Join us on Monday, April 11th at 7:00 pm for a presentation from author John Immerseel: For a Better Life: Post-War Dutch Immigration to Canada. Those of us living in Leeds & Grenville Counties are very familiar with the many Dutch names that populate our farms, villages and towns. John will give us a first-hand glimpse into how some of the half-million Dutch emigrants who left the Netherlands for a better life in the post-war era helped our Counties grow and thrive in the last half of the 20th Century.
Beginning in 1947, almost 500,000 Dutch emigrants left the Netherlands following the end of World War II. Of this number, almost 200,000 left for Canada. This presentation examines the situation in the Netherlands before and during the war years, the reasons for emigrating, and the challenges facing families as they set out to rebuild their lives in their new homeland.
John Immerseel was a biologist by training before becoming an author. “I had a long career with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, during which I held several positions with the Ontario Provincial Parks and Protected Areas Branch. I retired as zone manager for southeastern Ontario in 2005. Since retiring, I have devoted myself to writing.”
Everyone is welcome but registration is required. Visit our website leedsandgrenville.ogs.on.ca for a link, or directly at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc-2orDkvHNJ0l5nQgfioTf_e73xt31fy