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Serge Dupont

Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones Ottawa

Senior Advisor

Serge Dupont appears on a special edition of CBC’s The House examining whether Canada can meet its 2030 climate target of reducing emissions 40–45 percent below 2005 levels.

Serge Dupont on CBCs The House on Canadas Climate Goals Aspirations and Reality

Serge Dupont on CBC's The House on Canada's Climate Goals – Aspirations and Reality

Means & Ways covers Bennett Jones just released 2025 Mid-Year Economic Outlook. The story says the report paints a stark picture of the geopolitical and economic headwinds facing Canada, warning that “exceptional uncertainty” unleashed by the Trump administration’s erratic policy shifts has disrupted international trade, shaken financial markets and poses an “existential threat” to Canada’s economy.

Canada Needs to Build Economic Resilience

Canada Needs to Build Economic Resilience: Bennett Jones Economic Outlook

In a period of only months, actions by the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump have disrupted U.S. trade, foreign and economic policies, and created exceptional uncertainty for the U.S. and global economies and financial markets. Questions about the strategy and end game of the President for the rules that govern international trade and investment are forcing governments, businesses and investors worldwide to reassess their own strategies and relationships.

Economic Outlook Building Resilience and Capacity in a Disrupted World

Economic Outlook: Building Resilience and Capacity in a Disrupted World

Simon Grant

Banking & Finance Lawyer, Fintech Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner 

Karen J. Dawson

Domestic and International Finance Transaction Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Adam W. Taylor

Corporate Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

LETL Facility Announced.  Canada Development Investment Corp. ("CDEV") has announced the launch of the Large Enterprise Tariff Loan ("LETL") facility, a new government-backed loan facility to support large Canadian enterprises affected by actual and potential new US tariffs and associated Canadian import countermeasures and which face challenges accessing traditional sources of market financing.

Canadian Government Financing for Large Enterprises

Canadian Government Financing for Large Enterprises Impacted by US Tariffs and Canadian Countermeasures

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Across the Atlantic, the European Union (EU) and its member states have also been encouraging climate-resilient agri-tech innovation, but their approach to intellectual property incentives has been a bit different. The European Union has set ambitious climate goals (like achieving climate neutrality by 2050) and launched the European Green Deal, a broad policy agenda to support sustainable technologies. While funding and regulations (such as support for sustainable farming practices) are big parts of the EU strategy, there is also recognition that IP rights play an important role in fostering innovation. However, unlike Canada or the recent US pilot program, Europe has not implemented a unified “green channel” for patent examination at the European Patent Office.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III: Green Without the Label: Europe's Pragmatic IP Approach to Agri-Tech Innovation

Steven L. Major KC

Commercial Dispute, Construction, Fraud, Police and Personal Injury Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Kevin Myson

Corporate, Commercial Transaction, Energy, Natural Resource and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Canada is navigating a "wild frontier" in the energy industry, with a unique opportunity to forge successful and sustainable partnerships both domestically and internationally. This was the rallying call at the Energy Business Forum during the 74th Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA) conference in Banff, Alberta, where industry leaders gathered to share visions for the future of Canada's energy landscape.

Key Takeaways From the Wild Frontier Energy Business Forum CEEA 74

Key Takeaways From the "Wild Frontier" Energy Business Forum at CEEA '74

Melanie Teetaert

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Jennifer (Jenn) K. Choi

Associate

Maruska Giacchetto

This article examines the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision in J.P. Thomson Architects Ltd. v Greater Essex County District School Board, 2025 ONCA 378, which provides critical clarification on the interpretation of multi-step dispute resolution (MSDR) clauses. MSDR clauses, commonly used in commercial contracts, outline escalating steps such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration to resolve disputes. The Court addressed ambiguities in the drafting of MSDR timelines, emphasizing that specified timeframes should be interpreted as minimum waiting periods rather than strict deadlines. The decision overturned a lower court ruling that barred a party from arbitration due to a perceived failure to meet a 30-day mediation request deadline. This article highlights the importance of precise drafting in MSDR clauses, discusses the implications of the Court's decision, and provides practical guidance for parties drafting or negotiating dispute resolution provisions in commercial agreements.

Do you need to rush to mediate - Ontario Court of Appeal

Do You Need to Rush to Mediate? Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies Interpretation of Multi-Step Dispute Resolution Clause

The United States has long been a major player in both agri-tech innovation and the intellectual property (IP) landscape. In the past, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offered its own version of a green patent fast-track to encourage climate-friendly inventions. Notably, in 2009 to 2011 the USPTO ran a Green Technology Pilot Program that prioritized examination for certain eco-friendly patents. The pilot ended in 2012, but more recently the USPTO brought back the idea in June 2022, with the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, which was essentially an accelerated examination program for patent applications directed to fight climate change. Under this program, inventions designed to reduce or monitor greenhouse gas emissions, including many clean energy, sustainability or climate-smart agriculture innovations, could be examined out of turn. Importantly, like Canada’s program, the US pilot did not charge the usual petition fee for expediting. The goal was to spur green tech by making it faster and cheaper to secure IP rights.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II: Innovation Interrupted: What the End of the USPTO's Green Program Means for Agri-Tech

Climate change is driving a surge in agricultural technology (agri-tech) innovations aimed at making farming more resilient and sustainable. From drought-resistant crops to carbon-capturing soil techniques, these climate-focused agri-tech solutions are crucial for global food security. An often-overlooked piece of this puzzle is intellectual property (IP) strategy, namely how patents and other IP rights are used to protect and incentivize innovation.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I: Planting the Future: Why Canada's IP System May Be the Climate Innovation Sleeper Hit

Ottawa Must Refocus Spending On Boosting Investment, Not Consumption

Authors


Bennett Jones In The News Ottawa Must Refocus Spending On Boosting Investment, Not Consumption December 12, 2023 Authors Serge DupontSenior Advisor The Financial Post covers Bennett Jones' latest Economic Outlook, The Long-Term Is Now. The report explains why Canada's federal government must refocus spending on boosting investment instead of consumption to address Canada’s sluggish productivity growth. Canada’s GDP per capita has fallen at a 0.5 percent annualized pace since the start of 2020, compared with a 1.6 percent annualized increase in the U.S. The country’s productivity has “suffered chronically” since the mid-1990s. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@bennettjones.com. For informational purposes only This publication provides an overview of legal trends and updates for informational purposes only. For personalized legal advice, please contact the authors. Authors Serge Dupont, Senior Advisor • Head of Public Policy Ottawa • 613.683.2310 • duponts@bennettjones.com