Local Filipinos come together to mourn Vancouver attack victims

A violinist played Amazing Grace as people joined a Winnipeg vigil to honour the people who were killed and injured when a suspect drove into a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver Saturday.

More than 200 people attended the remembrance ceremony at the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba on Keewatin Street Tuesday evening. The local Filipino community wanted to gather to share their sorrow.

“Our bloodline knows hurt. Our bloodline has seen violence before,” New Democrat MLA Jelynn Dela Cruz told the mourners.

She noted that the block party was named after Lapu Lapu, a 16th century Filipino chief.

“(He) was a living example of what it means to be Filipino. Not only (is) that resilience woven into the fabric of who we are, but that relentlessness.”

Winnipeg has the largest Filipino population, proportionally, of any major Canadian city, Dela Cruz added.

“We are a relentless people and we will get through this,” she said.

Eleven people were killed and dozens were seriously injured after the suspect in an SUV ran down people at the block party.

Police said the accused, 30-year-old Kai-ji Adam Lo, has a history of mental-health interactions with law enforcement. He has been charged with multiple offences.

Shahina Siddiqui, an educator and activist, delivered greetings on behalf of Winnipeg’s Muslim community.

“It’s a difficult time, but a time when Manitoba shows up and stands up with each other,” she said. “Our faiths don’t divide us, they should bring us together. We are one humanity and we (must) stand together not only in good times but in challenging times like this.”

Rabbi Anibal Mass echoed those sentiments.

“We grieve for the families shattered, for the futures stolen, for the dreams now left unfinished,” he said. “On behalf of the Jewish community of Manitoba and on behalf of myself personally, I say to you: You are not alone. We stand with you in your sorrow. We embrace you in your pain. We hold you in our prayers.”

Pictures of the 11 victims were displayed on a table at the front, and attendees had an opportunity to leave flowers and mementoes to honour them. Ushers circulated boxes of tissues.

Eloina Evaristo said attending the vigil was an opportunity to grieve with the Filipino community and pay respects to the victims.

“We’re really showing that solidarity that the Filipino community has. No matter where you are, kababayans are kababayans,” she said, using the Filipino word for compatriots. “I wanted to be here to show that.”

Evaristo attended the vigil with Goldie Garcia, director of Magdaragat Philippines Inc., a Filipino dance group with more than 180 members. Saturday’s attack hit home for Evaristo because if the Lapu Lapu Day block party had taken place in Winnipeg, it’s likely Magdaragat Philippines would have participated.

Garcia has family members who attended the block party. They left before the attack.

“This is really nice to see that everyone’s coming together,” she said, adding Winnipeg’s Filipino community is “huge and we all have our groups, but we all come together for a time like this.”

Politicians who attended the vigil included Tory party Leader Obby Khan and Vivian Santos, the city councillor for Point Douglas.

Representatives from Canadian Blood Services set up an information booth at the vigil, highlighting the difference blood donors can make when people are injured during such a tragedy.

The program given to attendees included a list of mental health and crisis supports. A mental health practitioner who spoke during the vigil offered practical tips to deal with grief.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca