Credit Management January February 2020

COUNTRY FOCUS
AUTHOR – Adam Bernstein
Patent Act, Trade-marks Act, Copyright Act,
and the Industrial Design Act.
In term of patents, Canada operates a
‘first to file’ policy where the first person to
register a patent wins the right to exploit the
application for a period of 20 years. Canada
is a signatory to numerous international
agreements in this area. Patents can only be
granted for new and novel applications and
so an application patented elsewhere in the
past will not be considered ‘new’ in Canada.
For trademarks, the mark must be entered
on the federal Trade-Marks Register; there
is no process for a province by province
registration. Marks last for 10 years and
can be indefinitely renewed upon payment
of the correct fee. Again, this operates on a
‘first to file’ system.
And regarding copyright, this can be
registered in Canada but is not obligatory
and lasts 50 years beyond the life of the
creator of the work.
Lastly, industrial designs must be
registered to benefit from legal protection.
If the design has been made public, the
creator has a 12-month window to register,
otherwise there is no time limit imposed.
The legislation affords an applicant the
right to the exclusive use of the design
for 10 years from the date of registration
or 15 years from the date of application,
whichever is later, subject to fees.
BUSINESS CULTURE
It won’t surprise many that business culture
in Canada is a blend of American, British,
and French civilities. While most Canadians
identify themselves very strongly with their
province, they do have respect for opinions,
equality, diversity and justice.
Once hierarchical, businesses are now
flatter structures, making research on
targets very important before engaging in
negotiations. Managers make decision, but
they often consult subordinates.
Punctuality is highly valued in Canada
and meeting times tend to adhere closely
to schedule, both in its start and duration.
Meetings tend to be more formal than in the
US, but small talk at the beginning of the
meeting is common.
Information from Santander suggests
that presentations should be short and
clear; facts and figures should back up
claims. And if an offer is of real interest, the
answer can come very quickly; agreements
are often only sealed by a handshake and a
written agreement, but a contract should
follow.
Greetings start with a handshake,
followed by introductions. But remembering
the strong French influence and the
individualism of those in Quebec, when
meeting with a French-Canadian colleague
of the opposite sex, a double cheek kiss, no
matter the level of familiarity, should be
expected. Counterparts should be addressed
by Mr or Mrs (or Monsieur or Madame), or
title, followed by the surname. As before,
Canadians are a polite nation so ‘please’
and ‘thank you’ won’t go amiss. That said,
conversation can be indirect. Santander,
again, suggests that francophones are more
likely to interrupt than anglophones.
Despite being close to the US, dress code is
expected to be formal, with sober-coloured
suits and dresses. In some industries such
as technology, dress can be more casual.
And when it comes to business cards, one
side should be in English and the other in
French. Cards should be handed over at the
beginning of the meeting; those received
should be looked at carefully before being
put away.
Canada is most definitely a country that
any firm should consider tapping into. With
so much going for it – resources, language,
stability – it really ought to be a natural
target.
Adam Bernstein is a freelance
business writer.
Château Frontenac, château-style
hotel in historic Old Québec, built
by the Canadian Pacific Railroad
Company in 1893 and designed by
American architect Bruce Price. The
Château Frontenac is an excellent
example of the grand hotels
developed by railway companies in
Canada in the late 1800s.
Advancing the credit profession / www.cicm.com / January/February 2020 / PAGE 33