Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, August 11, 2021
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Volume 61 • Issue 30
Thompson man charged with first-degree murder for 2019 death of Bobbie Lynn Moose
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
A 52-year-old Thompson man was arrested July 28 on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Bobbie Lynn Moose, who was found dead in Thompson just over 21 months earlier, on Oct. 17, 2019. Jack Clarence Flett, 52, was arrested by RCMP Major Crime Services investigators around 4 p.m. that day and made his first court appearance before being transported to Winnipeg on July 31, where he remains in custody. Flett and Moose knew each other, police say. The charges come after an extensive investigation that included billboard and pamphlet advertising, pleas for information in English and Cree on Northern Manitoba radio stations and door-todoor canvassing by police in Thompson in February 2020.
“RCMP investigators have worked more than 25,000 hours on this investigation, conducting more than 400 interviews, speaking with more than 1,600 people, watching 52,560 hours of video surveillance, and distributing 1,000 pamphlets in Cree requesting information,” said Supt. Michael Koppang, Manitoba RCMP’s officer in charge of Major Crime Services. “The tireless efforts of our investigators and the support of the community have given us this outcome today.” Moose’s body was found in a lot along Nelson Road between Station Road and Mystery Lake Road, a little more than two weeks after she was dropped off by her sister at Walmart Oct. 1, 2019. Moose was a member of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation but
frequently stayed in Thompson, though she didn’t have a residence. As recently as last October, on the one-year anniversary of Moose’s death, police said they still didn’t have all the information they needed about that 16-day time period. “Violence against Indigenous women and girls in Manitoba and across Canada is an ongoing national tragedy, and we all have a role to play to reduce and, one day, eliminate this violence,” said Manitoba RCMP commanding officer Asst. Commissioner Jane MacLatchy. “This investigation relied on community involvement, support, and outreach, and I want to thank every person who supported our efforts in finding justice for Bobbie.” The manager of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s
(MKO) Missing and Murdered Women and Girls (MMIWG) Liasion Unit said the arrest of a suspect was a welcome development. “I am pleased to hear of the arrest in relation to the murder of Bobbie Lynn Moose,” Hilda Anderson-Pyrz said in an Aug. 3 press release. “I thank the RCMP and all those who provided tips in helping lead to the arrest of Jack Flett. Today is an important day as we honour the spirit of Bobbie Lynn. With today’s announcement from the RCMP, the journey for justice begins. I want to ensure Bobbie’s family and loved ones that MKO will continue to do our utmost to pressure government leaders and policy makers to implement the 231 Calls for Justice [from the final report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG].”
RCMP photo A Thompson man was charged with first-degree murder in late July in connection with the 2019 death of Bobbie Lynn Moose.
$33 million in federal-provincial funding will help city redo 24 local roads over next five years part of 24 city roads will cent, Beaver Crescent, residents with a safe and be renewed with that fund- Elk Bay and Fox Bay in upgraded transportation ing and a $6,668,000 con- Deerwood as well as Hayes network. Thanks to federal tribution from Thompson. Road and Seal Road in the funding of over $48.9 mil“Council and adminis- industrial area. Other roads lion, the 17 projects we're tration have been working scheduled to be renewed announcing today will for three years to achieve include Nelson Road, Pub- create jobs, improve road this funding,” said Mayor lic Lane and Station Road, safety, and ensure longColleen Smook in a July 26 along with Nickel Road, term sustainable infranews release from the city. Riverside Drive and Sil- structure while building “We can’t understate what ver Street in Riverside, as strong and well-connected a massive investment this well as Mallard Crescent, communities.” The roads being redone is: this is equal to a year’s Pintail Crescent, Westwood Manitoba Premier Brian time than now.” worth of the city’s budget, Drive and Sandpiper Cres- in Thompson represent Pallister announced Aug. Pallister’s career in dedicated exclusively to cent in Westwood. Coral about one-fifth of the 10 that he will be stepping provincial politics began road work. Thompson is Crescent and Wolf Street city’s total road network. down as premier and Pro- in 1992, when he won a bigger than the people who in the Burntwood area and $3,449,258 in federal fundgressive Conservative party byelection in Portage La ingNews wasphoto alsobyannounced live here: we are the Hub Juniper Drive and Spruce leader and will not seek Prairie, and he was named Nickel Belt Ian Graham of the and people in Juniper are also July 26 for the paving of re-election Foundation to the Manitoba to then-premier GaryGisele Fil- deMeulles has written a book about Addictions of Manitoba northern director herNorth, experiences growing Road up, mostly in Churchill. from across the region rely on the list of roads to be about seven kilometres of legislature. mon’s cabinet after getting in the Nisichawayasihk on our year- swallow improved.when people say roads BYPallister IAN GRAHAM For all harsh weather write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was notinfrastructure a very safe thing made the an- to re-elected in 1995. Nation. round. This massive in-I that “Rural and residents northern Cree EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET