Canada–Netherlands relations

Following the invasion of the Netherlands and subsequent occupation of the country by Nazi Germany, the Dutch royal family took refuge in Canada. Princess Margriet was born in exile while her family lived in Ottawa. The maternity ward of Ottawa Civic Hospital in which Princess Margriet was born was temporarily declared to be extraterritorial by the Canadian government, thereby allowing her citizenship to be solely determined by her mother's Dutch citizenship. To commemorate the birth, the Canadian Parliament flew the Dutch flag over Peace Tower. This is the only time a foreign flag has flown over the Canadian Parliament Building.[6]

Many Thanks spelt-out on the ground in tulips after Operations Manna and Chowhound over the then-occupied Netherlands

During 1945, the First Canadian Army was responsible for liberating the Netherlands, which they did through battles such as the Battle of the Scheldt and the Liberation of Arnhem. The liberation of the Randstad, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, is especially notable because the civilian population there was still suffering from the horrific effects of the Hongerwinter ('Hungerwinter'). It was cut off from food that was available in the rest of the Netherlands. German forces in the Netherlands would finally surrender in Wageningen, on 5 May 1945, but not before some 18,000 Dutch civilians died as a result of starvation and malnutrition (desperate coordinated air drops of food had already been staged in part by the Royal Canadian Air Force over German-occupied Dutch territory in Operation Manna. Civilians wrote "Thank You Canadians!" on their rooftops in response). Immediately following the surrender, Canadian units were able to move into the Randstad and rapidly distribute desperately needed food supplies, causing many to see the Canadians not only as liberators but as saviours.

Canadian troops pass a windmill in Rijssen-Holten, April 1945.

In appreciation, the Dutch people sent tens of thousands of tulips (the Dutch national flower) to Ottawa. In the following year, the royal family contributed thousands as well, and a further ten thousand yearly since. The donations became an annual tradition, culminating in the Canadian Tulip Festival. What is now known as the Canadian Tulip Festival at Ottawa's Commissioners Park was originally a gift of 100,000 tulips given by Margriet's mother Crown Princess Juliana, as she then was known, "to mark Canada's contribution to the liberation of the Netherlands and as thanks to Ottawa for sheltering her family during the war."[7]

Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan was to help train the Afghan National Army and police, facilitate reconstruction, in addition to provide security. However, in 2006, with the situation in Kandahar Province turned increasingly violent, the Canadian Forces participated in several operations and battles. The Royal Canadian Air Force had a major presence in Afghanistan, including three CC-130 Hercules cargo planes, two CP-140 surveillance planes,[11] six CH-147 Chinook transport helicopters, six Mil Mi-8 leased for one year from Skylink Aviation, eight CH-146 Griffon utility helicopters and three CU-170 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Canadian Army increased its presence with main battle tanks, some ten Leopard C2 and twenty Leopard 2A6M CAN, approximately one hundred LAV III armoured vehicles and used six 155 mm M777 howitzers in Afghanistan.

Soldiers from the Canadian Grenadier Guards in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, pictured, fought with Dutch soldiers against Afghanistan insurgents.

As part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Netherlands also deployed aircraft as part of the European Participating Air Force (EPAF) in support of ground operations in Afghanistan as well as Dutch naval frigates to police the waters of the Middle East/Indian Ocean. The Netherlands deployed further troops and helicopters to Afghanistan in 2006 as part of a new ISAF security operation in the south of the country.[12] Dutch ground and air forces totalled almost 2,000 personnel during 2006, taking part in combat operations alongside British and Canadian forces as part of NATO's ISAF force in the south. The Netherlands announced in December 2007 that it will begin withdrawing its Dutch Armed Forces troops from Afghanistan, mainly in the province of Uruzgan, in July 2010. "I do not have assurances that other countries will be ready to replace Netherlands troops, but I am certain that Dutch troops will leave in 2010", Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said. "I indicated that in writing ... to the NATO secretary general, who has confirmed it."[13] Last minute negotiations in February 2010 after a further NATO request did not change this stance,[14] and there was a handover of command to the United States and Australia on 1 August 2010, formally ending the Dutch military mission, though a redeployment task force would remain for the rest of the year to complete the return of vehicles and other equipment to the Netherlands.[15]

In 2007, the Netherlands sold 100 Leopard tanks to Canada. This include 20 Leopard 2-A6s and 80 Leopard 2-A4s. The agreement was announced during Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop's visit to Canada. As part of the agreement, the Dutch army intended to provide training for Canadian instructors.[16] The Dutch Army also uses the Colt Canada C7 Rifle as their service rifle.

Canada and the Netherlands have signed two separate treaties to govern and allow for the deployment of soldiers for training and mutual defense, in each other's territory. As NATO allies, under Article 5, Canada considers an attack on the Netherlands to be an attack on Canada and the reverse is true as well. This only applies to actions on European and North American territories north of the Tropic of Cancer, thereby excluding the Caribbean Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten.