Intellectual property is the lifeblood of today’s knowledge-based economy. It underpins economic prosperity as the currency of greatest value in today’s global world. The problem is, many don’t respect or appreciate it, and that puts the wealth of countries like Canada at risk.
Protecting intellectual property (IP) is not just about blocking cyberattacks, cracking down on counterfeiting, and illegal downloads. It’s also about creating an environment where innovative companies are confident about growing their businesses in Canada, and can get the investors they need to do it.
IP (patents, trademarks, copyrights) is everywhere. It is behind everything that we use—applied know-how in cars, computers, and medicines, not to mention the arts.
But IP’s intangible nature can make stealing it seem innocent or trivial. After all, it’s not like stealing a car. Copying a computer game or illegally downloading a movie doesn’t seem like stealing, because the product is still out there for others to use.
The public needs a greater appreciation of IP, and that is a necessary component of its protection, say experts.
Trailing the Pack
Canada is often seen as laggard in protecting IP rights.
“In Canada, I think we sort of think about intellectual property violations as a little bit like driving 10 over on the 401. Everybody does it. … It’s a little copying, it’s a little sharing,” said Laura Dawson at an IP panel discussion held by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa in June.
Dawson, emeritus advisor of cross-border trade consulting firm Dawson Strategic, argues there’s a very strong case between quality of IP protection and economic activity.
“We [Canada] upgraded our intellectual property protection in the late 80s and early 90s and saw a 1,500 percent increase in investment in the pharmaceutical sector,” said Dawson, referring to the 1987 and 1992 improvements to Canada’s Patent Act.
