Archive for May, 2007
| Newer Entries ».CA Domain Hits 20 Year Milestone
Monday, May 14th, 2007
20 years ago today, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) delegated the .CA domain to John Demco, then of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Computer Sciences Department. The Vancouver Sun reports that, on May 14, 1987, the commercialization of the Web wasn’t on Demco’s or anyone else’s radar – in fact the Web as we know it wasn’t even in existence. Demco operated the .CA domain for 13 years on a volunteer basis, charging no fees for .CA domain registrations.
Today, the .CA domain is the 13th most popular country code domain in the world, with over 837,000 registrations, Demco is a director of one of the largest .CA Registrars and the Canadian Internet Registration Authority has responsibility for the .CA Domain, which it took over from UBC in 2000.
Posted in Domain Name Disputes | No Comments »
A Prescription for Anti-Counterfeiting
Friday, May 11th, 2007
The Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) recently released a report detailing counterfeiting and piracy in Canada. The report also provides some recommendations for the government to address these issues. Some of the recommendations include increasing and improving the coordination of government resources dedicated to IP enforcement and education, creating an IP border enforcement regime and enacting or amending legislation to address shortfalls in existing legislation (such as providing criminal sanctions in the Trade-marks Act).
This report is timely considering Warner Bros. Pictures Canada recent announcement (story here) that it is cancelling sneak preview screenings in Canada due to piracy in movie theatres. Apparently, the federal government plans to introduce movie piracy legislation in response to lobbying from Hollywood.
As well as infringing on the rights of IP owners, piracy and counterfeiting are costly to the Canadian economy and counterfeit goods can endanger consumers (e.g. counterfeit pharmaceuticals and car parts). Canada has often been placed on the United States Trade Representative’s Special 301 Watch List - an “honour” that I’m sure we would like to see not bestowed in the future. It will be interesting to monitor the government’s reaction to the CACN report and recommendations.
Posted in Legislation, Protection & Enforcement | 1 Comment »
8,500 Trademark Lawyers Under One Roof?
Monday, May 7th, 2007
As Michael Atkins of the Seattle Trademark Lawyer recently reported, the International Trademark Association (INTA) held its annual meeting in Chicago last week. More than 8,500 trademark professionals were under one very large roof of the McCormick Place Convention Centre. Authors from the Canadian Trademark Blog were also in attendance, running from meetings to receptions to educational sessions, from morning ’til (late) night and occasionally taking in some of the great sights of the Windy City, typically while taxiing from one venue to the next.
As well as a great opportunity to meet with those trademark professionals who do such a great job of protecting our client’s interests in other countries, it was interesting to see the home base of some very well known marks, such as WRIGLEY’S, OLD NAVY, SEARS and of course all the great sports teams such as the CUBS, WHITE SOX, BEARS, BULLS and BLACK HAWKS.
Not surprisingly, the issues highest on everyone’s radar relate to protection of trademark rights on the Internet, with the rapidly developing area of keyword advertising being a very hot topic.
Posted in Foreign Protection, Protection & Enforcement | No Comments »