Frank Gruben has now been missing for more than a month. He was last seen in Fort Smith on May 6 and hasn’t been seen since.
Now, the MLA for Nunakput wants to know what police have been doing to try and find the 30-year-old, who is originally from Aklavik.
Jackie Jacobson put those queries to Justice Minister R.J. Simpson during question period in the legislative assembly on June 1.
Jacobson said he’s convinced someone knows what happened to Gruben, who was first reported missing to Fort Smith RCMP on May 8.
“Do what’s right. Call the RCMP. Call Crime Stoppers,” he said. “We have to bring Frank home to his mother so she could grieve properly and to the people of Aklavik to be able to grieve him as a whole family and not wondering where their son is.”
When asked what a detachment is responsible for when it comes to missing people, Simpson indicated it depends on where a case is at.
“When there is a missing person, the RCMP do look into it,” he said. “If there is evidence of a crime, then there’s a criminal investigation that occurs. If someone is missing and there is no evidence of a crime, it’s still an open case.”
Simpson added that he has been in contact with Chief Supt. Syd Lecky, commanding officer of G Division RCMP, about the case and has been doing his best to share the concerns of MLAs to police.
Jacobson wondered if there had been any expertise given to the Fort Smith detachment from Yellowknife to help with the investigation, but Simpson said he didn’t know.
“The RCMP don’t share those kinds of details about investigations, with myself even,” said Simpson. “I will say that it’s my understanding that the RCMP are in contact with the family and when there is anything to update to the family with, they do that.”
Twice, Jacobson asked Simpson to get in touch with Lecky to see if he would be willing to meet with MLAs to provide an update on what protocols are in situations such as this.
“I really want to help my minister in regards to seeing if what we can do other than, you know, relaying messages back and forth,” said Jacobson.
Simpson said he wasn’t in a position to ask Lecky to appear anywhere because RCMP works independent of the GNWT, but he did suggest Jacobson and other MLAs ask Lecky to appear at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight.
“They do have power as a standing committee, and they can use that,” said Simpson. “I would recommend that they get together, and they make that request to the commanding officer.”
Gruben is described as as Inuk, 6 ft., 2 in. tall, 175 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. If you have any information as to where Gruben may be, call Fort Smith RCMP at 867-872-1111 or Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).