American retailers have sued the province of Quebec for language laws. The province is insisting that the six American retailers; Walmart, Best Buy, Old Navy, Guess, Gap, and Costco; add French to their global trademarks, but the retailers are claiming it will make them lose their brand identity. The lawsuit was filed on October 9 and will be heard by a Superior Court judge.  (Source canadiangrocer.com)

Target poised to steal significant share from Canadian retailers. In a partnership with TNS Canada, Kantar Retail asked over 1,000 Canadians about their shopping habits. The study found that 3/4 of Canadians were aware of Target Canada and just less than 50% indicated that they were "likely" to shop there.  (Source canadiangrocer.com)

The Canadian Booksellers Association decides to "explore becoming a division" of the Retail Council of Canada. The decision came at the group's annual general meeting in Toronto last Thursday. According to Vice President Christopher Smith, until an official communication has been sent out to members that weren't in attendance, board members can't say any more on the matter.  (Source publishersweekly.com)

It's time to give Canadian border agents the power to seize counterfeit goods Canada is one of the only countries in the world right now that does not allow its border patrol that ex officio power. And Canada's Canada Goose company is helping lead the charge for their Parliament to tighten the borders and strengthen the counterfeiting laws. As their jackets have been targeted by counterfeiters and may indeed be filling these world-wide popular coats with bird parts, feces, and with feather mulch, so that could be anything on the factory floor, from dust to feathers to bird parts. The Office of the United States Trade Representative, in a special report last year, makes the same recommendation, saying "Canada should provide its Customs officials with ex officio authority to effectively stop the transit of counterfeit...products through its territory." (Source canada.com)

Canada Goose wins landmark counterfeit case. A Swedish court has awarded outwear maker Canada Goose more than $100,000 in damages and convicted five people of selling fake coats. The District Court of Stockholm found five individuals guilty of felony fraud, trademark infringement and customs offences. Two defendants were sentenced to time in prison. The Swedish nationals used aliases and a fake business name to sell thousands of counterfeit Canada Goose jackets in Sweden between 2009 and 2012. Purchased in Thailand, the coats had inferior fabric and used raccoon dog fur instead of coyote around the hoods. (Source ctvnews.ca)

Ottawa, Canada man facing 21 charges after string of retail robberies Police said the charges stem from four fast food restaurant or retail food business robberies in Ottawa’s south end. The incidents happened at Billings Bridge Mall. (Source ctvnews.com)


Aspiring journalist teen arrested for filming security apprehension at Metrotown Mall. Jakub Markiewicz, 16, felt his rights were violated when the security guard asked him to delete the picture. Markiewicz couldn’t because it was a film camera. RCMP and Mall Security arrested Markiewicz, but never formally charged him. He was told he was being arrested for causing a disturbance. Markiewicz has been banned from the mall for 6 months. (Source cbc.ca)