OTTAWA — Canada’s military has a new second-in-command to take the place of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, who has been sidelined under a cloud.

Lt.-Gen. Alain Parent was named acting vice-chief of defence staff Monday by Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff.

Parent is currently is the deputy commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, a position he has held since July 2015. He will assume his new role on May 30.

Norman was abruptly removed from his post in January and Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, has tapped to do the vice-chief job, too. Monday’s announcement allows Lloyd to return to his navy job full time.

Vance has been tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding Norman’s sudden departure, saying only several weeks ago that it was the “right thing to do.”

High-profile Toronto lawyer Marie Henein is now representing Norman and last week, she issued a statement declaring that the long-time navy veteran, “looks forward to being cleared and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing.”

Parent joined the air force in 1979 and went on to fly helicopters before rising through the ranks in a series of command roles.