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Last update - 00:00 01/01/2008
Canadian Jew loses bid to have passport show 'Jerusalem, Israel'
By Rhonda Spivak
Tags: canada, israel, jerusalem

OTTAWA - A Canadian Jew has lost his court battle to have his birthplace, Jerusalem, recognized as part of Israel on his Canadian passport.

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal by Eliyahu Veffer, who wanted his passport to show that he was born in "Jerusalem, Israel," rather than "Jerusalem."

Veffer appealed to the Supreme Court after lower courts ruled that Canada's policy did not unreasonably violate his freedom of religion, nor did it unfairly discriminate against him.
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"With the exception of Jerusalem, Canada's policy is that when a passport applicant is born in a city that is in disputed territory, the applicant is allowed to choose which country to include on his or her application. But for Jerusalem alone, Canada says you cannot put Israel, you cannot put Jordan, you cannot put anything," said David Matas, Veffer's lawyer.

Lawyers for the Canadian government argued that Canada did not want to show favoritism to either side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or prejudice a peaceful political settlement. In a court affidavit, former Canadian ambassador to Israel Michael Bell added that "Canada opposes Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem and does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over any part of the City of Jerusalem as defined in the UN Partition Plan."

In response, Matas said that Canada's current policy has only been in existence since April 1976. "From 1948-1976, Canada allowed Jerusalem, Israel in Canadian passports, for East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem, without any apparent impact on Canadian perceived neutrality," he said.

Matas did not take a position as to what the passport office ought to do if a Palestinian chose "Jerusalem, Palestine" for his passport. "That would be up to the passport office," Matas said. "But the problem would be that Palestine is not a country."

