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Details about the government’s autumn 2015 decision to put the project on hold leaked to the media, and the resulting embarrassment forced the Trudeau government to back down. Conversion of Asterix went ahead and the ship is currently sailing with Royal Canadian Navy warships in the Pacific.

But furious about the leak, the Liberals called in the RCMP to investigate.

Norman says he has done nothing wrong and a not guilty plea has been expected all along.

In January 2017, after the police raided Norman’s suburban Ottawa house, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance temporarily removed him from his position as Vice-Chief and suspended him with pay. Later Vance removed Norman from his job but he continues to serve in the Canadian Forces.

The RCMP allege Norman “illegally disclosed government information to unauthorized parties,” charging him under Section 122 of the Criminal Code.

The case against Norman, 54, centres on a Nov. 19, 2015 meeting of cabinet ministers, who decided to delay Project Resolve after receiving a letter from Davie’s east coast rival, Irving Shipbuilding. Though it is considered to have close ties to Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, Irving has consistently denied allegations it has been involved in any political interference intended to undercut a rival shipyard.

Though Norman did not attend the cabinet meeting, the RCMP’s searches of electronic devices and computers at Davie showed he had exchanged emails on the subject with one of the company’s officials.