Arts, Culture & Community Combine
TUESDAY May 27, 2014 • www.langleytimes.com
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NEWS Market Value
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ARTS & LIFE Pop-Up Dinner is Served
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SPORTS The Comeback Kid
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Judge reserves decision on Figueroa MONIQUE TAM M ING A Tim es R eport er
José Figueroa will have to wait a little bit longer to know whether a decision to deport him will be sent back to Immigration for a new review. The federal court in Vancouver was standing room only, packed with supporters of Figueroa and his family, while José listened in to the lengthy proceedings over the telephone. Outside, dozens of people held up banners in support of the Langley father of three. Figueroa sought sanctuary more than eight months ago, inside the Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, after the Canadian Border Service Agency issued an arrest warrant for him, ordering that he be deported back to El Salvador. Judge Richard Mosley reserved his decision about whether the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration must take another look at exempting Figueroa from deportation on compassionate and humanitarian grounds. “I feel optimistic,” said Figueroa’s wife, Ivana, after the hearing. “I believe the judge will take into account our children in his decision.” She said moving back to El Salvador is not an option and the family will continue to fight to stay in Canada — their home. Figueroa’s lawyer Peter Edelmann argued that the original officer who denied Figueora permission to stay in Canada on compassionate grounds in 2010 didn’t have access to his entire file, which included two previous officers’ recommendations that he be able to stay in the country. Continued Page 4
MONIQUE TA MMINGA L a n g l ey Ti m es
Supporters of José Figueroa rallied outside the Vancouver court, where a deportation hearing was held Monday for the Langley father of three. Figueroa listened to the proceedings over the telephone from the church where he claimed sanctuary last year.
Surrey woman, 43, charged in bus attack MONIQUE TAMMINGA Times Reporter
A 43-year-old Surrey woman is in jail facing numerous charges after threatening a mother of three with a knife and then physically assaulting her two toddlers on board the 502 bus on Tuesday, May 20. The violent encounter included the suspect, Leah Susan MacKay, allegedly kicking the victim’s two-year-old in the back and throwing a drink in a baby’s face while the boy was in a stroller on a bus that stopped at Willowbrook Shopping Centre. The mother came to the defense of her children, punching the suspect while the bus was moving. The disturbing physical
altercation was videotaped and uploaded to YouTube by another passenger. Around 10:20 a.m., the 43-year-old suspect and the bus driver began arguing over non-payment of the fare. The suspect was swearing profusely, causing the mother of three along with other passengers to ask her to stop using that language. There were several children on the bus in addition to the victim’s own three children, said Langley RCMP. The suspect threatened to kill the mother and her children before throwing a drink at the youngest child, confirm police. The two women began to fight, with the mother punching the suspect repeatedly
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and swearing profusely. The bus driver escorted the first woman from the bus. The mother also left, and began walking toward Willowbrook Shopping Centre with her children. That’s when the Surrey woman ran after the victim and produced a knife, knocked over the woman’s four-year-old daughter and kicked her other daughter, age two, in the back, said Cpl. Holly Marks. Once officers were called about the attack, the suspect’s description was broadcast to police in the area. A Surrey RCMP officer recognized the description as someone he had dealings with in the past, attended her home and arrest-
ed her. She was held in custody overnight and appeared in Surrey Provincial Court Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, police announced that MacKay was charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, one count of assault, and one count of uttering threats. She was ordered kept in custody. She has been charged with two counts of assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of uttering threats. She remains in jail. The incident has attracted enormous public interest from near and far. A post of The Times’ story on Facebook had attracted more than 11,000 views, as of Monday.
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