DID YOU KNOW?

Canada is home to roughly 15,000 polar bears, or about 2/3 of the world’s total population. Polar bears inhabit the northern regions of several provinces, but most of the population is found in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

About 2,000 Dutch war brides married Canadian servicemen and immigrated to Canada after the war. Today, roughly 3% of Canadians (over one million) are of Dutch descent.

The tulips that bloom in Ottawa are the most visible symbols of the historic relationship between Canada and the Netherlands. The tradition began after the war, when then-Crown Princess Juliana gifted thousands of tulip bulbs in recognition of Canada's hospitality and assistance throughout the war.

On January 19, 1943, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet became the only royal ever born in Canada… well, not "in" Canada. To ensure the newborn royal would have Dutch citizenship and a place in the line of succession, Canada temporarily disclaimed the four-room suite at the Ottawa Civic Hospital by declaring it extraterritorial (unaffiliated international territory).

Canadian Mona Louise Parsons (1901-1976) was a member of the Dutch resistance. She was born in Nova Scotia and settled in the Netherlands in 1937 after marrying a Dutch businessman. She was arrested in 1941 for helping downed Allied airmen evade capture. When the prison was bombed in 1945, Parsons managed to walk across Germany and cross into the Netherlands. For her incredible courage, Parsons received commendations from General Eisenhower and Air Chief Marshall Tedder of the Royal Air Force.