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      1.   Bravo! 00:45  |  Canadian 01/01/08
      2.   Way too liberal! 00:04  |  Vadim 01/01/08
      3.   Way to Go Canada 00:32  |  Abe 01/01/08
      4.   Cool! which proves that..... 00:32  |  David James Vickery 01/01/08
      5.   Kudos to Canada - The Harper Gov`t is only a phase 00:25  |  POP 01/01/08
      6.   Hmmm so they say "disputed" 00:47  |  Yoav 01/01/08
      7.   This `special` status for Jews and the Jewish state, reeks 00:50  |  Haldrik 01/01/08
      8.   1-5 Written by the Same Person 00:01  |  Ralph Levy 01/01/08
      9.   What happened from `48 to `76? 00:16  |  Rightster 01/01/08
      10.   Israel`s capital 00:37  |  Sam Tayar 01/01/08
      11.   Typical 00:44  |  Danite 01/01/08
      12.   I won`t stand on guard for thee 00:02  |  Steve 01/01/08
      13.   I won`t stand on guard for thee 00:04  |  Steve 01/01/08
      14.   OH CANADUH 00:34  |  Stevo 01/01/08
      15.   smille 00:44  |  wh 01/01/08
      16.   canadaDoesn`tWantToShowFavoritism 00:48  |  Yaacob 01/01/08
      17.   NOBODY SHOULD BE SURPRISED 00:57  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      18.   Sam Tayer in Montreal 00:10  |  wibism 01/01/08
      19.   Neutral Canada 00:00  |  MR 01/01/08
      20.   # 10 you`re absolutely right, sam tayer... 00:02  |  eric 01/01/08
      21.   # 8 Pompous American 00:09  |  Maudit Canadienne 01/01/08
      22.   kill people over cartoons and this is result -cowards 00:13  |  don 01/01/08
      23.   #6 It can be both "disputed" and "occupied", Yoav 00:18  |  Johnboy 01/01/08
      24.   always trying the backdoor 00:27  |  VIPER 01/01/08
      25.   One point for the good guys 00:32  |  anti-racist 01/01/08
      26.   TO VIPER 00:22  |  Ezra 01/01/08
      27.   Anti racist`s answer 00:45  |  myself 01/01/08
      28.   FINISH TERROR PALESTINE, SAY A CLEAR "NO" TO PALESTATE! 00:57  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 01/01/08
      29.   It`s OK,Quebec isn`t Canadian,it`s a disputed territory between 00:38  |  Absolute Sweden 01/01/08
      30.   Canada - Who cares?? 00:38  |  Greg 01/01/08
      31.   Indrajaya et al 00:48  |  Michael 01/01/08
      32.   #26, EZRA, and thats your problem 00:53  |  VIPER 01/01/08
      33.   AND IF IT WERE AN ARAB? 00:08  |  AL SADAT 01/01/08
      34.   Jerusalem is Jewish and will remain Jewish. 00:11  |  Jean Van Daem 01/01/08
      35.   Canada supports Arab terrorists 00:14  |  SLAVO 01/01/08
      36.   # 31, MICHAEL 00:15  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      37.   BRAVO CANADA 00:23  |  Markus 01/01/08
      38.   johnboy 00:28  |  jimmy 01/01/08
      39.   Jerusalem is not negotiable 00:34  |  jojo 01/01/08
      40.   SEND ALL ARABS TO CANADA`S DISPUTED INDIAN TERRITORY,BUILD GAZA,R 00:45  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 01/01/08
      41.   #17 00:45  |  Mike 01/01/08
      42.   # 41, MIKE 00:54  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      43.   Double-standards 00:55  |  Mike 01/01/08
      44.   Montreal, Canada? 00:57  |  Jo Jo 01/01/08
      45.   #24 00:06  |  Mike 01/01/08
      46.   Israel, ban: "Born in Montreal, Canada" 00:09  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/01/08
      47.   No surprise 00:19  |  Jean 01/01/08
      48.   It goes without saying .... 00:33  |  pipistro 01/01/08
      49.   Philadelphia, England & Los Angeles, Mexico 00:35  |  Chris 01/01/08
      50.   In Canada, Religious Land Theft is not cool, unlike in Israel... 00:45  |  POP 01/01/08
      51.   #2 00:47  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      52.   #4 David 00:50  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      53.   You can`t nick land and then hope for your theft to be accepted 00:12  |  Clickfool 01/01/08
      54.   #47 Jean 00:13  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      55.   #27 `myself` 00:19  |  Boycott 01/01/08
      56.   #49 Chris 00:24  |  Boycott 01/01/08
      57.   Montreal, Quebec 00:49  |  Stefan 01/01/08
      58.   Jerusalemite got lucky 00:08  |  Jeff 01/01/08
      59.   Ralph Levy - You are too funny 00:25  |  Canadian 01/01/08
      60.   Chris: ISRAEL can say what it wants..NO one is following 00:26  |  American Sandwich 01/01/08
      61.   North America - Native America 00:28  |  Zevchi 01/01/08
      62.   #36 IndoBoyo & "OK by him" 00:30  |  Joe Moer 01/01/08
      63.   #42 00:31  |  Mike 01/01/08
      64.   #36 IndoBoyo & "OK by him" 00:33  |  Joe Moer 01/01/08
      65.   What we can expect...we`d rather stay&use israeli passport and 00:36  |  Alain 01/01/08
      66.   #36, Indrajaya 00:36  |  Michael 01/01/08
      67.   Jerusalem is Palestinian 4ever 00:39  |  George 01/01/08
      68.   Compromise 00:40  |  DoubleClick 01/01/08
      69.   If he doesn`t like it 00:40  |  Paul Wood 01/01/08
      70.   NOT EVEN THE US ACKNOWLEDGES JER. AS PART OF ISRAEL 00:13  |  FACT 01/01/08
      71.   For now, Canadian response is correct... 00:23  |  Smadar 01/01/08
      72.   Second class citizens? Or new canadian borders? 00:24  |  amateur cartographer 01/01/08
      73.   THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR LAND THIEVES 00:24  |  TripleJump 01/01/08
      74.   Thank you Canada: OCCUPATION must never be rewarded 00:25  |  Eric 01/01/08
