Re: Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial

by **Victor** Fri 10 May 2019, 7:39 pm

RCMP defends 'thorough, independent' investigation into Vice-Admiral Mark Norman

Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press
Published Friday, May 10, 2019 2:46PM EDT
Last Updated Friday, May 10, 2019 5:05PM EDT

OTTAWA -- The RCMP is defending its investigation of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, which has come under sustained fire since the politically charged case against the military's former second-in-command collapsed earlier this week.

Much of that criticism has centred on why the Mounties did not interview members of Stephen Harper's former Conservative government during their two-year investigation into allegations Norman leaked cabinet secrets.

That was despite accusations Norman provided confidential information about a $700-million shipbuilding contract to a Quebec shipyard, its lobbyists or the media on 12 occasions starting in September 2014 -- when the Tories were in power.

Former ministers Jason Kenney, Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay, as well as some former Conservative government staff members, revealed this week that they spoke to Norman's lawyers but said the RCMP never approached them.

It's believed the information they provided Norman's team helped get the case dropped on Wednesday. As she stayed the charge, Crown prosecutor Barbara Mercier told the judge that her decision was informed by fresh information that she had received from the defence.

The RCMP wouldn't comment on specifics of its investigation on Friday because a second criminal case is still before the courts, involving a different public servant also accused of leaking details on the shipbuilding deal.

But in a statement, the Mounties said they respected the Crown's decision to drop the case before defending officers for having "conducted a thorough, independent and highly professional investigation."

Norman's lawyer, Marie Henein, had previously questioned why members of the Harper government had not been questioned, a point she reiterated on Wednesday after the Crown agreed to drop its breach-of-trust case against her client.

"One of the things we said in court is that during the course of the investigation, although the (allegations) covered a significant part of the Harper-government time period, there were no witnesses interviewed from that time period," she said.

Neither Henein nor the Crown have said specifically what the pivotal new information was, though Henein did reveal that her office had been conducting its own investigation for several months that included interviews with former Conservative ministers and staff.

Some have questioned whether Norman, who has said the two-year legal ordeal weighed heavily on him and his family, would ever have been charged if the RCMP or the public-prosecution service had reached out to the Conservatives.

"Why weren't those questions asked of our cabinet members by the RCMP and by the (director of public prosecutions)?" O'Toole said during a news conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday. "The Crown should have that information before making their case."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who Henein and the Conservatives have accused of trying to interfere in Norman's case, asserted on Friday that "the processes in this case have unfolded in a proper manner, completely independent of government.

"I think Canadians understand that judicial processes, police investigations and court proceedings are all entirely independent of the government of the day and certainly of the Prime Minister's Office."

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/rcmp-defends-thorough-independent-investigation-into-vice-admiral-mark-norman-1.4417468

by Mojave Fri 10 May 2019, 9:20 pm

Power Play: Strategy Session - May 10, 2019

A panel of strategist weighs in on the Mark Norman case and how political parties are responding.

by Delta Sat 11 May 2019, 9:26 am

Two honourable Canadians leading by example

Published:
May 10, 2019

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 Mark-norman-sole-source-20181130

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/snobelen-two-honourable-canadians-leading-by-example

by Delta Sat 11 May 2019, 9:43 am

Mark Norman should be next chief of defence staff, says MacKay | Power & Politics

CBC News
Published on May 10, 2019

by Terrarium Sat 11 May 2019, 2:08 pm

Michelle Rempel breaks down what happened in the Vice Admiral Norman case | Why should you care?

MichelleRempel
Published on May 10, 2019

by **Hammercore** Sun 12 May 2019, 9:09 am

Sajjan says he regrets the process Mark Norman had to go through

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 Image

Published Sunday, May 12, 2019 7:00AM EDT

OTTAWA – Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says that he regrets what Vice-Admiral Mark Norman had to go through over the years-long legal battle that came to an end this week when federal prosecutors stayed the breach of trust charge he was facing.

“I have a deep respect for everybody who serves… I regret that the fact that Admiral Norman had to go through [it]… I regret the fact that the system had to go through this,” Sajjan said in an interview on CTV’s Question Period. “But when something like this happens… you have to respect the independence of the process.”

On Wednesday, federal prosecutors stayed the charge citing no "reasonable prospect of conviction."

Norman served as the second-in-command of the military until he was charged in March 2018 with breach of trust for allegedly leaking cabinet secrets in favour of Quebec-based Davie Shipbuilding in relation to a $700-million shipbuilding contract. Norman, who was suspended from the military as a result of the charge, had denied any wrongdoing.

