MONTREAL โ A federal passport office in Montreal told a Canadian citizen born in Kfar Saba, Israel, that โIsrael cannot be written because of the political conflict,โ according to lawyer Neil Oberman. Oberman says the instruction came from Service Canada staff and that the staff could not produce any governing policy or list to justify the refusal.
Oberman made the allegation in a public statement and in communications shared on social media. He said the matter involved more than a clerical error. In his view, it amounted to the application of rules that do not exist. He said staff offered contradictory explanations after multiple consultations.
Oberman said he demanded disclosure of the governing policies, training modules, and operational directives used by the office. He says Service Canada supplied none of the requested documents. He added that the office provided no apology, no corrective action, and no explanation for the misinformation given.
Oberman cited the human rights implications. He said the case raises issues under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act. He said the conduct affected a citizen exercising a clear right under federal law.
Oberman described the office conduct as improvised and politically influenced. He said staff referenced a โlistโ they could not produce. He said the office cited no formal policy to support the denial. He said the client was therefore denied normal passport processing for a birthplace designation.
โCanadians should never be subjected to improvised rules or shifting standards based on geopolitics,โ Oberman said in his statement. He called for transparency. He said he renewed demands for documentation and that, absent an adequate reply, he would proceed with an Access to Information and Privacy request.
Oberman said he asked Service Canada to disclose its operational directives and training materials that governed the application of birthplace designations. He said the only official response he received did not include the requested documents. He said Service Canada offered no substantive justification or apology.
At the time of Obermanโs public statement, Service Canada had not provided the training modules or policy documents that Oberman requested. Oberman said that the lack of disclosure left unanswered questions about whether the office acted in accordance with federal law and internal guidance.
Oberman framed the matter in legal and rights terms. He said the incident implicates the principle of equality before the law. He argued that impartial and consistent service delivery is a constitutional and administrative requirement. He also said the case could constitute a human rights issue if a federal office applied non-existent rules to a protected group.
Oberman urged others who experienced similar irregularities involving place of birth designations to document the incidents and to seek legal guidance. He said accountability improves only when issues are publicly reported and pursued.
