CANADA IS ON USA PRIORITY WATCH LIST

   Vancouver Sun:  The United States on Friday added Canada to a priority watch list of countries that it says have failed to enforce intellectual property rights, citing concerns over poor border control and pharmaceutical practices.
     The Office of the United States Trade Representative moved Canada from its watch list to its priority watch list, which includes 11 other countries including China, India and Russia.
     In a news release, the office criticized Canada for “failing to make progress on overcoming important IP enforcement challenges” such as border enforcement, particularly when it comes to inspecting or detaining counterfeit or pirated goods shipped through Canada.
     It also cited procedures related to pharmaceuticals, copyright protection, and inadequate transparency regarding the protection of indications of origin.