Canadians of Dutch descent

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Canadians of Dutch descent
Total population
923,310 3.12% of the Canadian Population
Regions with significant populations
Ontario, Western Canada, Atlantic Canada, Quebec
Languages
English (^{occasionally/declining:} Dutch)
Religions
Protestant, Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups
Dutch, Dutch Americans, Afrikaners

According to the 2001 Canadian census 923,310 Canadians claim full or partial Dutch ancestry.

The first Dutch people to come to Canada were Dutch-Americans among the United Empire Loyalists. The largest wave was in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century when large numbers of Dutch helped settle the Canadian west. During this period significant numbers also settled in major cities like Toronto. While interrupted by the First World War this migration returned in the 1920s, but again halted during the Great Depression and Second World War. After the war a large number of Dutch immigrants moved to Canada, including a number of war brides of the Canadian soldiers who liberated the Netherlands. During the war Canada had sheltered Crown Princess Juliana and her family. Due to these close links Canada became a popular destination for Dutch immigrants. The Canadian government encouraged this, recruiting skilled workers. This post-war wave went mainly to urban centres such as Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. With the economic recovery of the Netherlands in the post-war years immigration to Canada greatly slowed.

While one of the largest minority groups in Canada, Dutch Canadians have tended to rapidly assimilate and there are relatively few Dutch Canadian organizations and media. One important institution is the Christian Reformed Church in North America, with most congregations found throughout Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. The Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, The King's University College in Edmonton, and Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario are associated with this Dutch Reformed/Calvinist denomination. Christian Schools International, the Christian Labour Association of Canada, and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario are organizations with strong Dutch-Canadian roots.

Dutch Canadians, because of their shared cultural and religious heritage, tend to form tight knit communities. This has led to an in-joke known as Dutch Bingo [11], where it is said that a Dutch Canadian is able to figure out his/her connection to another Dutch Canadian by asking questions about the other's last name, town of birth, church and the college they attended.

1 Notable Canadians of Dutch descent
2 References
- 2.1 Footnotes
- 2.2 Web sites

[edit] Notable Canadians of Dutch descent

Petra Burka (1946 - ) Olympic figure skater^[1]
Mark Brodwin (1974 - ) astrophysicist; Dr. Brodwin is currently at JPL/Caltech as a National Research Council/NASA Postdoctoral Fellow; first cousin of Karl Dykhuis (1972- ) professional Ice hockey player
Neve Campbell (1973 - ) actress (Dutch Jewish mother)
Michael Chong (1971 - ) politician
Parzival Copes (1924 - ) economist with a particular interest in regional science and specialization in fisheries economics and management
David Cronenberg (1943 - ), film director
Roméo Dallaire (1946 - ), senator, humanitarian, author and general^[2]
Simon De Jong (1942 - ) former parliamentarian
Sarah de Leeuw writer who wrote Unmarked: Landscapes Along Highway 16
Jody de Ruiter (1979- ) actress, makeup artist
Karl Dykhuis (1972- ) Icehockey player; first cousin of Mark Brodwin (1974 - ) astrophysicist.
John Gerretsen (1942 - ) politician
Samuel Holland (1728 - 1801) Royal Engineer and first Surveyor General of British North America
Aart Kemink (1914 - 2006) painter
Kristin Kreuk (1982 - ) actress^[3]
Cornelius Krieghoff (1815 - 1872) probably the most popular Canadian painter of the 19th century^[4]
Steve Yzerman (1965 - ) recently retired and future Hall of Fame NHL player for the Detroit Redwings
Eric Staal (1984 - ) ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes
Jordan Staal (1988 - ) ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Trevor Linden (1970 - ) ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks
Dwight Lodeweges (1957 - ) footballer and coach
Joe Nieuwendyk (1966 - ) ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers
Beorn Nijenhuis (1984 - ) speed skater, who represents the Netherlands at the 2006 Winter Olympics^[5]
John Oostrom (1930 - ) first Dutch born MP^[6]
Case Ootes - city councillor in Toronto. He served as deputy mayor under Mayor Mel Lastman and represents one of the two Toronto—Danforth wards.
Sonja Smits (1958 - ) actress
Peter Stoffer (1956 - ) NDP MP Sackville-Eastern Shore
Johnny Terris - filmmaker^[7]
Ben Tinholt (1978 - ), bon vivant
Evert van Benthem (1958 - ), speed skater, won the Elfstedentocht in 1985 and 1986
Sidney van den Bergh (1929 - ) astronomer^[8]
Paul van den Boom (1973 - ) filmmaker, who produced and directed Across the Atlantic
Jack van der Laan ( - ) chairman of the Canada Netherlands Friendship Association^[9]
Mike Vanderjagt (1970 - ) the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Played for the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys and is currently a Free Agent.
Bill Vander Zalm (1934 - ) politician and entrepreneur in British Columbia, Canada. He was the 28th Premier of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991^[10]
John van 't Schip (1963 - ) footballer
Elizabeth Witmer (1946 - ) Ontario cabinet minister