Vancouver attack 'heartbreaking for all of us,' says Winnipeg Filipino pastor mourning street festival deaths

Junie Josue woke up Sunday morning in Winnipeg, like much of the country, to the news of a deadly attack that wrenched his heart and those of many in the Filipino community.

"In my 26 years [in this country], this is the saddest and the worst thing that happened to us, this is [very] much devastating," the Filipino-Canadian and senior pastor at the International Worship Centre told CBC News.

The night before, more than 1,800 kilometres west of his church, a driver slammed a black SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens more at the Filipino street festival, in what local police are referring to as the "darkest day" in the city's history.

"What started as a celebration became a tragedy," Josue said. "[It's] heartbreaking for all of us." 

The deadly car-ramming is not being investigated as an act of terrorism by Vancouver police, who said the suspect, a 30-year-old male resident of the city, has a history of mental health-related interactions with authorities.

The attack upended the last day of the federal election campaign and sent shock waves throughout Canada, with an outpouring of support and condolences coming from across the country. 

During Sunday's church service, Josue thought about the families of those mourning the death of a loved one. He also prayed for those who were injured in the attack.

But in the wake of a devastating event, he also knows the Filipino community will stand up to help one another move past this calamity — bringing a close-knit community that already sees itself as a big family even closer. 

"Everybody's linking arms and, you know, just encouraging and supporting those who have been affected," Josue said. 

Similar cultural events are held in Winnipeg to celebrate the Filipino community and its heritage. Josue is hoping those celebrations will go on this year because, despite what happened in Vancouver, "we don't want to live in fear; we want to live with optimism and hope," he said. 

In light of the car-ramming, the chairman of the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival said the organization might need to reconsider whether to hold its annual parade on the streets of Winnipeg or at an indoor venue out of a concern for safety. 

"This is not a regular incident. This is an isolated incident … we just have to be careful," chairman Ley Navarro said.

People at his church also prayed for those who were killed in the attack and their families.

"Prayer actually makes it easier for us to really understand all of this," he said.