By Canadian Press

Crown in Mark Norman case rejects allegations of political influence

Feb 15, 2019 | 3:50 PM

OTTAWA — The Crown is releasing a clean set of previously censored documents to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman’s lawyers as the federal prosecution service rejects concerns about the possibility of high-level, political influence over the prosecution.

Norman was suspended as the military’s second-in-command in 2017 and charged last March with one count of breach of trust for allegedly leaking government secrets to undermine cabinet’s decision-making process on a major shipbuilding deal.

He denies any wrongdoing.

On Monday, Norman’s legal team raised questions about the independence of federal prosecutors after the Crown and lawyers from the department that supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke several times last year about what one prosecutor called “trial strategy.”

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But today prosecutor John MacFarlane says there was nothing untoward about the discussions between the Crown and Privy Council Office officials — and he insists the talks were about finding a witness for the trial because the PCO is the department responsible for handling cabinet confidences.

MacFarlane says he is providing the defence unredacted copies of notes taken by the Crown during those talks with PCO to provide complete transparency to Norman’s lawyers.

He says there has been no influence from PCO or the Prime Minister’s Office about how the prosecution is running the Norman case, and he stresses his office’s independence is of utmost concern following what he calls serious allegations of Crown misconduct.

Norman’s case will be back in court next Friday for another pre-trial date. 

His politically charged trial is scheduled to start in August.

The Canadian Press