Canadian Tire accuses Walmart of Scrooge tactics, stealing light design

This case will make for light reading.

We don't mean "light" as in "entertaining" or "fun." We mean it's about lights. Because the plaintiff is bringing something about its Christmas lights, and someone else's Christmas lights, to light. 

Canadian Tire, the plaintiff, helped develop a product called Noma Quick-Clip lights, which you can only get at Canadian Tire. 

However, according to the lawsuit in question, Walmart saw the light, that same Noma Quick-Clip, made a cheaper copy and started selling it.

And this part casts Walmart in an even more unflattering light: Canadian Tire alleges that the American company put a picture of its Noma lights — the Canadian Tire lights — right on the packaging of its Walmart lights. In its claim, Canadian Tire accuses Walmart of "a bait-and-switch which is calculated to deceive consumers into purchasing an inferior substitute." 

Canadian Tire wants an injunction to stop Walmart from selling the lights, and half a million in damages. Which means, if it wins, Walmart won't be getting off light. 

We don't mean to make light of one company making lights based on lights made by another company. Because to the untrained eye, they sure do look the same. Which means it's either a corporate light-stealing trick — or just a trick of the light.

Merry Christmas.