Canadian Olympic Committee Tries To Trademark Lyric From National Anthem

from the now-that's-chutzpah dept

Mon, Sep 29th 2008 8:35am — Mike Masnick

We were just talking about how the UK had granted all sorts of extraordinary trademark rights to the Olympics for the 2012 games, but the same is true in Canada. Last year, we had reported on similar special trademark rights given to the Olympics for the games in Vancouver in 2010. However, now the Canadian Olympic Committee is taking it to another level. Reader Michael_S alerts us to the news that the Olympic Committee is trying to trademark a line from the Canadian national anthem, "O, Canada." Specifically, it's applying for a trademark on "with glowing hearts," which comes from the song's lyric: "With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the true North strong and free." Even more ridiculous is the list of products that the Olympic Committee claims its trademark would cover: "laundry bleach, diesel fuel, dietary supplements, key chains, belt buckles knapsacks, bobble-head dolls, bathrobes, edible fats and beer." Is the Olympic committee planning to sell diesel fuel under the brand "with glowing hearts"?

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Filed Under: canada, national anthem, olympics, trademark

17 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2008 @ 8:54am

Edible fats? WTF?
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:00am

nothing says glowing (then exploding) hearts like edible fats
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Edible Fats & Beer, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:12am

Don't let your hearts glow
And if your heart really does glow you'll be sued by the Olympic committee.
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PRMan, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:23am

Maybe Canadians can protest...
Maybe Canadians can protest by singing the National Anthem this way...

"With Olympic Trademark we see thee rise, the true North strong and free..."
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TW Burger, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:26am

Nothing Strong or free here
The Olympic Committee's attempt to trademark a line from the Canadian national anthem, is beyond dispicable. Up until now I supported the games (being a Vancouver native). Now I am too disgusted.

I thought the point of a national anthem was too celibrate in song the freedom and security that national unity gives us. Allowing this trademark would give a corporation control of all Canadians' right to express patriotism.
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Dave, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:36am

Let me understand this...
They want to copyright a section of something that has been released into the public domain?

Is that even possible?
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Dan, 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:47am

Re: Let me understand this...
Trademark is different than copyright
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Killer_Tofu (profile), 29 Sep 2008 @ 9:47am

Re: Let me understand this...
Not really.
They want to trademark it, not copyright.
So yes, it technically is possible.
However, incredily stupid.
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Vincent Clement, 29 Sep 2008 @ 10:36am

Hmmmmm
laundry bleach, diesel fuel, dietary supplements, key chains, belt buckles knapsacks, bobble-head dolls, bathrobes, edible fats and beer

Looks like the sponsors are being taken care off. Somewhere in the mix is a sporting event.
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Chris, 29 Sep 2008 @ 11:11am

Soooo......
ET is no longer welcome in Canada? Will the movie have to pulled?? Elliottt!!!
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MBraedley (profile), 29 Sep 2008 @ 11:41am

This isn't all
Not only are they trying trademark some of the English lyrics, but also a line in the French lyrics, whose rough translation is something like "the more brilliant deeds" (the literal translation uses exploits). As a Canadian, I am not at all happy that my national anthem is being trademarked, even for the Olympics.
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Valkor, 29 Sep 2008 @ 12:15pm

Re:
Nothin' says Lovin' like Glowing Hearts Edible Fats! (TM)
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Jim, 29 Sep 2008 @ 1:06pm

My heart is no longer glowing.
By my accounts if this is allowed I can hardly see how we could say "With glowing hearts" we are strong or free.
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Hurl, 29 Sep 2008 @ 2:46pm

I'm assuming they had to trademark with glowing hearts for the edible fat and beer sponsor since it was the only symbolic thing they could find that rhymed with blowing farts.

Sorry, tough day, I needed 30 seconds of being 12.
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Mike, 29 Sep 2008 @ 3:48pm

This did pass, and part of the anthem is now trademarked. The official explanation from John Furlong is to "protect" people from "unauthorized" materials (ie. a coffee cup with the Olympic rings and the phrase "with glowing hearts") No, it does not make any sense to me either. This is the same John Furlong who tried shut down Olympic Pizza in 2006.
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Dustin, 30 Sep 2008 @ 8:12am

Whenever anyone asks why I refuse to watch the Olympics I just point them to stories like this. Luckily (for me) the various "Olympic" committees seem intent on making sure I never run out of fresh examples.
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Carlita, 18 Feb 2009 @ 5:59pm

Aw, what the heck...
Let them have it. The Olympic Committee obviously need all the hard cash they can get their fists on to fund those international trips and fancy stipends, etc. We'll just sing "With noisy farts..." instead, eh?
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