Canadian IP voices: Recent Episodes
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office
With hosts Lisa Desjardins (English) and Maya Urbanowicz (French). In line with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)’s mandate for intellectual property (IP) awareness and education, this podcast is dedicated to increasing awareness, knowledge and the effective use of IP by Canadians. Canadian IP voices is a podcast series where we discuss tips, tricks and issues, and understand the bigger picture on how trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs and trade secrets work in real life. Listen to real problems—and real solutions—explained by a range of IP professionals and stakeholders across Canada and abroad. Tune in each month for interviews and real life stories with special guests. Produced by CIPO.
Podcast disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcasts listed on this website are those of the individual podcasters and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CIPO.
David Bland, author of Testing Business Ideas, and Kevin Dahl, Director of ElevateIP Alberta at Innovate Calgary, explore how to better balance your business strategy with IP considerations. Consider gathering real evidence from customers before spending a fortune building the wrong product. Learn how to identify your riskiest business assumptions using practical frameworks and strategically structure your testing process to avoid accidentally disclosing or compromising your valuable IP.
Discover online:
- David J. Bland (davidjbland.com)
- Kevin Dahl, BComm - Innovate Calgary
- Business model canvas tool | BDC.ca
Facing an IP dispute? There are resolution options that don’t require going to court and the associated fees. Gary Lacasse, Executive Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC) and Justine Ferland, legal officer, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre, explore how alternative dispute resolution can help resolve conflicts and protect intellectual property. From mediation to arbitration, they discuss when these approaches make sense and how they help preserve time and business relationships.
Discover online:
- Alternative methods to resolve intellectual property disputes (canada.ca)
- ADR_Connect_Search (adric.ca)
- Find an IP Professional (ipic.ca)
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (wipo.int)
- Recommended WIPO Contract Clauses and Submission Agreements
- Alternative Dispute Resolution for IP Disputes: the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center’s Experience (ipic.ca)
The Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) is on a mission to help cleantech companies understand the value of their IP. Erin Pisko, Vice-President of IP Strategy at the IAC, uses real-world examples to show on which components of an IP strategy cleantech companies should focus. The IAC’s core programming provides a comprehensive suite of supports, including funding and skill-building to help increase patenting activity in the cleantech sector.
Explore online:
- Innovation Asset Collective
- Clean technology and intellectual property
- IP Central
How does ElevateIP help deliver IP support to businesses?
Laura Cooke (ISED), Louis-Félix Binette, and Lola Arnaud (MAIN) answer this important question and more. Hear about how to access funding and how support is structured to promote long-term growth for your company.
Note: This episode was recorded in 2023 and since then ElevateIP has been awarded new funding to continue delivering on their mission to help businesses build their IP strategies.
Explore online:
- Intellectual Property Strategy (canada.ca)
- List of recipients of ElevateIP (canada.ca)
- Funding and support programs for doing international business (tradecommissioner.gc.ca)
- NRC IRAP support for intellectual property - National Research Council Canada
Ken Poulin is an independent trademark agent based in Vancouver. He explains why IP protection should start before and not after market success. As a Black entrepreneur himself, he shares his insights on what it looks like to support underrepresented communities, the role of diversity in Canada's innovation landscape and why educating business owners about the value of IP requires patience, empathy and a personal approach.
Explore online:
- Black entrepreneurs and intellectual property
- IP Central
- IP resources and funding for entrepreneurs (canada.ca)
Vincent de Grandpré, lawyer and trademark agent at Bennett Jones and member of IPIC’s Committee for Indigenous IP explains the intersection between intellectual property law and the protection of Indigenous knowledge and cultural expressions.
Explore online:
- Indigenous peoples and intellectual property (canada.ca)
- Indigenous Bar Association
- Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (justice.gc.ca)
- Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ipic.ca)
Juda Strawczynski, CEO and Registrar of the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (CPATA) explains how CPATA regulates the IP agent profession, ensuring that patent agents and trademark agents deliver accessible, ethical and expert IP services in Canada.
Explore online:
- CPATA Public Register
- CPATA Code of Professional Conduct
Alan Gunderson, senior economist and coordinator at the Economic Analysis Directorate at the Competition Bureau explains the Bureau’s mandate and actions when it comes to intellectual property.
Explore online:
- Intellectual Property Enforcement Guidelines
David Arsenault, Atlantic Regional Manager for the Canada Revenue Agency's Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive Program, demystifies the parallel worlds of R&D and IP from an SR&ED tax incentive program perspective.
