The Dutch Heritage Day celebration planned in Chatham-Kent to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Netherlands' Canadian-led liberation from Nazi rule has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus.
Former MP Dave Van Kesteren told Blackburn News there was a special event planned with the Royal Canadian Legion on May 31 but that had to be scrapped because of COVID-19.
"It's unfortunate. I would have liked to see something," he said.
Van Kesteren said he wouldn't be surprised if people held personal celebrations at home, following all recommended social distancing rules of course.
Van Kesteren pushed hard for a Dutch Heritage Day in Canada and hopes the event and the celebratory gathering will happen again next year. The first celebration took place last year after the federal government approved May 5 of every year as Dutch Heritage Day to recognize Canada’s special relationship with the Netherlands.
Van Kesteren said he made the motion in January of 2019 to celebrate the contributions of Dutch immigrants to Canadian society and to honour the sacrifices made by Canadian veterans who gave their lives fighting for the Liberation of Holland, which took place on May 5, 1945.
Historica Canada is marking the anniversary with a Heritage Moment telling the story of Canadian soldier Lieutenant Wilf Gildersleeve of the Seaforth Highlanders, who met his eventual wife, Dutch civilian Marguerite Blaisse, during a parade in Amsterdam two days later that was meant to celebrate the country’s liberation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWANopglXI&list=PL1848FF9428CA9A4A
The Netherlands is also holding a photo contest for people to celebrate their Dutch-Canadian heritage at Celebrate Your Dutch Heritage Photo Contest.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement on Tuesday, the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands, saying "we honour the thousands of courageous Canadians who fought and made the ultimate sacrifice to liberate the Dutch people from years of unspeakable cruelty, misery, and hunger under Nazi rule. We must never forget."
