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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Trademarks

From a business perspective, it has been argued that trademarks are the most valuable form of intellectual property. They can be a combination of words, symbols and names, or just one of them. They can also be registered for each country, although some weight is given to established use. If a company has not registered its name but has used it for many years, that may be enough to prevent anyone else from using it, however, registration is the best protection. Trademarks are specific to certain wares, so it is possible for a restaurant, golf ball manufacturer and fruit juice brand to have the same registered name.

Like patents and copyright, a trademark gives the holder the right to prevent others from using the mark. Canadian trademarks last for 15-year terms, but may be reapplied upon term completion.

An interesting consequence of the World Wide Web relates to the use of domain names that contain registered trademarks, such as johndeere.com. While trademarks are country and ware specific, domain names are international and ubiquitous. There can be a different John Deere business in many countries, but only one johndeere.com therefore a complex area of intellectual property law is emerging about the use of ownership of domain names for business purposes.