Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulias, (1990) 34 F.T.R. 147 (TD)

JudgeMartin, J.
CourtFederal Court (Canada)
Case DateFebruary 09, 1990
JurisdictionCanada (Federal)
Citations(1990), 34 F.T.R. 147 (TD)

Westwind Inv. Ltd. v. Yannacoulias (1990), 34 F.T.R. 147 (TD)

MLB headnote and full text

Westwind Investments Ltd., in the City of Lethbridge, in the Province of Alberta, (applicant) v. George Yannacoulias and Tony Yannacoulias, of the City of Prince Albert, in the Province of Saskatchewan (respondents)

(T-1949-89)

Indexed As: Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulias

Federal Court of Canada

Trial Division

Martin, J.

March 15, 1990.

Summary:

Westwind Investments operated a pizza restaurant under the name "Harpo's Venice House". The Yannacoulias' owned the registered trademarks "Venice House", "Venice Pizza House" and "Venice House Gourmet". The Yannacoulias's also had pending two applications as also had pending two applications for "Venice House" trademark designs. Westwind applied to expunge the Yannacoulias' registered trademarks and for an order prohibiting the registration of the trademark designs.

The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, allowed Westwind's application in part. The court ordered that the three registered trademarks be expunged for loss of distinctiveness, but refused to prohibit registration of the trademark designs.

Trademarks, Names and Designs - Topic 703.2

Trademarks - Registration - Application - Prohibition - Westwind Investments operated a pizza restaurant under the name "Harpo's Venice House" - The Yannacoulias' applied to register a trademark design for "Venice House" - Westwind sought to prohibit the registration - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, refused to grant prohibition, noting that its jurisdiction to grant prohibition was discretionary and in the absence of any right to or claim for consequential relief the jurisdiction should not be exercised so as to short-circuit or oust the procedure for establishing entitlement for registration described by statute - See paragraph 30.

Trademarks, Names and Designs - Topic 889.1

Trademarks - Registration - Expungement - Grounds - Loss of distinctiveness - Westwind Investments operated a pizza restaurant under the name "Harpo's Venice House" - The Yannacoulias' owned the registered trademarks "Venice House", "Venice Pizza House", and "Venice House Gourmet" - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, ordered that the Yannacoulias' three registered trademarks be expunged, where the marks had lost their distinctiveness because they had been used for several years by more than one business - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Cases Noticed:

Cheerio Toys & Games Ltd. v. Dubiner (1965), 48 C.P.R. 226, dist. [paras. 16, 17].

Moore Dry Kiln Co. of Canada Ltd. v. U.S. Natural Resources Inc., 30 C.P.R.(2d) 40, refd to. [para. 28].

Chalet Bar B-Q (Canada) Inc. et al. v. Foodcorp Ltd., 66 C.P.R.(2d) 56, refd to. [para. 30].

Statutes Noticed:

Trade Marks Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. T-13, sect. 18(1)(b) [para. 29].

Counsel:

L. Ted Priel, Q.C., for the applicant;

Barry E. Wilcox, for the respondent.

Solicitors of Record:

Priel, Stevenson, Hood & Thornton, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, for the applicant;

Wilcox-MacLean, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, for the respondent.

This application was heard in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on February 9, 1990, before Martin, J., of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, who delivered the following decision on March 15, 1990.

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2 practice notes
  • Table of Cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Intellectual Property Law. Second Edition
    • June 15, 2011
    ...628 Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulias (1990), 30 C.P.R. (3d) 231, 34 F.T.R. 147 (T.D.) ...................................................................................... 466 Wham-O Manufacturing Co. v. Lincoln Industries Ltd., [1984] 1 N.Z.L.R. 641, [1985] R.P.C. 127 (C.A.) ..........
  • Fibergrid Inc. v. Precisioneering Ltd., (1991) 42 F.T.R. 114 (TD)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Federal Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 1991
    ...21]. Sarco Canada Ltd. v. Sarco Canada Inc., [1968] 2 Ex. C.R. 537, refd to. [para. 23]. Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulis (1990), 34 F.T.R. 147; 30 C.P.R.(3d) 231 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 23]. Breck's Sporting Goods Co. Ltd. v. Sportcam Co. Ltd. and Magder (1975), 3 N.R. 601; 17 ......
1 cases
  • Fibergrid Inc. v. Precisioneering Ltd., (1991) 42 F.T.R. 114 (TD)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Federal Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 1991
    ...21]. Sarco Canada Ltd. v. Sarco Canada Inc., [1968] 2 Ex. C.R. 537, refd to. [para. 23]. Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulis (1990), 34 F.T.R. 147; 30 C.P.R.(3d) 231 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 23]. Breck's Sporting Goods Co. Ltd. v. Sportcam Co. Ltd. and Magder (1975), 3 N.R. 601; 17 ......
1 books & journal articles
  • Table of Cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Intellectual Property Law. Second Edition
    • June 15, 2011
    ...628 Westwind Investments Ltd. v. Yannacoulias (1990), 30 C.P.R. (3d) 231, 34 F.T.R. 147 (T.D.) ...................................................................................... 466 Wham-O Manufacturing Co. v. Lincoln Industries Ltd., [1984] 1 N.Z.L.R. 641, [1985] R.P.C. 127 (C.A.) ..........

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