International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners Inc. v. Canadian Institute of Financial Planning, (1993) 63 F.T.R. 29 (TD)

• Judge: Joyal, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: April 27, 1993
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1993), 63 F.T.R. 29 (TD)

Bd. of Standards v. Financial Planning (1993), 63 F.T.R. 29 (TD)

MLB headnote and full text

International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners Inc. (appellant) v. The Canadian Institute of Financial Planning and the Registrar of Trademarks (respondents)

(T-1838-91)

Indexed As: International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners Inc. v. Canadian Institute of Financial Planning

Federal Court of Canada

Trial Division

Joyal, J.

April 27, 1993.

Summary:

The Registrar of Trademarks expunged the trademark CFP (certified financial planner) for nonuse in Canada. The assignee of the mark appealed.

The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Divi­sion, allowed the appeal.

Trademarks, Names and Designs - Topic 889

Trademarks - Registration - Expungement - Grounds - Lack of use - The College for Financial Planning, offered courses for financial planning professionals - The College registered the trademark CFP (certified financial planner) - The College assigned the trademark to the International Board (the governing body established to oversee standards and practices) - The College continued to use the trademark, but inadvertently failed to become recorded as a registered user - The Regis­trar of Trademarks expunged the trademark - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, allowed the appeal - The failure to become recorded as a registered user was a special circumstance under s. 45(3) of the Trade-marks Act that excused the absence of use by the owner.

Cases Noticed:

Saks & Co. v. Registrar of Trademarks (1989), 25 F.T.R. 65; 24 C.P.R.(3d) 49 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 29].

88766 Canada Inc. v. Weston (George) Ltd. (1987), 12 F.T.R. 26; 15 C.P.R.(3d) 260 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 30].

Noxzema Chemical Co. of Canada Ltd. v. Sheran Manufacturing Ltd. et al., 55 C.P.R. 147 (Ex. Ct.), refd to. [para. 32].

Wolfville Holland Bakery Ltd. v. Registrar of Trademarks (1964), 42 C.P.R. 88 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 35].

Weston (George) Ltd. v. Sterling and Affiliates (1984), 3 C.P.R.(3d) 528 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 36].

Keepsake Inc. v. Prestons Ltd. (1983), 69 C.P.R.(2d) 50 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 39].

Aerosol Fillers Inc. v. Plough (Canada) Ltd., [1980] 2 F.C. 338 (T.D.); [1981] 1 F.C. 679 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 39].

Lindy v. Registrar of Trademarks, [1982] 1 F.C. 241; 57 C.P.R.(2d) 127 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 39].

Coscelebre Inc. v. Registrar of Trademarks et al. (1991), 42 F.T.R. 127; 35 C.P.R.(3d) 74 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 40].

Knightley v. Registrar of Trademarks et al. (1982), 65 C.P.R.(2d) 36 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 40].

Morris (Philip) Inc. v. Imperial Tobacco Ltd. (1987), 8 F.T.R. 310; 13 C.P.R.(3d) 289 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 40].

Philip Morris Inc. - see Morris (Philip) Inc.

Meredith & Finlayson v. Berg Equipment Co. (Canada) Ltd. et al. - see Meredith & Finlayson v. Registrar of Trademarks et al.

Meredith & Finlayson v. Registrar of Trademarks et al. (1992), 55 F.T.R. 241; 43 C.P.R.(3d) 473 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 40].

Porter v. Don the Beachcomber (1966), 48 C.P.R. 280 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 41].

Molson Companies Ltd. v. Adams (Thomas) Distillers Ltd. (1987), 14 C.P.R.(3d) 564 (Bd.), refd to. [para. 42].

Molson Companies Ltd. v. Halter (1976), 28 C.P.R.(2d) 158 (F.C.), refd to. [para. 43].

McCabe v. Yamomoto & Co. (America) Inc. et al., [1989] 3 F.C 290; 25 F.T.R. 186 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 59].

Argenti Inc. v. Exode Importations Inc. (1986), 8 C.P.R.(3d) 174 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 59].

Wilhelm Layer GmbH v. Anthes Industries Ltd. (1986), 1 F.T.R. 82; 8 C.P.R. 187 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 59].

Statutes Noticed:

Trade-marks Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. T-13, sect. 45 [para. 6]; sect. 56 [para. 10].

Counsel:

Glen Tremblay and Marc Gallie, for the appellant;

Rose-Marie Perry, for the respondent.

Solicitors of Record:

Smart and Biggar, Ottawa, Ontario, for the appellant;

Gowling Strathy and Henderson, Ottawa, Ontario, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard before Joyal, J., of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, who delivered the following judgment on April 27, 1993.