snIP/ITs Insights on Canadian Technology and Intellectual Property Law

Monthly Archives: May 2012

Originality and Cartoon Characters – Supreme Court to Hear Cinar/Robinson Copyright Cases

By Barry Sookman on Posted in Copyright

The Supreme Court recently granted leave to appeal in four copyright cases arising from the decision of the Quebec Court of Appeal in the France Animation v. Robinson, 2011 QCCA 1361 case. Robinson alleged that Cinar’s cartoon Robinson Sucroë was a copy of his own work Robinson Curiosité. The trial judge found infringement and the… → Read More

OIPC Cloud Computing Guidelines for BC Public Bodies

By David Crane on Posted in Contracting/Outsourcing, Privacy, Regulatory Compliance

Recently, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia published cloud computing guidelines for public bodies in British Columbia. The purpose of the guidelines is to provide information to public bodies about how BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (BC FIPPA) applies to cloud computing. What is Cloud Computing?… → Read More

Tips for Tech Companies Looking to Be Acquired

By Troy Lehman on Posted in M&A/Finance

In the organised chaos of running a business, many issues naturally get overlooked until an acquisition is on the table. Stopping for a moment in the early stages to think through deal strategy, due diligence and the acquirer’s needs, saves costs and gets the deal closed. At a recent McCarthy Tétrault seminar, “Are You Ready to… → Read More

Responding to Canadian Patent Office Objections: Breadth of Claims

By Lisa Melanson on Posted in Intellectual Property, Patents

This is part of a series of posts reviewing common Canadian Patent Office objections to patent applications and claimed inventions and providing some insight into how these objections may be addressed. The Objection In a standard objection, the patent examiner asserts that the claims do not comply with section 84 of the Patent Rules because… → Read More