The non distinctiveness of cheap tickets confirmed on appeal

T
HENONDISTINCTIVENESSOFCHEAPTICKETSCONFIRMEDONAPPEAL

CATHERINEBERGERON*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,
LLP
L
AWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS
CheapticketsandTravelInc.v.Emall.caInc.etal.,2008FCA50(FederalCourt
ofAppeal,SharlowJ.A.)
ThisisanappealofadecisionrenderedbyJusticeStrayergrantingEmall.caInc.’s
(hereinafter“Emall”)applicationfortheexpungementoftwotrade-marksownedby
CheapticketsandTravelInc.(hereinafter“Cheaptickets”),namelyCHEAPTICKETS
andCHEAPTICKETSANDTRAVEL&Designregisteredinassociationwith,
amongstothers,travelagencyservices.Theappealhasbeendismissedforthe
followingreasons.
JurisdictionoftheFederalCourtofAppeal
TheFederalCourtofAppealhadtodealfirstwithajurisdictionissue.Giventhatthe
RegistrarofTrade-marksgaveeffecttotheexpungementorderapproximately17
daysaftertheorderwasmade,namelybeforetheexpiryoftheappealperiodofthe
order,JusticeSharlowhadtodecidewhethertheFederalCourtofAppealhasthe
authoritytoorderthereinstatementofatrade-markthathasbeenexpungedasthe
resultofanorderoftheFederalCourt.
TheFederalCourtofAppealdecidedquitestraightforwardlyandunequivocallythatit
doesindeedhavesuchajurisdiction.OnthebasisofSection52oftheFederal
CourtsAct,theFederalCourtofAppealis,amongstothers,entitledtoallowthe
appealanddismisstheapplicationforexpungement.Ifsuchanorderismadeafter
theexpungementhasoccurred,theRegistrarofTrade-markswouldberequiredto
reversetheexpungementandreinstatetheregistrationofthetrade-mark.
DescriptivecharacterofCheaptickets’trade-marks



















































©CIPS,2008.*Lawyer,CatherineBergeronisamemberofLEGERROBICRICHARD,LLPamultidisciplinaryfirmof
lawyers,andpatentandtrademarkagents.PublishedinaFebruaryIssueofWorldTrade-mark
Report.Publication293.051.

2
Infirstinstance,JusticeStrayerfoundthatCheaptickets’trade-markswereclearly
descriptiveofthecharacterorqualityoftheservicesorwaresinassociationwith
whichtheywereusedbythetravelagency,andthattheywerenotonlymerely
suggestiveasarguedbyCheaptickets.Therefore,heconcludedthat,onthebasisof
paragraphs18(1)(a)and12(1)(b)oftheTrade-marksAct(hereinafterthe“Act”),the
registrationsatissuewereinvalid.
IntheFederalCourtofAppeal’sopinion,theFederalCourtdidnotmakeanylegal
errornorapalpableandoverridingerroroffactwhichwouldjustifytheintervention
oftheFederalCourtofAppeal.
DistinctivecharacterofCheaptickets’trade-marks
Ontheissueofdistinctiveness,theFederalCourtofAppealrejectedEmall’sposition
that,duringtheexpungementproceeding,therelevantprovisiontobeconsidered
JulieBergeronisSubsection18(2)oftheActandnotSubsection12(2)whichmay
onlybeinvokedduringtheprocessoftrade-markregistration.Ontheotherhand,
CheapticketsarguedthatJusticeStrayershouldhaveconsideredtheapplicationof
Subsection12(2)oftheAct.Bothprovisionsreadasfollows:

12(2)Atrade-markthatisnot
registrablebyreasonofparagraph
(1)(a)or(b)isregistrableifithasbeen
sousedinCanadabytheapplicantor
hispredecessorintitleastohave
becomedistinctiveatthedateoffiling
anapplicationforitsregistration.1
8(2)Noregistrationofatrade-
markthathadbeensousedin
Canadabytheregistrantorhis
predecessorintitleastohave
becomedistinctiveatthedateof
registrationshallbeheldinvalid
merelyonthegroundthatevidence
ofthedistinctivenesswasnot
submittedtothecompetent
authorityortribunalbeforethe
grantoftheregistration.
AlthoughtheexistenceofSubsection18(2)doesnotprecludeCheapticketsfrom
invokingSubsection12(2)duringtheexpungementproceeding,thefactthatJustice
StrayerdidnotconsidertheapplicationofSubsection12(2),whichmaybe
interpretedasanerrororoversightonhispart,isinconsequentialconsideringthat
Cheapticketshasnotfiledanyevidencereasonablycapableofsupportinga
submissionthatthemarksCHEAPTICKETSandCHEAPTICKETSANDTRAVEL
&Designhadacquireddistinctivenessasofthedateonwhichtheapplicationsfor
registrationwerefiled(pursuanttoSubsection12(2)oftheAct).

3

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