QUESTION PERIOD — Justice
Vice-Admiral Mark Norman
May 9, 2019
Honourable senators, my question for the Government Leader again today concerns Vice-Admiral Mark Norman and the government’s claim there was no political interference in his case.
On April 6, 2017, almost a year before Mark Norman was charged, the Prime Minister stated this matter:
. . . will likely end up before the courts.
The government has withheld documents from the defence counsel. Key witnesses were apparently not interviewed. As the vice-admiral’s lawyer stated yesterday, witnesses were coached on what they could or could not say. As well, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper had to proactively waive cabinet confidence over documents related to the vice-admiral’s case as it appears no one from the current government ever asked him to do so.
Senator Harder, how does this not all add up to political interference?
I thank the honourable senator for his question. Let me simply reiterate not only what the Prime Minister, government and Minister of Justice have said, but that the Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed that there has been no political interference either with respect to whether charges be laid or whether they be stayed. It is very hard, once that has been confirmed, for us to spin yarns otherwise.
With due respect, I don’t think it has anything to do with spinning yarns. It seems to be a track record that has been established by the present government.
Senator Harder, I asked you yesterday if the government would apologize to the vice-admiral and his family for all they have endured over the last several years. It’s highly disappointing that this has not been provided.
As an aside, paying for legal costs is not really an apology. The vice-admiral told reporters yesterday that he wants to be reinstated to his former position in the Canadian Forces. Minister Sajjan has said that won’t happen.
Senator Harder, when will the Prime Minister apologize to the vice-admiral and why won’t he be reinstated to his former post?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for his question. Let me indicate that I’d be pleased to bring to the attention of the authorities the view of the honourable senator. However, it is clearly not a matter for me to speculate on but for those who have responsibilities to determine.
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
My question again concerns Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. Senator Harder, one particularly glaring example of interference in this case was the government’s use of code words for the vice-admiral to evade disclosure of the documents on this matter under the access-to-information requests. These code words included The Boss, C34 and the Kraken, among others. A member of the military told the court last December that another official at National Defence had stated:
Don’t worry, this isn’t our first rodeo. We made sure we never used his name.
Senator Harder, as a former deputy minister and senior official in a number of governments, you will know that two investigations into this matter were confirmed back in January, one by the Information Commissioner and one by the military police of the National Investigation Service. Does the government know if these investigations are still ongoing, if they have concluded and what findings have been reached?
I would be happy to make inquiries and report back.
A supplementary to that, Senator Harder, Vice-Admiral Norman spoke yesterday about a systemic bias that occurred in this case. The use of code words, the government’s failure to provide documents, the Prime Minister’s public comments about the inevitability of charges, the counselling of what witnesses could say, the refusal to reach out to former Prime Minister Harper regarding waiving confidence. This pattern of behaviour raises serious concerns not just for the vice-admiral but for all Canadians.
Senator Harder, is the government trying to hide something regarding the activities of this file and Vice-Admiral Norman?
I thank the honourable senator for this question. I think it’s important for all senators, and indeed those who may be watching this Question Period, to understand that the prosecution service had complete and independent carriage of determining whether or not charges would be laid and, as eventually was decided earlier this week, that the charges would be stayed.
There has been no government interference in either the decision to prosecute or the decision to stay. It is interesting speculation, but the Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed exactly what I’ve just said.
