Aboriginal Perspectives on Trade Secrets

The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has pushed the examination of trade secret law to new levels - addressing the apparent claim by "indigenous peoples" that some of their historic customs, including methods of fishing, are their community's trade secrets. Click here to read INAC's position paper on this issue, including the most interesting portion of that paper called "Aboriginal Perspectives on Trade Secrets".

If you've ever witnessed a lacrosse game played by indigenous Indian players from Canada, it is clear that there are community "trade secrets" that have never been disclosed to those who later settled there - the Gait brothers being two who obviously appropriated and incorporated the indigenous Indians' competitive advantages.