What is not a trade mark?

1988-01-01

WHATISNOTATRADEMARK?

by
HuguesG.Richard
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
ThisiswhattheFederalCourtofCanada,TrialDivision,hadtodecideinthe
matterinvolvingTheLifeUnderwritersAssociationofCanada-vs-The
ProvincialAssociationofQuébecLifeUnderwriters(CourtNoT-2-88,judgment
datedJunel4,l988).Inthatcase,theCourtheld,amongotherthings,that:
(a)anexpressionwhichisusedinassociationwithpersons,(b)aprofessional
title,and(c)agenericword,arenottrademarkswithinthemeaningofthe
TradeMarksAct.
TheLifeUnderwriters’AssociationofCanadawasseekinganorderenjoining
theProvincialAssociationofQuébecLifeUnderwritersfromusingthe
expressions”CLU”(CharteredLifeUnderwriter)anditsFrenchequivalent”AVA”
(Assureur-vieagréé)whichithadregisteredascertificationmarks.
TheCourtfoundthattheevidencehadrevealedthattheexpressions”CLU”
and”AVA”hadnotbeenusedastrademarkssincetheyhadnotbeenusedin
associationwithwaresorservicesbutratherinassociationwithpersons.
AccordingtoSection2oftheTradeMarksAct,atrademarkmeans,interalia,
(a)amarkthatisusedbyapersonforthepurposeofdistinguishingorsoasto
distinguishwaresorservicesmanufactured,sold,leased,hiredorperformed
byhimfromthosemanufactured,sold,leased,hiredorperformedbyothers
or,(b)acertificationmark;acertificationmarkmeans,interalia,amarkthatis
usedforthepurposeofdistinguishingorsoastodistinguishwaresorservices
thatareofadefinedstandardwithrespecttotheclassofpersonsbywhom
thewareshavebeenproducedortheservicesperformed.
TheCourtfoundthattheevidenceshowedthattheexpressions”CLU”and
“AVA”hadbeenusedinassociationwithpersonsandnottheirservices;they
couldthereforenotbeconsideredasvalidcertificationmarks.
Furthermore,theCourtdecidedthatinasmuchastheseexpressionscouldbe
saidtobeprofessionaltitlesusedbyacertainclassofpersons,theywerea
matterofexclusiveprovincialconcern.InCanada,professionsareunder

provincialjurisdiction.TheQuebeclegislature,initsInsuranceAct,conferred
ontheProvincialAssociationofQuebecLifeUnderwriterstherighttoapprove
theusebyinsuranceagentsoftheexpressions”CLU”and”AVA”withinthe
province.TheCourtheldthatFederallegislation(theTradeMarksAct)could
notencroachonthisdomain.
TheCourtalsoconsideredthemannerinwhichtheexpressions”CLU”and
“AVA”hadbeenusedbytheLifeUnderwriters’AssociationofCanada.The
documentationofPlaintiffteemedwith”genericidal””expressionssuchas”the
charteredlifeunderwriteriscompetent”,”the”AVA”isaprofessional”,andso
an:inshortuseoftheexpressionsasgenericexpressions:anunforgivable
crime.TheCourtconcludedthattheuseoftheexpressionswasnotuseas
trademarksbutasagenericexpressions.Inasmuchastheexpressionscould
everhavebeentrademarks,theCourtfoundthattheLifeUnderwriters’
AssociationofCanadahadcommittedthefatalerrorofgenericidebythe
mannerinwhichithadusedthesaidexpressions.
ThecaseisnowbeforetheFederalCourtofAppeal.Itwillbeinterestingto
learnwhetherornottheFederalParliamentcan,throughitslegislativepower
toregulatetradeandcommerceinCanada,limitorevenbaraprovince
fromadoptingvalidlegislationtoregulateprofessionswithinitsterritory.Many
otherissueswillbearguedbeforetheCourtofAppealwhicharefundamental
totheinterpretationtobegiventotheTradeMarksActinthecontextofthe
FederalCanadianlegalsystem.Furthermore,wewillknow,forcertain,whatis
notatrademark.Thisisacasetobewatched.
Publishedat(1988),2W.I.P.R.195-196underthetitleExpressions”CLU”and
“AVA”AreNotTrademarks,CourtRules.
LEGERROBICRICHARD,1988.

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