Evidence of meeting #39 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site.) The winning word was amendment.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:45 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
In the next omnibus bill, just in case we get it wrong, we've got another omnibus coming in six months.
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Conservative
9:45 p.m.
Conservative
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
There will be a regulatory process. Much of this needs to be implemented in regulation. CIPO will be taking steps to develop office policies on many of the practices, and we intend to fully engage with stakeholders on that process.
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Conservative
9:45 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Somebody here is blowing smoke, and I don't know who. I dare say my colleagues across the way have no idea, but they've got their voting sheets and they're supposed to do what they're supposed to do.
Who benefits from these proposals?
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
Canadian businesses benefit, absolutely, for certain.
9:45 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Canadian businesses are saying they don't benefit. So, who benefits if they say they don't? Surely to goodness it's their right to say that they don't?
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
I maintain that Canadian businesses will see benefits from this process.
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Paul Halucha
Absolutely.
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Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
So Giant Tiger doesn't know what they're talking about and Pepsi doesn't know what it's talking about and Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating doesn't know what it's talking about. The CBA, ABA, and all the ones that Nathan mentioned as well don't know what they're talking about?
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
Let me give you two examples. Right now, to do a trademark application the cost is roughly about $4,000. After this, the only fee that will remain will be the actual application process with CIPO, which is $450. A firm can do that now without having to go to.... They can go to a lawyer or they cannot go to a lawyer. If they make the decision that they don't want to, they can do that. That's a savings.
In the instances where companies are exporting, so they're seeking to protect their intellectual property in foreign markets, the maintenance of a package of trademarks will be significantly reduced. It's not me saying this, this is the International Trademark Association that said that a trademark owner wishing to register a mark in the U.S. plus 10 other countries is going to save more than 62% in total fees. So there are significant reductions—
9:45 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Halucha, I've been here 17 years and I don't think I've ever heard the Canadian Chamber of Commerce come to this committee or any other and say please tax me and keep my fees up there. It just stretches credulity. I think around 10 o'clock at night it's maybe stretching a few other things as well.
You make the claim that you're going to reduce the fees from $4,000 to $400, and these people are saying, don't change it, don't touch it. Why is it that you know better than they do and they're the ones who are going to be paying the fees?
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
Again, I would point not to me.
I got this question at the Senate committee as well. My suggestion there was to look at what has happened in the other jurisdictions that have joined these protocols.
9:45 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
I'm sure the Canadian Bar Association has looked at these other jurisdictions, and they've said they don't like it.
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
In a number of these—
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Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
You say you've had specific consultations. Well, the Canadian Bar Association says there haven't been any.
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Paul Halucha
Well, if you go to a—
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Liberal
9:45 p.m.
Paul Halucha
If you look on CIPO's website, the consultation documents are all there.
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Liberal
9:45 p.m.
Chairperson, Trade-marks Opposition Board, Department of Industry
I believe they did comment.
I can't remember what year it was, but you will find them in either the 2005 or the 2010 consultations.
