Canadian Legion: "We own all uses of the word 'poppy'"

My friend Pia makes custom hats in British Columbia. One of her hats is called the "Poppy" for its red, petalled character.

The Canadian Legion sells plasic poppies every year to raise money for charitable causes. This week, Peter Underhill of the Canadian Legion left this on Pia's public guestbook:

I tried your contact email but the address wouldn't copy. The "Poppy" is a trademark registered to the Royal Canadian Legion. Please remove reference to Poppy on the Poppy Hat. Thank you for your consideration. P. Underhill

If the Legion thinks that shaking down craftspeople on bogus trademark claims is the way to create goodwill for its causes, it's got another think coming.

Link

(Thanks, Richard!)