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Anu Nijhawan

M&A, Corporate Financing and International Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Bennett Jones congratulates Anu Nijhawan on being named as Chair of the Canadian Bar Association National Tax Section and Co-Chair of the CBA/CPA Joint Committee on Taxation.

Anu Nijhawan Elected Chair of CBA National Tax Section

Harinder S. Basra

Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Finance and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Calgary Managing Partner

Brent W. Kraus

Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets and Corporate/Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Rebecca Burnand

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPRC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC), has issued C$500 million of 4.00% Notes due 2032, C$600 million of 4.40% Notes due 2036 and C$300 million of 4.80% Notes due 2055, which will be guaranteed by CPKC.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited Announces Closing of 12 Billion Debt Offering

Canadian Pacific Railway Company Closes C$1.4 Billion Debt Offering

Haifeng Hu

Partner at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Andy Hur

Andy Hur | Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Waterous Energy Fund (WEF) announced the final closing of its third private equity fund, Waterous Energy Fund III, at the stated target of C$1.4 billion.

Waterous Energy Fund Closes Third Private Equity Fund

Waterous Energy Fund Closes Third Private Equity Fund at C$1.4 Billion

Taylor Davis

Doug Fenton

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Bennett Jones is pleased to announce the elevation of six lawyers to the partnership: Taylor Davis, Doug Fenton, Haifeng Hu, Ethan Schiff, Andrea Steele and Kevin Zhou. Together with Mahnaz Jan Ali, Allyson Marta and David Price—who were recently welcomed into the firm as partners—our newest partners are talented lawyers serving clients from our offices across Canada in our key industry groups and practice areas.

Introducing the Latest Lawyers to Join the Bennett Jones Partnership

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

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


Bennett Jones Client Work Waterous Energy Fund Closes Third Private Equity Fund at C$1.4 Billion March 31, 2025 Authors Haifeng HuPartner Anu NijhawanPartner Andy HurAssociate Waterous Energy Fund (WEF) announced the final closing of its third private equity fund, Waterous Energy Fund III, at the stated target of C$1.4 billion. The Fund will continue to pursue its value-based investment strategy in the Canadian oil and gas sector. Bennett Jones served as legal counsel to WEF in the formation of Fund III. The Bennett Jones team was led by Haifeng Hu (Corporate; Private Equity) and included Anu Nijhawan (Tax) and Andy Hur (Corporate). WEF’s press release on Fund III is available here. 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 Haifeng Hu, Partner Vancouver • 604.891.5378 • huh@bennettjones.com Anu Nijhawan, Partner • Co-Head of Tax Department Calgary • 403.298.3389 • nijhawana@bennettjones.com Andy Hur, Associate Vancouver • 604.891.5115 • hura@bennettjones.com

Waterous Energy Fund Closes Third Private Equity Fund at C$1.4 Billion

Authors