At a time when Canada has fighting troops in war zones, it was the Canadian military at home who had the bombshell dropped on it.
Not since the heinous scandal of Col. Russell Williams has the Canadian military been this shaken.
But unlike then, when the country was horrified at the prospect the CFB Trenton base commander and former pilot to the Queen and prime ministers had been charged with two counts of murder of two women, this latest scandal is as shrouded in mystery as the whole world of espionage and the suggested information leaks that it is purported to be about.
Needless to say the Canadian Armed Forces from the top soldier to the new recruits was reeling as news broke that Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, the former commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and current second in command for the entire forces, had been temporarily relieved of his command by Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance.
“Effective immediately and until further notice, Vice-Admiral M.A.G. Norman will not exercise the powers, duties and functions, including command of the vice chief of the defence staff,” Lt.-Col. Jason Proulx told the Canadian Press.
A report in the Globe and Mail said it had to do with Norman allegedly leaking highly classified information.
“An utter state of shock,” said one military source. “We have seen generals being alleged to have mishandle money before, an officer charged with a murder in Afghanistan and serious crimes amongst the enlisted but to have the number two ranking member at the centre of a police investigation and being temporarily stripped his duties is unprecedented.”
What this is all about was cloaked in secrecy even late Monday as the military was buzzing with rumours.
“The most sensitive and guarded files are ship building and the F35 where the government is spending a lot of money,” said a military insider. “This is an area where there is a lot of security and there is always a concern about it being put in the hands of a foreign power.”
The RCMP would not comment on what it is investigating but sources told the Sun last night they were brought into this case after weeks of an intensive internal military probe that did not involve military police.
“The Mounties were brought in over concerns of potential criminal code offences,” said a source.
It has been very quiet and not confirmed what is being investigated but military sources tell the Sun all the questioning from investigators in recent times has been in the area of documents and the concern of leaks.
“There should be no rush to judgment,” said a source. “Mark Norman was always a highly regarded professional but if the RCMP is investigating it is serious.”
In 2015 Norman told the CBC that the cost of building new war ships would rise from $26 billion to
$40 billion.
“This isn’t a case of ‘trust us.’” said Norman at the time. “In fact, far from the truth. Challenge us, question us.”
Questions were certainly being asked on Monday night.
Source: torontosun.com