Trademarks Act

Marginal note:Sale, etc., of goods

• 51.01 (1) Every person commits an offence who sells or offers for sale, or distributes on a commercial scale, any goods in association with a trademark, if that sale or distribution is or would be contrary to section 19 or 20 and the person knows that

  • (a) the trademark is identical to, or cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from, a trademark registered for such goods; and

  • (b) the owner of that registered trademark has not consented to the sale, offering for sale, or distribution of the goods in association with the trademark.

  • (c) [Deleted]

• Marginal note:Manufacture, etc., of goods

  (2) Every person commits an offence who manufactures, causes to be manufactured, possesses, imports, exports or attempts to export any goods, for the purpose of their sale or of their distribution on a commercial scale, if that sale or distribution would be contrary to section 19 or 20 and the person knows that

  • (a) the goods bear a trademark that is identical to, or that cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from, a trademark registered for such goods; and

  • (b) the owner of that registered trademark has not consented to having the goods bear the trademark.

  • (c) [Deleted]

• Marginal note:Services

  (3) Every person commits an offence who sells or advertises services in association with a trademark, if that sale or advertisement is contrary to section 19 or 20 and the person knows that

  • (a) the trademark is identical to, or cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from, a registered trademark registered for such services; and

  • (b) the owner of the registered trademark has not consented to the sale or advertisement in association with the trademark.

  • (c) [Deleted]

• Marginal note:Labels or packaging

  (4) Every person commits an offence who manufactures, causes to be manufactured, possesses, imports, exports or attempts to export any label or packaging, in any form, for the purpose of its sale or of its distribution on a commercial scale or for the purpose of the sale, distribution on a commercial scale or advertisement of goods or services in association with it, if that sale, distribution or advertisement would be contrary to section 19 or 20 and the person knows that

  • (a) the label or packaging bears a trademark that is identical to, or that cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from, a registered trademark;

  • (b) the label or packaging is intended to be associated with goods or services for which that registered trademark is registered; and

  • (c) the owner of that registered trademark has not consented to having the label or packaging bear the trademark.

  • (d) [Deleted]

• Marginal note:Trafficking in labels or packaging

  (5) Every person commits an offence who sells or offers for sale, or distributes on a commercial scale, any label or packaging, in any form, if the sale, distribution or advertisement of goods or services in association with the label or packaging would be contrary to section 19 or 20 and the person knows that

  • (a) the label or packaging bears a trademark that is identical to, or that cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from, a registered trademark;

  • (b) the label or packaging is intended to be associated with goods or services for which that registered trademark is registered;

  • (c) the owner of that registered trademark has not consented to having the label or packaging bear the trademark.

• Marginal note:Registration of trademark

  (5.1) In a prosecution for an offence under any of subsections (1) to (5), it is not necessary for the prosecutor to prove that the accused knew that the trademark was registered.

• Marginal note:Punishment

  (6) Every person who commits an offence under any of subsections (1) to (5) is liable

  • (a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years or to both; or

  • (b) on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $25,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months or to both.

• Marginal note:Limitation Period

  (7) Proceedings by way of summary conviction for an offence under this section may be instituted no later than two years after the day on which the subject-matter of the proceedings arose.

• Marginal note:Disposition order

  (8) The court before which any proceedings for an offence under this section are taken may, on a finding of guilt, order that any goods, labels, or packaging in respect of which the offence was committed, any advertising materials relating to those goods and any equipment used to manufacture those goods, labels or packaging be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (9) Before making an order for the destruction or other disposition of equipment under subsection (8), the court shall require that notice be given to the owner of the equipment and to any other person who, in the opinion of the court, appears to have a right or interest in the equipment, unless the court is of the opinion that the interests of justice do not require that the notice be given.