SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A bond forged between Canada and the Netherlands during the Second World War has paved the road for a group of 40 St. Patrick High School students to travel to Holland in May.

Anna Rijk, the senior adviser of communications for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, talks to students at St. Patrick's High School about the friendship between their nation and Canada, at the high school's Remembrance Day service on Nov. 6. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

A film team from NOS, the Dutch public broadcaster, were in attendance at the high school's Remembrance Day service on Nov. 6, as was Anna Rijk, the senior adviser of communications for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The trip to the Netherlands will be taken under the helm of Loralea Wark, a teacher at St. Pat's who was shortlisted for a Governor General's award for excellence in teaching Canadian history this past year.

"It's incredibly huge that the (film crew was) here. I'm still floored that they were here," said Wark.

She said she was contacted by a teacher in Ontario named Dave Robinson, who Wark had worked with before to bring students to Vimy Ridge in 2007.

Robinson proposed bringing the kids to the Netherlands with other schools around Canada, as well as sending the NOS film crew to Yellowknife.

"It kind of snowballed from there," said Wark.

After visiting Yellowknife the film crew moved on to Toronto and is in Ottawa today for the Remembrance Day ceremonies. They are working on an hour-long documentary that will be broadcast in the Netherlands about Canadian students coming to their country to celebrate the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi oppressors.

Wark said on the way, the students will stop at Vimy Ridge, which is a preserved First World War battlefield and a testament to the Canadian military. There, students will make copies of the inscriptions on several headstones, perform a liturgy, and bring the copies back to be displayed at the high school.

"It's an absolutely incredibly moving experience. There's not one kid that leaves there dry-eyed, and not one adult that leaves there dry-eyed either," said Wark.

Wark said Rijk, who had been in contact with Robinson about the documentary and trip project, called her up to let her know that she wanted to come and be part of the high school's service on Nov. 6.

Wark said it was quite a surprise, but Rijk said it is an excellent way to spread the message of friendship between the two nations.

"Canada and the Netherlands share history and they share values as well, and that was all derived, basically, from the Second World War, when it was the Canadian soldiers who liberated large parts of the Netherlands," said Rijk.

Rijk said this, and Canada providing a safe haven for the Dutch Princess Juliana during the war has left a lasting warmth between the two nations, and has bred cooperation.

"In Afghanistan, another war theatre, the Dutch and the Canadians work side-by-side together," said Rijk.