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OTTAWA — The federal government rang up more than $1.4 million in legal costs during the failed prosecution of retired vice-admiral Mark Norman.

Revealed this week by Justice Minister David Lametti in a written response to a question from the official Opposition Conservatives, the figure is the first to put any kind of dollar amount to the high-profile and politically charged case.

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Lametti did not provide any further details about the costs — including whether the figure included the cost of covering Norman’s legal fees, which the government has said it would pay.

“To the extent that the information that has been requested is protected by solicitor-client privilege, the federal Crown can only reveal the total legal costs related to the case,” Lametti wrote in response to the question from Conservative MP and leadership contender Erin O’Toole.

Photo by REUTERS/Blair Gable

“Based on the hours recorded, the total amount of legal costs incurred amounts to approximately $1,425,389.68, as of Dec. 9, 2019.”