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Source: Statistics Canada: 1996 and 2001
Censuses: Mother tongue,
Table XXIV: Rate of language shift,
main mother tongue groups
|
Rate of language shift |
% |
Mother tongue |
|
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census:
Mother tongue,
home language and knowledge of languages
The table shows that with an 87.2% language
shift, the Dutch have the highest rate,
followed by the Ukrainians and the Germans.
With such a percentage shift there is not
much hope for the survival of the Dutch
language in Canada.
Table XXV shows that only a small percentage
of Dutch immigrants speak neither English
nor French, a strong indicator of
integration.
|
Table XXV: Knowledge of Official Languages |
||||
TITLE |
Total - |
English |
French |
English |
Neither |
1996 |
|
|
|
|
|
Netherlandic |
143,700 |
129,610 |
305 |
13,235 |
550 |
2001 |
|
|
|
|
|
Netherlandic |
137,875 |
123,715 |
235 |
13,460 |
460 |
Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Censuses
My own limited research in 2005 of the Dutch
in the Montreal region shows a similar
picture of high integration.
One questionnaire (PDF
- 20KB) was given to those born in the
Netherlands and who presently live in the
Province of Quebec, and who for most of the
time since their emigration to Canada have
lived in this Province. (30 respondents)
Another questionnaire (PDF
- 20KB) was given to those born in
Canada of Dutch Parent(s) who presently live
in the Province of Quebec and who have lived
for most of their life in this Province. (20
respondents)
The questionnaires were designed to evaluate
the level of integration.
QUESTIONNAIRE 1:
First generation Dutch immigrants in the
Montreal region, both urban and rural show a
high level of integration and of their
children only 7% had married a spouse of
Dutch origin.
However, they also maintain some Dutch
cultural traditions, such as during
birthdays and anniversaries (86%),
occasionally eating traditional Dutch food
(87%), while they also celebrated Dutch
traditional holidays (often 33%, sometimes
(47%). They had brought up their children
with some of the Dutch values and traditions
(very much so 27%, somewhat 57%). They
claimed that 63% of their children were
interested in their Dutch background and 53%
considered it an asset for themselves.
Of them, 33% were still Dutch citizens and
of those 66% had no plans of becoming
Canadian citizens. On the other hand, only
20% regularly spoke Dutch at home and 26%
still read in Dutch. Only 37% belonged to
any Dutch association in Canada and only 3%
belonged to an association in their home
country. Only 13% stated that their friends
were mostly Dutch.
They were in general very satisfied with
their lives in Canada and had no plans of
moving back to the Netherlands, although
many visited the home country frequently
(67% ten times or more), while visitors from
the home country came to see them (57% ten
times or more). They still read occasionally
Dutch newspapers or followed the news via
the Internet (27% often, 67% sometimes).
They had improved their level of education
in Canada as 50% received their education in
the Netherlands as well as in Canada. Upon
arrival their level of education had been as
follows: elementary 13%, high school 33%,
university 53%, while their level of
education was at present: elementary 3%,
high school 20%, university 76%. Although
the sample may have been somewhat skewed
toward the higher level of education, other
statistics show that the level of education
of Dutch Canadians in Quebec was high, as
was their level of income.
Of them only 17% had all of their children
living outside of the province, while 33%
had all of them still living in the
province. It does seem as if the "great
exodus" has considerably slowed down.
QUESTIONNAIRE 2:
The children of first generation Dutch
Canadians show an even greater level of
integration. Only 10% was married to a Dutch
spouse. Only 5% could still write fairly
well in Dutch, while 50% could still speak
it fairly fluently. They maintained some
Dutch tradition as 50% claimed to celebrate
birthdays and anniversaries with some Dutch
traditions. They still eat traditional Dutch
food often (30%) or sometimes (60%), while
they follow certain Dutch tradition often
(15%) or sometimes (60%). Whereas 50% stated
that they were brought up the same as their
neighbours, another 50% considered their
upbringen to have been quite different from
their non Dutch neighbours.
None of them had mostly friends of Dutch
origin, while only 30% of them spoke Dutch
with their parents frequently. Of their
children 70% spoke no Dutch at all. None of
them belonged to a Dutch organization in
Canada. Of them only 5% spoke Dutch at home
and they rarely (35% or never (55%) read
Dutch books, newspapers or periodicals or
followed the Dutch news via the Internet.
However, 50% had visited the Netherlands
four times or more, while 55% claimed that
they were bringing up their children with
the aim of maintaining certain Dutch values
and traditions. Of them 55% still saw
themselves as either Dutch-Canadian or
Dutch-Québéquois. 35% of them had gone to
the Netherlands as part of their education
and 55% wouldn't mind living in the
Netherlands for a few years, although none
would want to live there for the rest of
their lives. They had (often 60%) contact
with their cousins in Canada, but only 20%
had sometimes contact with cousins in the
Netherlands. They themselves had often (30%)
or sometimes (35%) contact with relatives in
the Netherlands. Of them 85% were interested
in their Dutch background and 85% considered
it to have been an asset.
As far as leaving the province is concerned,
only 20% answered "may be", the rest planned
to stay and considered their future to be
good here (95%).
Their level of education was high, with 20%
having finished high school and 80%
university.
The conclusion for the future of the Dutch
community in Quebec is clear. As the first
generation Dutch immigrants begins to
dwindle and as no significant numbers of new
Dutch immigrants are entering the province,
and as the second generation shows a minimal
interest in maintaining Dutch institutions,
the continued existence of such institutions
is only a question of time.
