I support Max's concept. Intellectual property must not be confused with traditional knowledge. Right now, we have no legislation protecting traditional knowledge and it's being confused with intellectual property.
Here is a quick little synopsis of the difference.
Intellectual property, as you know, protects an individual or an entity for a specific period of time for a product that they've developed. The sweat equity and all the capital that went into that, they get a chance to make their money back, so it's a specific individual or organization for a specific period of time for a specific product.
In comparison, with respect to traditional knowledge, there is no specific person. It started from time immemorial and there is no end. It goes on for perpetuity and it's owned collectively by the nation. I use the example of the Cowichan sweater. There have been various attempts to copy the Cowichan sweater through various companies internationally. It's the capacity for the Cowichan people to protect their property right in that traditional knowledge because it's not just the sweater and it's not just the design, but it's the stories behind it. It's the lore and the legends that go with each of those patterns, so traditional knowledge means a lot to indigenous people.