MOOSE JAW — As part of a school project, a Grade 2 student from Vancouver, B.C., helped bring an adventure-bound paper cutout figure to life — and in the process, inspired a city two provinces over.
Earlier this year, Moose Jaw’s Mayor James Murdock received an unexpected letter in the mail: a message from an eight-year-old boy named Bishop and with it, a paper cutout dubbed “Flat Bishop,” inspired by the beloved children’s book character Flat Stanley.
“His letter was made to my attention as ‘Dear Mayor Murdock,’ and he introduced himself and familiarized me with the story of Flat Stanley,” Murdock said. “He was basically introducing me to Flat Bishop — a spin-off of his own name — and asked if I could take him on some adventures.”
Over the course of two months, the mayor and Flat Bishop did just that.
From visiting City Hall and joining council chamber tours, to cheering at local swim meets and even attending a Chamber of Commerce pancake breakfast, Flat Bishop made the most of his time in the Notorious City. He posed for photos with Mac the Moose, stopped by the famous Mae Wilson Theatre, and even helped buy a vintage “Moose Jaw: The Friendly City” hat.
“Flat Bishop even toured our family farm and went on walks with our wire-haired fox terrier,” Murdock said with a laugh. “There were a lot of outings where he was in my pocket — I’d forget he was there! But we tried our best, and I think we completed the mission.”
Perhaps most touching was Flat Bishop’s visit to a young local entrepreneur, Sydney Eberle, who crafts body scrubs with her grandmother to raise funds for charity. The paper companion also tagged along to an Optimist Club conference, Special Olympics events, and the 2025 BKT Tires Men’s World Curling Championship held in the city.
On his two-dimensional journey through a three-dimensional city, Flat Bishop served as more than just a curious guest — he became a bridge between communities and generations.
“I think that anything we can do to engage youth and help them understand what it means to be part of a community is so valuable,” Murdock said. “For some of them, they will be our future leaders. A simple introduction with a civic leader might just spark that interest — and that spark could continue.”
As a gesture of thanks, Murdock and his daughters prepared a return package for the student, complete with local souvenirs including a retro Moose Jaw T-shirt, Saskatchewan flag stickers, and a personalized note reflecting on Flat Bishop’s time in the city.
“I just hope he enjoyed his time in Moose Jaw,” Murdock said. “We felt fortunate and blessed to have him be part of the city. He’s more than welcome to return — we’d make sure he could go on more adventures.”
Though Murdock has yet to hear back from Bishop or his teacher, he’s optimistic a reply will come before the end of the school year — and it’s an experience he won’t soon forget.
“You know, it was just really a feel-good story,” he said. “People in the community loved it once they heard the backstory. It made them smile.”
As for the biggest takeaway from Flat Bishop’s visit?
“We need more of these stories,” Murdock said. “(We need) more feel-good moments. They help us all reconnect, and they remind us of what it means to be part of something bigger.”
