Article content continued

Situations occur where mistakes happen

In a second separate but similar case, Postmedia recently revealed that top military legal officers at National Defence headquarters allegedly withheld documents requested under the access law in 2017 even though they were repeatedly warned what they were doing was potentially criminal.

But Defence department deputy minister Jody Thomas has repeatedly claimed her organization takes the access law seriously. That law allows members of the public to pay a fee to request federal government records.

Thomas declined an interview to explain why she continues to state the DND takes the access law seriously despite the allegations that have emerged in the Norman case and the incident with the legal officers. But in a response approved by Thomas, the department noted in an email that, “broadly speaking, and as is the case with any large institution or collective entity, the actions of the few do not dictate the values of the whole.”

Photo by Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

“We are not perfect,” the DND stated. “Situations occur where mistakes happen.”

Norman has been charged with one count of breach of trust for allegedly providing information to a shipyard hired to provide a new supply ship for the navy. He denies any wrongdoing.

The vice-admiral’s legal team has been trying to gather documents for his upcoming trial but has been met by various roadblocks from federal officials and lawyers. His lawyers have also tried to use the access law to gather records.

The military’s National Investigation Service (NIS) has started an investigation into the allegations made by the military witness at the Norman hearing in December, a DND official said Monday.