Having a birthplace stamped on their a passports can indeed cause problems for many foreign-born Canadians. I recall where an Italian-born Canadian, who had lived in Canada since he was a baby, being drafted into the Italian Army while on a visit to Italy.
I never found out how that case ended but it probably had something to do with making one's birthplace optional on our passports. Canada, so far as I know, is the only country that permits, but doesn't require, a birthplace on its passports. This typically Canadian compromise is not the answer, however. Imagine a Canadian, whose passport doesn't show his or her birthplace, visiting an Arab country. Then there are the thousands who were born to Canadian parents serving or working in foreign countries who could be hassled by foreign customs officials. The only way to resolve this problem is to eliminate the birthplace on all Canadian passports.
CFP “Poet in Residence” William Bedford was born in Dublin, Ireland, but has lived in Toronto for most of his life. His poems and articles have been published in many Canadian journals and in some American publications.
