsosatisfytheRegistrarthatthetrade-markhas
beenusedduringtherelevanttimeperiod,namelythethree-yearperiod
immediatelyprecedingthenoticeundersection45(referencewasmadetoBoutique
Limitév.LimcoInvestments,Inc.(1998),84C.P.R.(3d)164(F.C.A.)).
AccordingtotheFederalCourt,theRegistrardidnothavesufficientevidencebefore
hertoconcludethattherespondent’smarkhasbeenused,withinthemeaningof
section4oftheAct,duringtherelevanttimeperiod.Theregisteredowner’s
evidenceshowedalackofprecisionwithregardtothedateseachwarewouldhave
beensold.Evidencereferringtouseondatesthatarecontainedbothwithinand
outsidetherelevantperiod(i.e.“currentlyinuse”or“havebeeninusesinceabout
2002”)cannotbeconsideredclearevidenceasitdoesnotallowtheRegistrarto
determineifanyusehasoccurredspecificallyduringtherelevantperiod.
Furthermore,althoughthebrochuresattachedtotheaffidavitshowwherethemark
issituatedonthewaressoldbytherespondent,theevidencedoesnotindicatethat
thesebrochureshavebeengivenatthetimeoftransferofthepropertyinor
possessionofthewares.
TheFederalCourtstatedthatthecircumstancesofanadministrativeproceeding
undersection45oftheActcreateanobligationontheregisteredownertofile
precise,solidandreliableevidence,whichwasnotthecaseoftheevidence
furnishedbytherespondent.

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