On February 14, 2008 the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal of Veffer v. The Minister of Foreign Affairs. In June 2007, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the Passport Canada policy at issue, which prohibits Canadian citizens born in Jerusalem from indicating their country of birth on their passport, does not violate section 2(a) (freedom of religion) or section 15(1) (equality) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The policy was enacted in 1976 to accord with the United Nation’s position on the status of Jerusalem. The policy acknowledges the significance of the territory for Muslims, Jews, and Christians and recognizes that the sovereignty of the city of Jerusalem remains unresolved.
For a summary of the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision, please refer to: Martha Peden, “Charter is a Shield, Not a Sword” Centre for Constitutional Studies (12 July 2007).
Cases
