Manitoba government matching donations to Filipino community in Vancouver after festival tragedy
An SUV drove into a crowd of people at the Lapu-Lapu Day celebrating Filipino culture and history in Vancouver April 26. Vancouver's interim police chief called it the 'darkest day' in the city's history. Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was arrested and faces eight charges of second-degree murder.
The province will match donations to the United Way Kapwa Strong Fund, which can be reached at uwbc.ca.
Donations can also be made at Red Cross of Canada at redcross.ca or the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg at jewishvancouver.com.
'These funds can help to support the grieving families and those affected by the tragedy as they continue to process and begin to heal,' said Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Nellie Kennedy.
'Manitoba values our Filipino community, some of whom care for our children, our elders and the sick. It's our turn to care for them as they begin to rebuild following this tragedy.'
Donations will be matched in partnership with Jewish organizations in Winnipeg, which will launch a fundraising and awareness campaign.
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Vancouver Sun
4 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
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Edmonton Journal
4 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
News organizations fight to publicize evidence presented at fitness hearing of suspect in Lapu Lapu attack
Article content A media consortium has challenged a publication ban on evidence at a hearing to determine if the man accused of killing 11 people at Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival is fit to stand trial. Article content The ban, which is supported by both prosecutors and the defence, says evidence in the British Columbia provincial court hearing is not publishable until the ban is lifted or after the end of a criminal trial. Article content Article content Adam Kai-Ji Lo, who attended court by video on Tuesday wearing a blue sweatshirt, faces 11 second-degree murder charges over the ramming attack in April, when an SUV drove through a crowd at a Filipino community festival. Article content Article content Lawyer Daniel Coles, representing the consortium that includes The Canadian Press, argued that lifting the ban would be in the public interest while Crown lawyer Michaela Donnelly and Lo's defence lawyer Mark Swartz opposed lifting or altering the ban. Article content Coles told the court that Vancouver now 'wears the crown of the deadliest vehicle attack in Canadian history' and the attack has garnered significant public attention. He said it was essential to the public interest and the open-court principle to allow the media to report on the matter, as it was not often possible for members of the public to attend court and coverage 'fills that void.' Article content Article content He argued that the court must find a balance between Lo's right to a fair trial with court openness and freedom of expression. Article content 'A proper publication ban — one that can withstand Charter scrutiny — is done with a scalpel and not a hatchet,' he told the court Tuesday. 'It's minimally invasive.' Article content Coles argued that because a trial date has not yet been set, much of what is covered by the fitness hearing 'will be in the rear-view mirror of the public consciousness' by that time. Article content He also said several details are already known by the public, including that Lo had 'significant interactions with police in connection with mental health issues.' Article content 'Any potential juror would know that,' he told the judge, adding that public is also aware of his family history, including the murder of his brother and his mother's attempted suicide. Article content Swartz rebuffed that argument, saying publicly known information is 'very bare bones' and 'quite ambiguous.'
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Media challenge publication ban on Lapu Lapu attack suspect's fitness hearing
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