figure out. It’s to pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. Churchill and the dangers of polar nouncement to reporters to He jumped federal “Manitobans depend vestment,that from federal and should communities an inte- bears, Though she’s now retreat. written when I get through.” was exciting just findare somewhere deMeulles said if it during a PC caucus politics in 1997, losing his I need to capture them for thought infraprovincial governments, gral part our country, and on a book about her DeMeulles she being wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to of live. had transportation been viable she would “I believe thatexperiennow is first electionsaid before help move recognizes our critical impacted ces growing Churchill, book,to titled in because they will be lost if they started throwing the they “Tohave say, been ‘Those people structure have movedto back to Churchthe time forupa in new leader her elected theWhispers House of goods efficiently to marrole in the north. We’re still by COVID-19 in unprecedAddictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. and premier to take our Commons as a Conservto get whereI working behind the should ented ways,” said is federal Manitoba northern director - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I washard probably sitting just leave,’ quite ket“Iand miss thepeople shoreline, province forward,” he said North ative/Canadian Alliance they need to go Isafely scenes, and this is just the simplistic. Northern Affairs Gisele writcouple ofinreasons. on a bomb.’” It’s quiteMinisdisre- miss the rock, miss and the noting deMeulles that he hassaid been in acandidate 2000. Pallister as a storyteller herself. Premier efficiently,” of more thing good things Dan Vandal in a in press ing wasn’t something she was “I re-elected just sort of thought, “I had such a variedBrian his- start Another that ter spectful. If we were the polar bears said evenManitoba though the leader’s role for nearly in 2004 and Manitoba Pallister Centralvery Services Minister coming for release announcing the they’re always she would this hisand I would tell people spurred hertheoncity.” was the same boat in another area dangerous and 10 yearsthought after taking over you 2006know beforewhat, announcing his tory Helwer. “Our govRoads be redone in- Ifunding. with IReg Thompson file photo do. this stuff that’s in my timestofacing Churchill think we“Together would scream really miss the Hudson and Citizen they would go, hard from Hugh McFadyen in tory, intention to step down in stories to cludethe Thompson Drive, the province, municipal“In and my premier youth I for never it’s became going toManitoba be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they ernment Bay,” she will says.continue “When I go 2012 the head, 2008. He invest in projects that imPrinceton Drive in Eastities, and project funding felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, have the option to do that? back home, standing on the way suspended operations last five. “It’s not easy to premier in 2016 when the tained the position when prove theBay quality of life wood and Deerwood Drive, Irecipients, we're said. when Itomoved didn’t doaall that, did “My kids not go- ‘You of Gillam last spring. think right nowbuilding they’re Hudson looking out for on make “But the decision leave. said. PCs defeated theare incumbent his party won majority of north Road, Lynx Cres- feeling back better and providing to Thompson to get into ing get it if I don’t do it you? got to be really Caribou “It used to be a really like they’re pawns residents." the bay, it just gives you an I don’t think there’s a better NDPtogovernment and mainseats You’ve in September 2019. The City of Thompson has plans to redo nearly 20 kilometres of its roads over the next five years, largely through federal and prov-
incial funding announced July 26. Thompson is receiving $20 million from the federal government and
$13,332,000 from the provincial government for road renewal under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). All or
Manitoba premier to resign, not seek re-election
the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve alat that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories bea lot of skill in university cause she always tells her and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always POWER SWEEPING, LAWN MOWING, AERATION, writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just DETHATCHING & SPRAYING, my writing. I write very putLICENSED it on tape, I will write it FERTILIZER AND WEED clear and that’s it. It’s there.CONTROL for you SERVICES because your story Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought,
“Weeds on your lawn? Gotta be gone.”
old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually I did all that before I was 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” Looking back, some of those experiences are things she might not do again. “I did some pretty bizarre stuff like fuel hauls into the high Arctic at -35,” said deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn on me until after. That was a very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says. Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and her sister and other family members still are. “My cousin owns the hardware store there,” she says. Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. They’ve built their worlds there. How would we feel if someone came to you and said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to leave your home community and we’re going to displace you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.” Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another. “I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”
CALL NELSON: 204-307-0281 npruder@live.ca