I can't be 100% certain based on the lack of sharpness of the images shown but it appears to be a minor die chip connecting the two elements. Another one described as "Attached" is a minor die chip and can be seen here
https://www.coinsandcanada.com/coin...ts-1953-2010For what it is worth here is a story on the 1996 Near & Far Dates. My original stories on these varieties appeared in my September 2001
Coin World, Visiting Varieties column and again in my March/April 2009 CONECA Errorscope column).
Another story on Canadian five-cents that may interest some of you is here:
http://koinpro.tripod.com/Articles/...c_DDR_MD.htm