VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 8, 2017 / CIBT Education Group Inc. ("CIBT" or the "Company") (TSX: MBA, OTCQX: MBAIF) reports that its subsidiary Global Education City Management Corp. (GEC), has this week commenced action in the Federal Court of Canada (Vancouver registry) against several defendants seeking an injunction and other remedies for breach of GEC's trademarks, and for the tort of passing off. The defendants include New Continental Developments Inc. ("NCI"), related companies, and officers, directors and managers of those companies.
Global Education City Management Corp ("GEC") is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBT. GEC owns the rights in Canada to the names "GEC" and Global Education City", both in the English and the Chinese language, and has for many years carried on business using those names providing student housing and services relating to the daily living of students arriving to study in Vancouver from across Canada and abroad.
GEC in its claim alleges that NCI obtained inside information about GEC's business while negotiating a potential joint venture, and used that information and the name "Global Education City" to solicit unsuspecting investors, international students and business opportunities.
NCI claims on its website, "As a successful B.C. business with proven track record and roots from China, New Continental launched the development of Global Education City project to answer the rising need for international education market in lower mainland area." The fact is NCI as yet has not established a single unit of student housing in Canada. In addition, NCI is not registered nor licensed as a school with any regulatory body in Canada or China. GEC claims that NCI is holding itself out as New Continental Education Group, and that using the name Global Education City offering programs such as university degrees, career college programs, and language school programs adversely impacts the good name of Global Education City, a trademark owned by GEC.
While the mere fact of that competition may not be unlawful, GEC alleges that NCI has tried to trade on GEC's good name by holding itself out as being connected with GEC, and used GEC's identity including its trademarks - going so far as to propose setting up its facilities within 2 city blocks of one of GEC's properties in Richmond, BC.
Since a person cannot lawfully steal another person's business identity, GEC is optimistic the court will restrain what it says is NCI's unlawful conduct, and it looks forward to prosecuting the action vigorously to a successful conclusion and preserve the interest of our shareholders at large. GEC demanded that NCI cease its unlawful conduct but NCI refused, leaving GEC with no option but to go to court.