The Supreme Court of Canada issued its decision today in Douez v. Facebook, Inc., in which the majority, in a split decision, allowed the appeal and held that the forum selection clause should not be enforced. The plaintiff sought certification for a class action against Facebook alleging the company used her name and likeness without consent for the purposes of advertising, contrary to BC’s Privacy Act. A forum selection clause in the terms of use required disputes to be resolved in California under California law.
Also today, the Supreme Court announced it would release its decision next week in Google Inc. v. Equustek Solutions Inc. et al. on extraterritorial injunctions. Continue reading Forum Selection Clauses→
Judges were appointed to the courts in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and the Federal Courts. John Laskin of Torys was appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal and William Pentney, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada, was appointed a judge of the Federal Court.
Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Matal v. Tam where the US Patent and Trademark Office had denied an application for “The Slants” under a Lanham Act provision prohibiting the registration of trademarks that may “disparage . . . or bring . . . into contemp[t] or disrepute” any “persons, living or dead.” The court held that the disparagement clause violates the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause. (link)
Proposed regulatory amendments to the Trade-marks Regulations and the Industrial Design Regulations have been published. Consultations are being considered through to mid-July. These changes include substantive changes to implement Madrid Protocol, Singapore Treaty and Nice Agreement for trademarks and Hague Agreement for industrial designs. Continue reading Consultation→
Canadian Intellectual Property
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