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.
2
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.
3
ROBIC,ungrouped avocatsetd agentsdebrevetsetdemarquesdecommerce
vouédepuis1892àlaprotectionetàlavalorisationdelapropriétéintellectuelle
danstouslesdomaines:brevets,dessinsindustrielsetmodèlesutilitaires;marques
decommerce,marquesdecertificationetappellationsd origine;droitsd auteur,
propriétélittéraireetartistique,droitsvoisinsetdel artisteinterprète;informatique,
logicielsetcircuitsintégrés;biotechnologies,pharmaceutiquesetobtentions
végétales;secretsdecommerce,know-howetconcurrence;licences,franchiseset
transfertsdetechnologies;commerceélectronique,distributionetdroitdesaffaires;
marquage,publicitéetétiquetage;poursuite,litigeetarbitrage;vérificationdiligente
etaudit.ROBIC,agroupoflawyersandofpatentandtrademarkagentsdedicated
since1892totheprotectionandthevalorizationofallfieldsofintellectualproperty:
patents,industrialdesignsandutilitypatents;trademarks,certificationmarksand
indicationsoforigin;copyrightandentertainmentlaw,artistsandperformers,
neighbouringrights;computer,softwareandintegratedcircuits;biotechnologies,
pharmaceuticalsandplantbreeders;tradesecrets,know-how,competitionandanti-
trust;licensing,franchisingandtechnologytransfers;e-commerce,distributionand
businesslaw;marketing,publicityandlabelling;prosecutionlitigationandarbitration;
duediligence.
COPYRIGHTER
IDEASLIVEHERE
ILATOUTDEMÊMEFALLUL INVENTER!
LAMAÎTRISEDESINTANGIBLES
LEGERROBICRICHARD
NOSFENÊTRESGRANDESOUVERTESSURLEMONDEDESAFFAIRES
PATENTER
R
ROBIC
ROBIC+DROIT+AFFAIRES+SCIENCES+ARTS
ROBIC++++
ROBIC+LAW+BUSINESS+SCIENCE+ART
THETRADEMARKERGROUP
TRADEMARKER
VOSIDÉESÀLAPORTÉEDUMONDE,DESAFFAIRESÀLAGRANDEURDE
LAPLANÈTE
YOURBUSINESSISTHEWORLDOFIDEAS;OURBUSINESSBRINGSYOUR
IDEASTOTHEWORLD