Part of what makes studying the creative arts from a legal perspective so fascinating is the diversity of forms that art takes, and the ways in which law is sometimes underprepared to deal with issues brought forward through art. A classic instance of this problem is the case of Rick Gibson, a Canadian artist who […]
Global Health Challenges and the Role of Law: the 2012 National Health Law Conference: May 4 & 5, 2012; Metropolitan Hotel; Toronto. For the final program and registration, go to: http://nhlc2012.ca/. Legal scholars, lawyers, and human rights advocates are often prone to believe that global health and human rights issues can be best addressed through law […]
The current copyright statute in Ireland is the Copyright & Related Rights Act 2000. It was changed (a little) to bring Irish law into line with the EU Copyright Directive (2001), but not much has happened since. But following a promise in the coalition agreement after the 2011 general election, a Copyright Review Committee (chaired […]
Three years ago, the Federal Court announced a plan to try to schedule trials within two years of the commencement of the proceeding. Since that time, many new patent cases have been commenced and some trials have been scheduled and heard. Has the court met its goals for patent infringement actions? In Canada, most patent […]
The Canadian government and European Union (EU) are currently negotiating a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). A key issue has been ensuring that Canadian intellectual property rights for pharmaceutical products are brought in line with EU standards. It appears that the EU believes Canada’s legal regime regulating the approval of drugs does not provide […]
In a move with far reaching implications for the debates around pharmaceutical patents, innovation and access to medicines, the Indian patent office issued its first ever compulsory licence in the post TRIPS era. While health activists, generic manufacturers and several academics lauded the decision, the multinational pharmaceutical industry was up in arms.
In view of the recent Federal Court Order, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) will now accept applications for sound marks. This groundbreaking decision arises in recognition of the nearly nineteen year legal conflict with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) whom, after an appeal of a CIPO decision in 2010, have now acquired the right to trade-mark […]
Each year, IP Osgoode awards prizes for contributions to our website by students of Osgoode Hall Law School. These Prizes are generously sponsored by the law firm of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. All blogs submitted by Osgoode students (except IPilogue editors), that are published on the website, are also eligible to be considered for the Gowlings […]
Professor Ysolde Gendreau from the Faculty of Law at the University of Montreal wrote an interesting opinion piece for the Montreal Gazette last week. The piece canvasses the history of the Copyright Act, and draws an analogy between the current debate and a similar reform process that took place in the 1950s. In her article, […]
On February 21, 2012, Judge Perell of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted certification for a proposed class action suit under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. C.6 against Thomson Reuters Canada Limited in Waldman v Thomson Reuters Corporation. The suit was launched by Mr. Lorne Waldman, an Ontario lawyer specializing in […]