2023 Welcoming Ottawa Ambassadors

Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Tetiana Piatkovska, 25, was forced to make a life-changing decision. Amidst the blackouts and constant sirens, she sat at her parent’s dining table and told them she was leaving for Canada. They lived in the occupied territory and feared that nuclear weapons would become a factor in the war.

A family in Ottawa told Tetiana about a Canadian government charter flight leaving from Poland in a couple of days. She spoke some English and had recently graduated from law school. Two of her law school friends had also been approved for Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)* program, and the three would be leaving Ukraine.

“On May 29, 2022, I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the loving family of Bruce Mayo and Sandra West,” says Tetiana. Bruce Mayo, a retired military lawyer and Sandra West, a retired military physician were empty nesters and after a few Zoom calls where they showed Tetiana their Alta Vista house, they offered to host her.

Bruce, Sandra and their daughter Laura met Tetiana at the airport in Montreal. Their house was too small to host all three Ukrainian women. So Tetiana’s two friends would be hosted by their neighbours, who when hearing about their plight, said “we’ll take them”.

“From the moment I arrived, Bruce and Sandra went above and beyond to assist me with various tasks such as obtaining a SIN number, an OHIP card, bank account, a bus pass and phone card,” remembers Tetiana. Their daughter, Laura, took a day off work to bring Tetiana to appointments.

“Everything was absolutely new for me – the language, culture and people.” As she began to adapt to her new environment, some of the trauma still haunted her. “I thought to myself, oh my God I don’t hear sirens here. I sometimes had flashbacks, thinking I was hearing rockets in the sky.” Tetiana is deeply concerned about her family back home. Her sister’s house is close to critical infrastructure and her brother-in-law was injured. They stayed a month in a bomb shelter that was destroyed and cooked outside on a fire. “I am so worried about my family, there are lots of tears and stress. Sometimes I wonder if I need to go back to them.”

What comforts her is that Bruce and Sandra have stepped in as surrogate parents in her new home. “They are my greatest supporters,” says Tetiana. “They are my second family. I now have Ukrainian and Canadian families! I always run my ideas by them and they provide good advice.”

“Bruce and Sandra’s kindness, support, and inspirational attitudes were evident from the start, and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done for me,” adds Tetiana. “Their kind hearts and willingness to help those in need are qualities that are not often found in today’s world.”

“Tetiana has become like a daughter to us,” adds Bruce. “She’s considerate and it is fun to have her around the house. She loves our two dogs. This situation couldn’t have worked out better. Her parents wanted to make sure she was safe, and so did we.”

Bruce and Sandra are struck by Tetiana’s resilience and positive attitude. “Every day she came down the stairs with a plan,” remarks Bruce. “She’s a self-starter. Within two weeks of arriving in Ottawa, Tetiana found a job at the Y’s Newcomer Information Centre.” She works there mostly with Ukrainians who have limited English.

“My mental health has improved,” adds Tetiana. “Now it’s my mission to help Ukrainians in Ottawa. A lot of Ukrainians who came here were lost and had to start over. This was my opportunity to give back, to give hope to others.”

Bruce and Sandra are humbled by receiving the Welcoming Ottawa Ambassador award. “Having this award is a way to show others that they can also step up and do this. In our neighbourhood alone, some many others have got involved in helping the Ukrainians.”

*According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, more than 156,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada through the CUAET program.