An interesting article by Michiel Horn,
called "Identities
are not like hats": Reflections on
Identity Change, Dutch to Canadian
appeared in the latest issue of the Canadian
Journal of Netherlandic Studies (XXVI,
i). His observations run parallel to the
ones mentioned above.
![]() Canada Day Parade in Montreal in 1996, from l.t.r.: Janny, Ilka and Wanda Lowensteyn |
The Dutch Canadian Association probably was
the most important and oldest of the Clubs
in the Montreal area, but it too fell victim
to the dwindling interest of the Dutch
community. Virginie Sondermeyer provided me
with the following information:
In November 1987 the last issue of the
Association's magazine "De Nieuwe Weg" was
published. The Association's main activity,
the organization of the yearly Sinterklaas
Dans, came to an end with the last dance on
December 3rd, 1988. The membership list
became a list of Dutch people in the Greater
Montreal area which was regularly updated.
From 1988 till 1991 help and financial
support was given to the Cooperative
d'Habitation Neerlandaise de Montreal
Metropolitain also known as "l'Orangerie".
In the 1990's, The Dutch Canadian
Association together with The Netherlands
Society organized the yearly "Koninginne
Dans" as well as several concerts and film
evenings. On July 1, 1996, a donation of
$100 was given to a group of about 10
persons of Dutch descent to participate for
the first (and last) time in the Canada Day
Parade in Montreal. A truck carried sound
equipment, Dutch songs were played, bicycles
and participants were "decorated" in red,
white, blue and orange. The last rental
period (Oct.31, 2000-Oct.31, 2001) of the
Association's P.O. Box 385 in Roxboro was
paid. Mail, from then on, was sent to the
home address of one of the members of the
Board. In December 2005, the remaining
members of the Board (Angie and Onno
Kruller, Marian Arts, Virginie Sondermeyer
were present. Henk de Langen was not
present) decided to close the bank account
of the DCA before bank costs would whittle
down to zero the amount left (a little under
$700). Two donations of equal amounts were
made to "Dans La Rue" Montreal, an
organization serving youth on the street and
the "West Island Palliative Care Residence"
in Kirkland, QC. Membership fees to CAANS,
which have been paid since 1984, were paid
up till 2007 incl.
The "Borrel Club" (Dutch speaking
professionals and businessmen) and the
"Dames Borrel Club" (ladies) as well as
CAANS continue to fulfill a certain demand.
The "Borrel Club" still meets regularly.
The more informal "Dames Borrel Club" was
started by Louise Hegenbarth. Since a few
years Willie Lubbers and Virginie
Sondermeyer try to have two or three get
togethers a year, depending on whether they
can find ladies who are willing to host the
Club at their home. Average attendance: 22.
In January 2004, several Dutch ladies came
to the formation of a Luncheon Club. A
criterion for participation is that one
speaks Dutch, although the speaker during
the luncheon may well be English speaking
and the chosen subjects are wide-ranging.
Average attendance: 18.
There is also a group called "Dutch Treat"
for new arrivals and persons who like to
keep their Dutch language skills, which
holds informal once a month get togethers.
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CAANS
is at present the only Dutch formal
institution still in operation in Montreal,
but the association changed considerably
over the years since 1986. As mentioned in
the main thesis, lectures at the academic
level were given in English or French but
only attracted a limited audience. To change
that, the members of the executive
introduced Dutch as the main language of the
association after the original founders of
CAANS-Montreal were no longer on the
executive.
CAANS Montréal, Vereniging voor
Nederlandse en Vlaamse Cultuur
(CAANS-Montreal, Association of Dutch and
Flemish Culture) as it is now called, is
still very active and organizes monthly
(September-June) lectures, movie showings,
as well as a yearly poetry reading. Some of
the events are organized in cooperation with
and supported by the National organization
of CAANS. The association attracts an
average of 30 to 40 people, mostly of Dutch
and Flemish background, to its events. (Lecture
Programme from September 1999 till June
2018 {PDF in Dutch})
A similar change from English and French to
Dutch as the main language took place in
other CAANS Chapters, but not as rigorously
as in Montreal.
Each year the Dutch Consulate General
organized a reception to celebrate the
Queens Birthday. As the Consulate closed in
July 2009, its involvement in Dutch cultural
and business representations in the province
came to an end. The celebrations are still
being held, organized by members of the
community.
For awhile members Dutch community in
Montreal set up a website called: Nederlanders
in Montreal but it is no longer
operating.
A few years ago, Paul Frenay was running a
partially Dutch language programme on cable
television called Jase Café, but it
ceased operations.
When one looks at the membership of the
above mentioned institutions, one sees a
considerable overlap, with several members
being first generation immigrants. What this
holds for the future remains to be seen.
There is also a senior citizens housing
co-op as a member/tenant controlled
non-profit organization in operation called
NETHERLANDS MONTREAL at 200 Ernest, Apt. 34,
Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, H9A 3H7.
The First
Christian Reformed Church of Montreal
is still in operation at 52 Joseph Paiement,
Dollard des Ormeaux, QC. The pastor used to
be Jake Boer but it is now the Rev. James
Kralt.
However, the focus of the church has always
been on the Christian Reformed faith, not on
maintaining Dutch ethnicity, and although
some of the members are still of Dutch
background, the church is no longer a
"Dutch" church.
At present (2020) a "Koffieclub" organizes films and get-togethers on the West-Island of the the greater Montreal region.
© Peter Lowensteyn,
2020