Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
www.tbs-sct.gc.ca
Legal Protection (international)
These technical specifications (T-110) detail the legal protection of the official symbols of the Government of Canada in international activities. Consult your Federal Identity Program coordinator for more information.
Figure T-110: Official government symbols: Arms of Canada as revised in 1994, Emblem of the Office of the Governor General of Canada, National Flag of Canada, 11-point maple leaf, stylized version of the Arms of Canada (1994), flag symbol, Government of Canada signature (official mark), and Canada Wordmark (official mark). (View larger version of figure T-110)
International agreements
Official symbols are protected under a number of international agreements including the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (Article 6ter) and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
Article 6ter of the Paris Convention protects the official emblems of the states that are party to the Paris Convention and extends to armorial bearings, flags, other emblems, abbreviations and names of international intergovernmental organizations. All countries that are signatories to the Paris Convention (WIPO Circular No. 7401) have accepted the above illustrations as Canada's Armorial Bearings, National Flag and emblems of the Government of Canada.
The Government of Canada makes no claims nor imposes any general restrictions on the name "Canada" for trade-mark purposes, commercial use or otherwise.
Requests and complaints
All requests and complaints about using Canada's official symbols outside Canada are directed to:
Intellectual Property Trade Policy Division
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
111 Sussex DR
Ottawa ON K1N 1J1
Canada
tmi@international.gc.ca
Questions about using the official symbols of the Government of Canada (the Arms of Canada, flag symbol, Government of Canada signature and Canada Wordmark) are forwarded to:
Federal Identity Program
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
300 Laurier AVE W
Ottawa ON K1A 0R5
Canada
information@fip-pcim.gc.ca
Questions about the National Flag of Canada or the 11-point maple leaf are forwarded to:
State Ceremonial and Protocol Directorate
Department of Canadian Heritage
25 Eddy Street, 11th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 0M5
Canada
Symbols@pch.gc.ca
Questions about the Emblem of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General are forwarded to:
Chancellery of Honours
1 Sussex DR
Ottawa ON K1A 0A1
Canada
info@gg.ca
Related information
- FIP Policy
- FIP Manual - 1.1 Design: Symbols, typography signatures, colour
- Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
Note: If there is a discrepancy between an official Treasury Board policy instrument and information on this Web page, the Treasury Board policy or standard prevails.