      75.   LOL @ 43 Mike from London 00:43  |  POP 01/01/08
      76.   LOL @ 43 Mike from London 00:43  |  POP 01/01/08
      77.   Canada is Anti-Semitic (also, as most other countries) 00:47  |  felix 01/01/08
      78.   to VIPER#32 00:47  |  Ilya 01/01/08
      79.   to Jean#47 00:55  |  Ilya 01/01/08
      80.   Supreme Court has its facts wrong 00:08  |  Gili 01/01/08
      81.   Danish Cartoons & Passport Canada 00:16  |  Avrum 01/01/08
      82.   I dont see what all the fuss is about... 00:20  |  Meyer 01/01/08
      83.   Whine, whine, whine. 00:26  |  Deborah 01/01/08
      84.   Land Transfer 00:27  |  Mammy Smokem 01/01/08
      85.   "Canadian": from which part of Europe your roots are? 00:53  |  AA 01/01/08
      86.   THIS WAS A DEFEAT TO OCCUPATION OF JERUSALEM 00:53  |  TripleJump 01/01/08
      87.   Jerusalem does not qualify as "disputed" 00:58  |  Pssd Off American 01/01/08
      88.   # 28 00:05  |  Sick of u 01/01/08
      89.   POP - Laugh all you want but at the end of the day, you have 00:09  |  viking 01/01/08
      90.   MORE B R A V O S. Canadian authority. 00:15  |  Gordon. 01/01/08
      91.   indrajaya - who gives a shit what you think... Jerusalem whether 00:16  |  viking 01/01/08
      92.   # 46 alicia 00:18  |  Axel 01/01/08
      93.   Ralph # 8 00:40  |  Soverign Canada 01/01/08
      94.   Rightster 00:44  |  Centralster 01/01/08
      95.   Jerusalem, Israel is ok as long as Jerusalem,Palestine is too! 00:46  |  Markus 01/01/08
      96.   Steve, Glennview, IL 00:47  |  Johm 01/01/08
      97.   A More Important Book Has Already Proudly Recorded Eliyahu`s ... 00:06  |  Lavi 01/01/08
      98.   #40 00:27  |  VOICE OF NOBODY 01/01/08
      99.   # 49 Chris 00:35  |  Axel 01/01/08
      100.   #61 Lavi 00:38  |  tbora 01/01/08
      101.   Arabs born in Jerusalem? 00:48  |  Palestinian Brit 01/01/08
      102.   #36, Indrajaya 00:48  |  Michael 01/01/08
      103.   Mike: The difference is that none of the land is in dispute 00:49  |  Quebecois 01/01/08
      104.   Lavi: Who wrote that book? Impartial party? 00:51  |  American 01/01/08
      105.   Chris in Damascus 00:52  |  Palestinian Brit 01/01/08
      106.   # 63 michael 00:06  |  Axel 01/01/08
      107.   Israel can easily ... 00:15  |  Axel 01/01/08
      108.   Absolute Sweeden 00:25  |  Danite 01/01/08
      109.   Canada doing what it thinks is right and in its own interest 00:56  |  Sam 01/01/08
      110.   #18 wibism-Air Canada flights to Gaza 00:01  |  Peter Kent 01/01/08
      111.   USA does the same 00:34  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 01/01/08
      112.   I have the exact same problem on my US Passport 00:56  |  Ariel 01/01/08
      113.   Indraqjaya 317 etc. 00:05  |  Robert/Montreal 01/01/08
      114.   Absolute Sweden issat why Degaulle mixed in 1969 Polittics 00:10  |  Robert?montreal 01/01/08
      115.   in 1967 Canada recognised Jerusalem it wanted its embassy there. 00:21  |  Robert/Montreal 01/01/08
      116.   Nobody recognizes Jerusalem as Israel`s capital 00:45  |  Mike McKenna 01/01/08
      117.   Peter Kent flights to Gaza 00:57  |  wibism 01/01/08
      118.   #73 Sue??? Go ahead. 00:03  |  ballistic 01/01/08
      119.   #76 Canada has not recognized Jerusalem 00:05  |  ballistic 01/01/08
      120.   Jerusalem Status To Be Part of Final Status Agreement 00:12  |  Mr. Know-it-all 01/01/08
      121.   Canada, Oh, Canada! 00:26  |  akiva (zionist) 01/01/08
      122.   #66 Palestinian Brit 00:45  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      123.   #81 Mr.Know-it-all 00:59  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      124.   Jean Van Daem learn your history 00:10  |  Truth 01/01/08
      125.   Canadian Jew loses bid to have passport show `Jerusalem, Israel` 00:28  |  Julian 01/01/08
      126.   mike in london 00:13  |  wh 01/01/08
      127.   Canada and 1947 UN partitian plan 00:53  |  BR 01/01/08
      128.   Indrajaya- just because.... 00:24  |  Avrum 01/01/08
      129.   Is Canada part of Europe 00:27  |  Alan the real one 01/01/08
      130.   Viva Quebecois 00:30  |  Alan the real one 01/01/08
      131.   #85 Truth and Lies 00:51  |  Moshe 01/01/08
      132.   Come on Iran, Show the new nuclear toys to VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 00:16  |  Aounist 01/01/08
      133.   # 63, MICHAEL 00:47  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      134.   USA sees Jerusalem as a country too 00:07  |  Karen 01/01/08
      135.   Jerusalem YES but not Israel 00:00  |  Imad 01/01/08
      136.   Canadian outlook 00:21  |  Gregor 01/01/08
      137.   JERUSALEM NOT DISPUTED LAND...IT`S PALESTINIAN 00:31  |  TripleJump 01/01/08
      138.   Mike`s First Nations 00:36  |  Gregor 01/01/08
      139.   #78, IIYA, what a load of crock 00:31  |  VIPER 01/01/08
      140.   Jerusalem 00:29  |  Saul Eisenstat, MD 01/01/08
      141.   BRAVO CANADA!!!! 00:23  |  joe 01/01/08
      142.   I am ashamed 00:36  |  Not only Canadian 01/01/08
      143.   It is not totally true 00:44  |  Not only Canadian 01/01/08
      144.   Well if this is it.. 00:09  |  Not only Canadian 01/01/08
      145.   It seems you do not have all the necessary info 00:27  |  Not only Canadian 01/01/08
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