Explore online:
- SR&ED tax incentives
- Self-Assessment and Learning Tool
- SR&ED outreach program
- Request a free telephone consultation with an SR&ED specialist
- Income Tax Folio S3-F4-C1, General Discussion of Capital Cost Allowance
- Consultation Paper: Scientific Research and Experimental Development
- Consultation Paper: Creating a Patent Box Regime
Learn more about SR&ED eligibility guidelines:
- T4088 SR&ED Guide to Form T661
Grant Lynds, a senior advisor on IP matters from the IP Centre of Expertise, sheds light on the role of this group and how IP considerations are addressed in government funding agreements.
Explore online:
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office
- Intellectual Property Centre of Expertise
- College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents
- Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
Kiriakoula Hatzikiriakos, Manager-Senior Legal Counsel in the Commercial/International sector of Legal Affairs at the National Bank of Canada, explains the rules and challenges of using IP as a collateral for funding.
Explore online:
- BLOG | koulah
- Intellectual Property-Backed Financing | BDC.ca
Lawyer and IP expert Sylvain Roy discusses key considerations in IP valuation.
Explore online:
- Intellectual property valuation
- Valuing Intellectual Property Assets
Seasoned IP litigator, Elizabeth Dipchand, unravels the intricacies and importance of protecting unregistered intellectual assets, managing relationships, documenting agreements and navigating the nuanced landscape where registered and unregistered rights intersect.
Explore online:
- Protect new ideas and creations
- Prove who owns new ideas and creations
Daniel Lamarre, Executive Vice Chairman of the Board, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, explains the critical role IP played for Cirque du Soleil during the pandemic.
Explore online:
- Sample of the brands of the Cirque du Soleil
- Balancing Acts: Unleashing the Power of Creativity in Your Life and Work, by Daniel Lamarre
André Gallant, one of CIPO's IP advisors, talks about how IP advisors break myths and highlights opportunities and risks around IP and IP protection.
Explore online:
- Contact CIPO IP advisors
Anthony Dearden explains how the new unitary patent and Unified Patent Court in Europe will work and shares some key considerations for anyone applying for patents in Europe.
Explore online:
- Guide to the Unified Patent Court (UPC) | Gowling WLG
- Unitary Patent – European Patent Office
Dominique Lambert, Patent agent at Bereskin & Parr explains how the provisional patent in the US works and how to apply for patent protection abroad using the PCT.
Explore online: Provisional Application for Patent | USPTO (English only)
Louis Carbonneau, patent broker who evaluates hundreds of patents for clients each year shares some tips and tricks on where to spend the money to ensure you file for valuable IP rights.
Explore online:
Louis Carbonneau’s blog
(English only)
Guillaume Lavoie Ste-Marie, copyright, patent and trademark litigator and principal at Smart & Biggar in Montreal, talks about ChatGPT, intellectual property (IP) tips and traps that artificial intelligence (AI) users should be aware of before creating works with AI—and if using AI to answer IP questions is a good idea.
Robert Guay, director of IP at Shopify, shares some ideas and insights on how to think like a pro when it comes to patents.
Explore online:
- Plan for success – Build an IP strategy
Johanne Boivin, expert advisor at Point Cardinal and former CEO or Executive Vice-President shares her story how IP saved her business.
Explore online :
Learn about IP
Julie Jones and Raed AlHout explain how the FIFA head office in Switzerland and officials in Qatar protect FIFA IP assets before and during the World Cup.
Explore online:
FIFA Intellectual Property Guidelines
Martin Lacelle from Corporations Canada and lawyer James Plotkin clarify the differences between and importance of legal/trade/brand/domain names.
Explore online:
- Corporations Canada
- Incorporating in a specific province or territory
- Filing for a trademark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office
- Canadian Internet Registration Authority
Josée Pharand, Director of IP Programs and Policies at ventureLAB, explains how ventureLAB supports innovators and their IP in the Canadian innovation ecosystem. Tune in for a discussion about choosing between patents and trade secrets, and learn how many accelerators and incubators help companies grow without asking for any stake in their IP, equity or future revenues.
Discover online: https://www.venturelab.ca/news/intellectual-property-101
Brigitte Chan, lawyer and trademark agent discusses what the IP professionals are observing as real brands are going virtual in a fictional universe; the metaverse.
Discover online:
The IP Metaverse Series: Part I: Brands are Plugging in and Cashing in - Protecting Trademarks and Copyright in Virtual Goods and Services
Part II: IP Metaverse Series - Part II: Patent Considerations
The IP Metaverse Series -– Part II: Patent Considerations
Anthony Parker, Commissioner of the Plant Breeders' Rights Office within the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, explains the development of plant breeders' rights, how they are examined and how they function in Canada.
Explore online:
Plant Breeders' Rights... What are they?
