Industry committee  You can. Now, whether you will be successful.... But it can be used as a strategy to extort money from the businesses. Then what the business owner has to do is say, “I know this person hasn't used, but now I have to go to the trouble of expunging that registration or paying them

Industry committee  Generally, yes—

Industry committee  Right. Again, we saw this in the domain name world. This was all foreshadowed by the domain name world, where cybersquatters came along and they then used those domain names to extort some legitimate businesses.

Industry committee  No, that's not correct.

Industry committee  No, it's required for domestic, yes.

Industry committee  Yes.

Industry committee  Yes.

Industry committee  And provide a specimen.

Industry committee  Well, let's look at it because the systems are very similar at the moment. At the moment for a Canadian trademark application, if the mark has been used, the owner must indicate that it has been used and provide a date of use. The only difference is that we don't provide specimen

Industry committee  That's right.

Industry committee  That's correct. The bill does maintain some aspects of use, but I will say this. Many countries, Europe and the European Union included, did away with use, but I am aware that there may be considerations ongoing at the moment to implement again a requirement to use.

Industry committee  Well, no, not entirely, because what's happening is that registration can be obtained without having to file a declaration of use, yes, but what that does is give someone the right to sue for infringement and passing off. In an infringement scenario, there's no requirement, then,

Industry committee  No. Sorry.

Industry committee  They don't require the elimination of a requirement to declare use.

Industry committee  That's right. The suggestion would be to hive off at least these sections, if not the whole division, for greater consultation.