Canadian Lawyer InHouse

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 28 INHOUSE exists," says Stewart who indicates TGOD, based in Mississauga, Ont. will be focus- ing signifi cant efforts and resources on re- search and development, seeking to develop novel strains, product delivery systems and formulations as well as breeding and culti- vation techniques to optimize plant health and yield. "Ensuring we maximize the protections available at law for our proprietary data and discoveries will be of utmost importance, and our biggest challenge will be in imple- menting a comprehensive multi-jurisdic- tional IP strategy that engages all the forms of IP protection available and in the right mix for our unique brand of organic canna- bis products," she says. Stewart is also aware that the Trademark Act coming into force could require added at- tention. "We have been working on register- ing our trademarks under the existing regime to benefi t from the 15-year term, which will be reduced to 10 years for registrations fol- lowing the coming into force of the new Act." With the elimination of the "use" require- ment, TGOD also wants to ensure its marks are protected and not vulnerable to trademark squatters, which may become an issue under the new regime. "While there are some ben- efi ts to registration prior to the coming into force date of the new Act, there will be some effi ciencies and simplicity gained by Cana- da's adoption of the Madrid Protocol, which will streamline the application process across a number of jurisdictions and will be benefi - cial to TGOD as we continue to grow our international footprint," she says. For Melissa Reiter, director, legal and pri- vacy offi cer at travel company G Adventures, the focus will be paying close attention to the proposed changes to the Trademarks Act, ex- pected to come into force in June of 2019. "From our logos and branding to our unique trip itineraries — these make up a big part of the value of our business and we want to make sure we are ready for the changes and fully understand any changes we will need to make to internal processes before they take effect," says Reiter. Some of the changes are signifi cant, she says. "For example; Canada joining the Ma- drid protocol, changes to trademark classifi - cations and changes to the use requirements for trademarks which will be an adjustment for us and other businesses." Reiter works witih outside counsel on its trademarks registrations, and says she will be looking for advise on how to improve G Adventures' internal processes to corre- spond with the changes. "We do business in jurisdictions that are already part of the Madrid Protocol, but there will be nuances and unique elements to the Canadian process that we would not want to approach without the specialized Canada joining the Madrid protocol, changes to trademark classifi cations and changes to the use requirements for trademarks which will be an adjustment for us and other businesses. MELISSA REITER, G Adventures. © 2018 Thomson Reuters Canada Limited 00250QW-91913-CE Elise practised at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and Torys LLP. OUR QUALITY STARTS WITH OUR PEOPLE Now her job is to make you better at yours. Practical Law Canada provides legal know-how that gives lawyers a better starting point. Our expert team of lawyer-editors creates and maintains thousands of up-to-date, practical resources across all major practice areas. We go beyond primary law and traditional legal research to give you the resources needed to practise more effi ciently, improve client services, and add more value. REQUEST A FREE TRIAL TODAY 1-844-717-4488 | thomsonreuters.ca/practicallawcanada Untitled-9 1 2019-01-03 4:18 PM

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