Plant Breeders' Rights Office
Julie MacDonell, Co-founder and CEO of Haloo discusses the importance of trademarks and how artificial intelligence is used at Haloo to partially replace manual searching in the trademark registration application process.
Explore online:
Learn more about trademarks and what the rules are concerning what can and cannot be registered at
www.cipo.gc.ca/tm-guide
Mark Weber, director of Innovation and Partnerships at McGill University, explains why and how a university manages intellectual property.
Explore online:
McGill University’s Guide for Faculty Inventors
Jules Gaudin, of ROBIC, explains some of the pitfalls and best practices for users and providers of open source software.
Explore online:
Choosing a licence: Information on the most common open source licences, to help you decide on the best type of licence for your project.
Snyk: Tool to help you find and fix vulnerabilities in the code of your open source content.
Open source guides: Guides and information on open source topics like how to contribute to or launch an open source project and how to build an open source community.
Licence open source et bonnes pratiques: Webinar with lawyer Jules Gaudin (in French).
Artificial Intelligence experts and in-house counsels Paul Gagnon and Misha Benjamin talk about the rights and limitations of IP protection for data used in the creation of artificial intelligence systems.
Explore online: Towards Standardization of Data Licenses: The Montreal Data License, a scholarly paper providing a taxonomy for the licensing of data in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Nigel Russell, policy analyst and CyberSecure Canada advisor, explains the importance of understanding cyber security and the steps you can take to keep your digital intellectual property safe.
Explore online: CyberSecure Canada: How to get certified, e-learning modules, online self-assessment.
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security: Toolkits on cyber security, small business guides to cyber security, access to cyber security experts.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: Access to cybercrime police services, guidance on post-cyber crime recovery.
Beatrice Sze, patent examiner at CIPO, explains the cornerstones of patents and what you need to know if you’re considering filing a patent application.
Explore online: Learn more about patents.
Explore online: Learn about IP in our online Discover IP and use this checklist to explore the identify your own IP.
CIPO's IP advisors help SMEs and entrepreneurs understand the strategic value of their IP and can provide information and guidance for developing their business’s IP strategy.
James Leacock, Director of Royalty Collections at Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) explains how music composers and performers are paid and the steps to take to play music in online or in a business venue.
Explore online:
Visit SOCAN (collects/distributes royalties for music creators and visual artists)
Entandem (licensing of on-site music use)
Catherine Lemay, assistant general counsel-IP at Hexo reveals how various IP rights are used in an industry that was created over night and also things to consider if you have an invention you think may be worth something.
Explore online: Educate yourself about IP and how to use it effectively .
Marie-Claude Gagnon, patent examiner at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office explains the examination process and why it is important to disclose the right amount of information at the start of the application process.
Explore online: Find an IP Agent
. Work at CIPO
A copyright lawyer at Bereskin & Parr LLP explains some of the complexities of copyright and sharing content on social media as well as ways to minimize the risk of infringing someone else’s copyright.
Explore online: Learn more about copyright
Darpan Patel, technical illustrator and former patent draftsman, explains the work involved in creating illustrations of designs and inventions.
Explore online:
Search the patent database to view patents with illustrations
Lawyer Lorne Lipkus talks about the multi-faceted problems with pirate copies and what you can do to stop them. Professionals, parents and kids – we’re all involved.
Explore online:
Report illegal activities to Crimestoppers
or contact the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre
Lawyer and trademark agent Michael Shortt explains the IP rights and associated contracts that form the cornerstones in the videogaming industry and some of the related laws and rights that videogames should be aware of.
Explore online: Video and computer games industry blog posts and bulletins from Michael and colleagues.
To learn more about videogame publishing contracts, you can watch Mr. Shortt’s presentation on that topic.
Becky Illson-Skinner, senior program advisor and program and policy lead for the Intellectual Property Rights Program at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), explains how the CBSA helps IP rights holders stop counterfeit products at the Canadian border.
Explore online: File a request for assistance with the CBSA
Todd Bailey, Chief IP Officer at the Scale AI supercluster reflects on some of the challenges and solutions related to IP protection in Canada’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Explore online: Check out Todd’s blog IP without Jargon for some straight talk and steps on protecting IP
Mary Beth Westmoreland, Amazon's VP of Brand Protection, talks about what Amazon does to protect sellers and their IP against bad actors online and what new sellers need to know before they start selling their products online on amazon.ca.
Explore online:
Protect your IP in Amazon stores
Patent and trademark agent Louis Martineau explains what IP agents help their clients with and answers some of the most common questions he gets as he helps his clients file for IP protection.
Explore online:
Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
and
Meeting with an IP Professional