Mark Norman had “cabinet authority” from Harper government to talk about shipbuilding deal

New information revealed by former Defence Minister Peter MacKay might shine a light on the decision by the prosecutors to stay charges against Vice Admiral Mark Norman.

According to MacKay, the Harper government gave Norman permission to discuss details of the contract with a Quebec shipyard.

Crown prosecutors only recently stayed the breach of trust charges against the admiral after claiming that new evidence has surfaced which led to the reversal on their decision to prosecute.

“Mark Norman was acting within his authority and with cabinet authority. Having taken the decision that we did via cabinet committee, and therefore giving Mark Norman the green light to proceed, he would have had authority to speak to the Davie shipyard,” MacKay told CBC.

Twelve alleged leaks of cabinet information were at the center of the breach of trust charges against Mark Norman, a majority of which were allegedly committed while Harper was still Prime Minister.

According to Norman’s lawyers, the crown did not have access to this information and didn’t suppress evidence from getting out.

“The RCMP didn’t have it, and didn’t look for it,” said Marie Henein. “I don’t think they were suppressing anything. I think the full picture of how these very complicated contracts are negotiated, and what the life of this particular contract was. It was far more complicated, far more  sophisticated and was not completely looked at.”

Crown prosecutors have yet to reveal what information led to the staying of charges against Norman.