Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 4511
Friday,November March 16, Friday, 8, 2018 2019
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
Servingthe theNorman Norman Region 1961 Serving Regionsince since 1961
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
RCMP using mailouts and billboards to try to flush out information about Bobbie Lynn Moose’s whereabouts between Oct. 1 and Oct. 17 29-year-old found dead Book a way tonearpreserve and pass on Thompson’s Nelson Road more than two weeks after family memories ofmember growing up in Churchill dropped her off at Walmart
BY ERIC WESTHAVER FLIN FLON REMINDER
RCMP are looking for any clues that could potentially help solve the murder of 29-year-old Bobbie Lynn Moose. Manitoba RCMP put out a public plea in relation to Moose’s case Nov. 5. Moose, who grew up in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, was found dead near Nelson Road in the Eastwood area of Thompson the evening of Oct. 17. Investigators have conducted over 300 interviews and canvassed the area near where Moose’s body was found. A specially trained RCMP team from Winnipeg flew to Thompson to help find evidence. Despite the efforts of police, the case appears to be at a dead end. “There is still very little known about [Moose’s] time in Thompson,” read a news release issued by RCMP Nov. 5. Police said they will send every house and apartment in Thompson a pamphlet with a photo and information about Moose along with a plea for more details. Billboards will be erected with Moose’s face in high-traffic locations. A copy of the pamphlet described Moose as five feet tall and 110 pounds. It also shows the clothing she was last seen wearing. Moose was last seen alive wearing a plain black winter coat, a grey North Face jacket with red trim, black tights and black boots. According to police, Moose’s family last saw her at the Thompson Walmart Oct. 1, where her sister had dropped her off.
RCMP assume Moose must have stayed with or interacted with people during her time in Thompson. Police previously said they believed Moose had been staying with friends in Thompson. “To put it simply, someone in Thompson has information about her time in the city between Oct. 1 and Oct. 17. We need them to come forward and contact police,” said Asst. Commissioner Jane MacLatchy, commanding officer of the Manitoba RCMP. “We are here, as a group, with a plea for help. We need the people of Thompson and surrounding communities to clearly hear our message today so that we can move a homicide investigation forward.” RCMP previously told the Nickel Belt News that it would be trying different methods to generate tips about Moose, since many of the people she hung around with were homeless and may not have regular access to the internet and social media. Anyone with details relating to Moose’s disappearance and death can contact Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or at manitobacrimestoppers.com. - with files from Ian Graham This mailout with information about homicide victim Bobbie Lynn Moose, who was found dead near Nelson Road Oct. 17, began arriving in mailboxes in Thompson Nov. 5. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham
Volunteer at Northern Manitoba Paws in Need attacked by man trying to break into her car
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Though she’s now written a book about her experiences growing up in Churchill, A volunteer at the Addictions Foundation of Northern Manitoba Paws Manitoba northern director in Need/Beastly Boutique Gisele deMeulles said writpet shelter on Commercial ing wasn’t something she Place received cuts to her always thought she would face in a Nov. 4 assault do. when she spoke to a man youth I never she“In sawmy trying to break into felt good at writing,” she her vehicle. said. “But when I moved to Thompson to get into the school of social work, at that point I had to write for university and realized, ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, right?’ I certainly developed a lot of skill in university and came out of there with a very strong skill in my writing and confidence in my writing. I write very clear and that’s it. It’s there. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting DeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and herThe book, titled Whispers in because lost if they started throwing assault, which was him, he they threwwill icebechunks said in a Facebook postthe on the Wind: Stories from the fuel off and I realized, I don’t.” reported to RCMP around at her, knocked her to the Thompson Talk that‘Holy her North Life in Churchill for ground She also has a reputation I washad probably sitting 1 p.m.- Monday, occurred and punched her, cats, daughter cuts on her a couple of reasons. a storyteller herself. say on bomb.’” between 12:30 a.m. and 1 as causing minor injuries, facea from the assault. “I just of thought, “I had such a varied Another thing a.m. Nov.sort 4. The victim Thompson RCMP, whohisare Vicki McNevin, who that runs you know what, this history and I would tell people spurred her on was was going to her vehicle still trying to determine the Northern Manitoba Pawsthe in tory, stufffor that’s my stories Churchill they would go, hard to getthis treats the indogs identifyand of the assailant. Need,times said facing in a Facebook true, is go, since head, going to saw be gone the the Hudson Baywants Railinsideit’s when she the ‘That’s The not mother ofit?’ theI’dvolpost that woman if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations man. After she spoke to unteer who was attacked to continue volunteering. said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there Contact Nelson 204-307-0281 cause she always tells her atshe might not do again. any longer, her parents and stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family pruderspropertyservices@gmail.com Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. hounded her, ‘Please, justproperty high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the to discuss your needs! put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to
Yer snow gotta go!
Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham
swallow when people say that Churchill residents should just find somewhere easier to live. “To people “We say, rely ‘Those on volunteers choose to live there. They to help us and want them should just leave,’ is to feel safe doing so.quite Our simplistic. It’sour quite disrehearts hurt for volunteer spectful. wemust werefeel in the and whatIfshe so same boat in another please help the RCMP area find Iher think we would attacker if you scream [know] about that so why don’t they any piece of information at have the option do that? all please call it to in.” I think right now they’re feeling like they’re pawns 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?’”
For all the harsh weather and the dangers of polar bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would have moved with back to ChurchAnyone informaill in a heartbeat. tion about this incident “I call miss the shoreline, can Thompson RCMPI miss the rock, I or miss the at 204-677-6909 Crime polar bears even though Stoppers anonymously at they’re very dangerous 1-800-222-8477. Tips and can Ialso really miss the Hudson be submitted online at Bay,” she says. “When I go www.manitobacrimestopback home, standing on the pers.com. Hudson Bay looking out on the bay, it just gives you an 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.”