DEATH PLUNGE SPARKS POLICE PLAN TO MAKE EASTSIDE SAFER FOR WOMEN

Vancouver police Chief Jim Chu announced a new "Guardian Project"
Monday to help women in the Downtown Eastside who face
disproportionate rates of "violence, injury and death."

Chu also announced a $10,000 award for information about the death of
Ashley Machiskinic, a 22-year-old First Nations woman who Eastside
residents say was thrown to her death Sept. 15 from a fifth-floor
window of the Regent Hotel.

Chu, who braved a wave of anger from Eastside residents Oct. 8 about
Ashley's death and mounting violence against women by drug dealers,
promised the Guardian Project will hold regular "town hall meetings."

The project also has set up a phone tip line at 604-215-4777, which
will be staffed by E-Comm "female civilians" but offer anonymity to
tipsters.

VPD Staff-Sgt. Joanne Boyle stressed the Machiskinic death is "under
active and ongoing investigation," and that the VPD has "rescinded"
its previous declarations the death was a suicide.

The Vancouver Police Board announced a reward of "up to $10,000 for
information that proves conclusively how and why Ms. Machiskinic fell
from the window."

Machiskinic's family in Saskatchewan, where she was a member of the
Kawacatoose First Nation, welcomed news of the reward.

"We all know in our hearts that Ashley would never take her own life
and we are still hoping there will be justice for her, so maybe this
reward is a good thing," said Sharon Strongarm, Ashley's
step-grandmother.

"I know that in the city people are afraid to speak up because they're
scared of the gangs and drug dealers, but if I knew about a death, I
would speak up.

"Just because she wasn't a university student and she lived in the
Downtown Eastside doesn't mean her death wasn't important. "

Ashley's mother Cheryl Strongarm, who put up a poster and flowers for
Ashley in the lane behind the Regent, "came home for a month to stay
with us and to grieve for Ashley," said Sharon. Sharon and her
husband, Laurence Strongarm, Cheryl's grandfather, are respected Cree
elders.

Mona Woodward and her daughter Winona Williams, cousins of Ashley,
held up a poster with photos taken before Ashley's death.

"Ashley's death brought more awareness to the community and society at
large about the violence toward aboriginal women down here," said Woodward.

Williams broke down in tears talking about Ashley. "There's a code of
silence because people are afraid the drug dealers will just beat on
them more."