Opposition force emergency meeting of defence committee on Norman affair

OTTAWA — Three Conservative and one NDP MP are requesting that the House of Commons national defence committee be reconvened to examine the government’s conduct in the investigation and prosecution of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman.

Norman was the second-in-command of Canada’s military before he was suspended and then charged with breach of trust over alleged leaks of secret information about a navy shipbuilding contract.

Federal prosecutors stayed the charges on Wednesday, saying they had no reasonable prospect of getting a conviction.

In a letter sent Sunday to the clerk of the committee, the MPs say they are also looking to call a number of witnesses to the committee including Norman himself and the prime minister.

Norman’s lawyer, Marie Henein, has questioned why members of the former Conservative government had not been questioned during their investigation.

The Mounties say they respect the Crown’s decision to drop the case and that their officers conducted a thorough, independent and highly-professional investigation.

The letter from the MPs also alleges the prime minister prejudiced the conduct of the matter by inappropriately anticipating the RCMP’s investigation would result in a prosecution.

“This suggests that he and his cabinet had inappropriate access to information regarding an independent criminal proceeding,” their letter said.

The Canadian Press