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.

Imperious, Inept, Incongruous and Incompetent

"As much as I would love a contract with the Canadian military, I don't believe they need to change [their camouflage uniform acquisition]. Half a billion dollars can be used in many other areas other than trying to improve on something that doesn't need improvement right now." 
"The problem is, when you get someone at the top who sees something, that to them might look effective, that doesn't mean it is effective."
"It's going to be hard to change that perception. Once the people at the top get their minds set on something, everything becomes very difficult at that point to modify."
Guy Cramer, president, HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp., Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Canadian soldiers from India Company, enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Latvia, move toward the woods during Exercise SABER STRIKE 2018, near Skrunda, Latvia on June 11, 2018.   Cpl Jean-Roch Chabot, eFP BG LATVIA Public Affairs

As Chief of the Defence Staff anyone appointed to that position in Canada has a lot of clout. They have, generally speaking, earned that position through their professional demeanour, experience, seniority and political connections. The current office-holder has integrated and ingratiated himself very nicely with the current Prime Minister of Canada and the Liberal government. When Justin Trudeau felt himself embarrassed that one of his executive decisions around the procurement of critical military ships was being discreetly undermined, mostly because his decision was stupidly wrong-headed, he needed a scapegoat.

And he found that scapegoat in the persona of Canada's second-highest military position holder, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman who also acted as vice chief of defence. Nothing would satisfy Justin Trudeau but the removal of this highly respected, efficiently reliable professional naval command officer. And he found a willing enough accomplice in the person of General Jon Vance, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff. Vance could have supported his colleague, but chose not to. Vice-Admiral Norman was committed to his post and committed to ensuring that the best decisions for the Canadian Navy take place, but he was not guilty of underhanded involvement to upset Justin Trudeau's plans.

Suspended Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is being shuffled out of his position as the military's second-in-command 18 months after being relieved of his duties as vice chief of defence staff for allegedly leaking government secrets to a Quebec shipyard. (CBC )

He was given no opportunity to defend himself, simply summarily dismissed from his post, with the Prime Minister smirking in public that Mr. Norman would be put on trial in an engineered injustice. He has been denied customary legal defence expenses through the military; left dangling in an untenable position, chosen to assuage Trudeau's humiliation at his plans gone awry, claiming that Vice-Admiral Norman had leaked critical information of collusion on the part of the Prime Minister to achieve his end goal. When his plan failed, he was furious and looked for a victim, and Norman was it. Many politicians and members of the military are furious at Mr. Norman's professional crucifixion and have contributed funds to his legal defence in an impending court case.

Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) General Vance informed personnel while on a visit to Nova Scotia that the CADPAT uniforms Canadian soldiers were wearing as they arrived to take up their UN-assigned peacekeeping posts in Mali appeared worn, that the uniforms would "likely have to be disposed of". A subsequent briefing note was then circulated dated July 11 signed by the Defence Staff's senior staff officer, Lt.Col.Geoffrey Mundy and special adviser Col.Jamie Speiser-Blanchet that the CDS is intent on having the entire Canadian Forces adopt special forces' "MultiCam" pattern uniforms.

A Canadian soldier looks on as the first Canadian troops arrive at a UN base in Gao, Mali, on Sunday, June 24, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

This is a U.S.-style pattern in use by over twenty countries, including Russian special forces. During the Syrian war, both Russian and American special forces were outfitted with virtually similar uniforms on the battlefield. That could conceivably lead to some interesting times in a conflict situation, should one ever arise between the two. General Vance's plan to replace the Canadian-designed and -manufactured CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern) pattern uniforms with the U.S.-designed and -manufactured MultiCam at a cost of $500-million, represents an astonishingly bad decision.

The seven-page briefing note following the Halifax visit by General Vance read in part: "The CDS stated his desire to replace" current uniforms with the "MultiCam" pattern now being used by the U.S. military and Canada's special forces. The MultiCam design is a brand patented by Crye Precision of New York which is paid substantial royalties by the militaries using it, for the use of the pattern. Now, an expert on military uniforms, Guy Cramer, has pointed out that NATO testing verified the CADPAT pattern developed decades ago, to continue to represent a highly effective camouflage.

"What he likes is the colour pattern, the mix of colours, the predominance of brown",  Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen.Jean Marc Lanthier explained of General Vance's preference for the MultiCam. How intelligent is all of this? The Canadian camouflage pattern is owned by the federal government, obviating any necessity to pay royalties related to its use. The material itself is controlled with the view of preventing its use by any other forces, noted Mr. Cramer, emphasizing what a colossal waste of money acquiring new uniforms would represent.

The CADPAT camouflage is a digital camouflage print available in several varieties, developed in Canada, and which the Canadian government has a copyright and trademark for. Moreover, the uniforms are manufactured by a number of Canadian companies. This is sheer, unadulterated idiocy on the part of General Vance. Defence Department's procurement chief Patt Finn cautions it is yet too soon to know how procurement will proceed on the issue of uniforms. He acknowledged the lack of security controls over MultiCam, that numerous militaries, including the Russians, wear the same or similar uniforms. "We would have to consider those factors, absolutely."