Opposition members of the national defence committee are calling for an emergency meeting to open an investigation into the federal government’s conduct in the Mark Norman affair.
Last week, the Crown stayed its prosecution of breach of trust charges against the former Vice-Admiral of the Royal Canadian Navy, who was second in command of the Canadian Forces before being suspended in 2017.
It would be more than a year before RCMP laid charges against Norman, which were stayed in Ontario Superior Court on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to the Liberal chair of the committee Stephen Fuhr, Conservative and New Democrat MPs write;
“The prime minister, on numerous occasions, prejudiced the conduct of this matter by inappropriately anticipating that the RCMP’s investigation would result in prosecution. This suggests that he and his cabinet had inappropriate access to information regarding an independent criminal proceeding.”
The letter continues, “It is also clear that the government tried to politically interfere in a shipbuilding contract. When this came to light, he reacted by smearing the reputation of a highly respected naval officer. This has had a deleterious effect on the morale of the Canadian Armed Forces.”
The MPs ask the committee invite 14 witnesses to testify:
- Vice-Admiral Mark Norman
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
- Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan
- Minister of Justice David Lametti
- Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale
- Minister of Public Services and Procurement Carla Qualtrough
- Former president of the Treasury Board Scott Brison
- Former minister of public services and procurement Judy Foote
- Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance
- Former clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick
- Katie Telford, the prime minister’s chief of staff
- Gerald Butts, the prime minister’s former principal secretary
- Member of Parliament for Orleans Andrew Leslie
- James Cudmore, director of policy for the minister of democratic institutions
What do you think of the ongoing Mark Norman situation? Let us know in the comments below.
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