Building Liberty

Many different events and projects commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. This volume of essays and poetry collects various perspectives on the 1940-1945 war years in the Netherlands and the role Canada played in its liberation. The presence of Canada and Canadian soldiers in 1944-1945 resulted in a strong and abiding connection between the two countries over the past six decades. This connection was strengthened by considerable Dutch immigration to Canada during the ten years after the war, but has also been underscored by their political and social similarities: these two countries must negotiate with powerful and sometimes intransigent neighbours. The political and historical essays represented here critically portray Canada's role in matters of war and peace since 1945. Ko Colijn addresses Canadian and Dutch positions on the question of Weapons of Mass Destruction. From a historical point of view, Doeko Bosscher challenges the role of the Canadian army in liberating his home town of Groningen. The personal variant of building liberty is explored in Aritha van Herk's essay on immigration and desire. Christl Verduyn reflects on occupation and liberation through the lens of photojournalist Kryn Taconis' life. Janice Kulyk Keefer interrelates the writings of Etty Hillesum and Naomi Klein, and how both demonstrate the ethics of responsibility. Literary essays by George Elliott Clarke and Frank Davey focus on the resonance of poetry. The final section of the book is devoted to poetry, illustrated by Claire Weissman Wilks.The sixty years between 1945 and 2005 have marked a long and flourishing friendship between Canada and the Netherlands, nations united by shared chapters in their histories, and by their dedication to freedom and to a positive future. This volume is an acknowledgement of that friendship, and an example of the intriguing scholarship evoked by the Dutch-Canadian connection.