Vice-Admiral Mark Norman and Justicen Trudeau

"I wanted it [a later trial date] at a time where the disclosure motion and the other motion will be heard. So that's why it's spaced out the way that it is."
"I don't know [whether the dynamics of the ongoing trial will effect the November 2019 federal election], you'll have to ask the prime minister about that."
"The privilege [secrecy in government documents] rests with the government to waive the cabinet confidence, not just the ones that they would like us to know about."
"And it's quite an extraordinary prosecution where really the complainant's deciding what we get to look at, what's important and what's not."
Marie Henein, lawyer for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman

"This has been a really difficult time, and it's going to continue to be a real challenge, and I just want everybody to know how much that support [from the public on the abrupt and unjust removal of Vice-Admiral Norman from his position as second-in-command, chief of defence staff for the Canadian military] means to me and my family."
Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, Ottawa

In this photo from earlier this year, Vice Admiral Mark Norman, left, arrives at an Ottawa court with his lawyer, Marie Henein, for his first appearance after being charged with one count of breach of trust. Darren Brown / Postmedia

The impending criminal trial of Vice-Admiral Norman smacks of political vendetta; a prime minister angry at being embarrassed when his interference in military procurement was revealed as he intervened to disrupt a contract already in process by switching it to another shipyard whose owners were supporters of the Liberals. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was furious when the public became aware of fishy dealing on his part in having work done to convert a commercial ship as a much-needed Royal Canadian Navy supply ship.

This was a temporary measure to fill a gap in the Royal Canadian Navy's fleet and effectiveness, until such time as work could commence on commissioning purpose-built supply ships. In the interim the converted supply ship would answer to the navy's needs. The contract had been assigned to the winning bidder, Quebec firm Davie Shipbuilding. Until an East Coast rival, Irving Shipbuilding complained, and the influential Irving family with its close ties to Justin Trudeau convinced the federal cabinet to delay what was termed "Project Resolve".

As the Naval official delegated to oversee the project, Vice-Admiral Norman, given the urgent need of the Navy for a supply ship, exchanged messages with the Davie Shipbuilding executives, as per normal procedure, so that when the delay in the final commissioning of the urgent project was announced it seems some inside source leaked details to the press. When the situation was reported in the press, the government and particularly Justin Trudeau suffered some embarrassment for their interference, reacting by dispatching the RCMP to investigate.

From the outset, Trudeau was convinced that Vice-Admiral Norman had interfered with Trudeau's own interference in the matter and he was livid, transmitting his displeasure to Chief of the Defence Staff Jonathan Vance who reacted by swiftly informing Norman that he was 'temporarily' removed from duty, even  as the RCMP raided Norman's home, confiscating computers and files and thumb drives, anything that might implicate him to validate the charges being brought against him. Only there were no charges; for over a year Vice-Admiral Norman was kept in limbo.

When it became obvious that he needed to defend himself, he applied for routine legal support ordinarily applicable to Navy personnel and funded by the Navy, and his request was unaccountably denied. Colleagues and high-ranking Naval officials, some retired, were aghast and swift to come to Norman's defence that he had done nothing wrong, that he was being railroaded by a vindictive head of government. Finally, his trial is being scheduled, his lead lawyer a Toronto legend as a clever professional whose practise in defence of her clients is known to be formidable.

That Marie Henein has chosen a trial date to commence at a time when the next federal election will be in full swing is predicated on opportunity, one that will most certainly impinge on the public's perception of just how fair and above criticism this government has been, led by a man whose celebrated 'sunny ways' were to have contrasted with the public persona of his predecessor -- a man of inflexible rectitude and veracity -- and who has himself managed to fail on just about every index of honourable, reasonable behaviour.

That old adage of one's chickens coming home to roost will never be more apt than the proceedings in the defence of Mark Norman against the false accusations levelled against him by a vain and egotistical bully who positions himself famously as a "progressive's progressive".

Vice-Admiral Mark Norman listens as his lawyer Marie Henein speaks to reporters as they leave the courthouse in Ottawa following his first appearance for his trial for breach of trust, on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

Ontario Superior Court Justice Kevin Phillips ruled in April of 2017 that prosecutors attempting to prove that Norman divulged any cabinet confidences or sensitive information from a cabinet meeting would face a challenge proving their case. Even the RCMP feel another federal employee was responsible for leaking the information. Judge Phillips ruled there was nothing unusual in the vice-admiral communicating with Davie Shipyard on the shipbuilding project; that no evidence exists the communications were anything but in the interests of the Navy to secure delivery of a badly-required naval vessel.