CIPO calls for comments on draft MOPOP revisions on Unity of Invention

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has released a draft of proposed revisions to Chapter 14 of the Manual of Patent Office Practice (or MOPOP), which deals with Unity of Invention.   See

http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/wr00758.html

The goals of the revision are to ensure that Canadian standards for unity of invention are equivalent to those under the PCT, clarifying the dispute resolution mechanism in the case of an impasse regarding unity of invention, and providing guidance to ensure a more predictable and consistent application of the standards.

Why the same as the PCT standards?  Well, too be honest that sounds fine to me.  But I hope that some thought has gone into whether the PCT standards are actually good for Canada as opposed to an  assumption that we just "should" adopt PCT standards.    (There also might be a legislative basis for saying they should be the same, but that's a different issue)

CIPO is accepting comments on the draft chapter until April 7.