Not long after the charge was stayed, the federal government announced that it will be paying Norman's substantial legal fees. Norman says he is now looking forward to returning to work, though it remains unclear what position he’ll be returning to.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance said that the stay eliminates the conditions that caused Norman to be relieved of his duties, and he’ll be talking to the newly-vindicated senior military member about his return to work very soon.

Sajjan said that at the time he supported Vance’s decision to suspend Norman in January 2017, and the decision to not initially cover Norman’s now more than $500,000 in legal fees. However, he says the situation has now changed.

“In this case here we’ve gone through a process and now Gen. Vance will be meeting with Admiral Norman to talk about next steps,” Sajjan said.

Sajjan defended the government’s involvement in the case, saying that decisions couldn’t be made “based on feelings.”

“Yes I am concerned when information is leaked. Yes something has to be done about it, and in this case here, yes there was an allegation. The RCMP investigated, people can talk about how that process went but it’s very important for all of us, and especially us in his potion to make sure that the process was completely independent and that is exactly what has happened,” Sajjan said.

“It is very important when something as serious as this, that you allow the process to take its course. It has.”

Though, he stopped short of offering Norman an apology, something the opposition parties and Norman’s defence team have said is owed to him.

Former Conservative justice minister Peter MacKay was one of a few members of the previous Conservative government that spoke to the defence, but were never contacted by federal investigators about their interactions with Norman and the view within the Harper government at the time about the naval contract.

On CTV’s Question Period, he called the Norman saga a “massive miscarriage of justice.”

“In our justice system, for the Department of National Defence and for Canada broadly, this was a very dark chapter in the way that Mark Norman was treated,” he said.

On Friday, the RCMP defended their handling of the Norman case, telling The Canadian Press that the investigation was "thorough, independent and highly professional."

MacKay said the only way to have some accountability in the matter would be for an inquiry to occur, or Norman sues the government, something that Norman has not ruled out. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has vowed to continue to pursue parliamentary avenues to have a full airing of the facts in regards to how the matter was managed.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/sajjan-says-he-regrets-the-process-mark-norman-had-to-go-through-1.4417801

by Thunder Sun 12 May 2019, 1:54 pm

Peter MacKay on Mark Norman case: 'Miscarriage of justice' May 12, 2019

by Mojave Sun 12 May 2019, 4:24 pm

by **Trooper** Sun 12 May 2019, 6:26 pm

Mojave wrote:

Sajjan has turned out to be a true politicians, he never answered the question even when repeatedly asked. Liberals knew they were losing the fight given the election year so they dropped out of the fight. Canada is in bad shape with election choices. Got no time for Vance or Sajjan, period!

by Lonestar Sun 12 May 2019, 8:00 pm

Politics

Conservatives, NDP call for emergency committee meeting on Mark Norman case

Elise von Scheel · CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2019

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 Mark-norman-20190507

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservatives-ndp-call-for-emergency-committee-meeting-on-mark-norman-case-1.5133084

by Xrayxservice Mon 13 May 2019, 8:10 am

'It's part of how this town works': Mark Norman was charged over a leak, but in Ottawa leaks happen every day

May 13, 2019

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 0510_blatchford_1-e1557524732382

Liberal MP Andrew Leslie shakes hands with Vice Admiral Mark Norman as he arrives to court in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/its-part-of-how-this-town-works-mark-norman-was-charged-over-a-leak-but-leaks-happen-in-ottawa-every-day

by Xrayxservice Mon 13 May 2019, 8:31 am

by kodiak Mon 13 May 2019, 4:44 pm

CONRAD BLACK: On Mark Norman case, heads should roll ... and not the junior ones

Conrad Black (natpostblogs+cblack@gmail.com)
Published: May 13, 2019

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 Httpsapipddataservicescomlistsfeed4baae767-daa3-4753-9878-64bdb7697f38_large

https://www.journalpioneer.com/opinion/columnists/conrad-black-on-mark-norman-case-heads-should-roll-and-not-the-junior-ones-310905/

by kodiak Mon 13 May 2019, 4:46 pm

Process Nerd: Norman, SNC-Lavalin cases to surface at committee of the whole

By Kady O'Malley. Published on May 13, 2019

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman Trial - Page 12 Jan.1801336

https://ipolitics.ca/2019/05/13/process-nerd-norman-snc-lavalin-cases-to-surface-at-committee-of-the-whole/

by kodiak Mon 13 May 2019, 4:55 pm

Question Period: MPs demand answers on Mark Norman case — May 13, 2019

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