Elenore Sturko knew from the tone of the man乌鸦传媒檚 voice that his statement regarding her heritage wasn乌鸦传媒檛 one of admiration.

乌鸦传媒淪turko 乌鸦传媒� that乌鸦传媒檚 a Ukrainian name,乌鸦传媒� he said.

On duty near the Pacific Highway border at the time, in her role as a sergeant with the Surrey RCMP, Sturko automatically deferred to de-escalation tactics, telling the man she was born in Canada, rather than letting him bait her into a confrontation.

乌鸦传媒淚 knew they were trying to cause trouble with me,乌鸦传媒� Sturko said Monday, as she explained a tweet she made the night before (Feb. 27) regarding a protester who 乌鸦传媒渟tarted trying to shame me for my heritage.乌鸦传媒�

2 weeks ago on duty by the border a protester saw my last name is Ukrainian and started to try to shame me for my heritage. I was proud of who I am 2 weeks ago - witnessing the courage of the Ukrainian people, I am even more fiercely proud of my heritage today.

乌鸦传媒� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

The protester went on to call her a Nazi, and ask her 乌鸦传媒渨hat kind of Ukrainian are you 乌鸦传媒� a good one or a bad one?乌鸦传媒� before disappearing to fetch a giant poster depicting a firing-squad image from the Holocaust. The man then stood some 20 feet away and yelled at her for an hour in Polish, 乌鸦传媒渃alling me out basically about my Ukrainian heritage.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淎s much as we乌鸦传媒� want to be professional, sometimes, stuff like that, it does plant a seed of sadness within you,乌鸦传媒� Sturko said.

乌鸦传媒淚 was upset by that.乌鸦传媒�

The incident happened on Feb. 19, as the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine was increasing in intensity.

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As upsetting as it was, Sturko, who is a South Surrey resident, said it didn乌鸦传媒檛 have the effect that the protester was clearly aiming for, that of diminishing her pride in her roots, and shaming her. In fact, it did quite the opposite.

乌鸦传媒淭o see how much love and respect there is for people who belong to my ethnic heritage is just incredibly important,乌鸦传媒� Sturko said, referring to the outpouring of support that continues for Ukraine and its people during the ongoing invasion.

乌鸦传媒淥ne out of hundreds of thousands of people said something that was very insulting, but there乌鸦传媒檚 millions and millions of people right now showing their love and support and admiration for those in the Ukraine dealing with this terrible situation.

乌鸦传媒淚 was at the protest, it was ugly, but there乌鸦传媒檚 so much more beauty in what we乌鸦传媒檙e seeing being demonstrated.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an opportunity for us all to reflect on things that unite us.乌鸦传媒�

Sturko is a second-generation Canadian. Her grandparents came to Canada from Ukraine more than a century ago 乌鸦传媒� in 1908 and 1918 乌鸦传媒� to escape 乌鸦传媒渢errible乌鸦传媒� conditions, including oppression and starvation.

While her grandparents quickly assimilated into Western culture 乌鸦传媒� and didn乌鸦传媒檛 speak much about the painful side of their history in the years that followed 乌鸦传媒� her family did hold onto various traditions over the years, at Christmas and other occasions. Making Ukrainian Easter eggs and perogies are among the activities Sturko does with her own kids.

She said while she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 know any family in Ukraine now, seeing the conflict and the war 乌鸦传媒渋n an odd way乌鸦传媒� has reconnected me with my cultural heritage.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淓ven seeing the resolve now of Ukrainian people fighting and battling for their country, it inspires me, I want to know more.

乌鸦传媒淜nowing this is the home of my grandparents, it has a special significance for me, but I don乌鸦传媒檛 think you need to have Ukrainian heritage乌鸦传媒� to see the human side of war.乌鸦传媒