Norman fundraiser donors to get refunds

More than 3,500 people who contributed to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman’s defence through a GoFundMe page will receive refunds once the federal government comes through with its offer to cover the naval officer’s legal costs.

Norman has asked Lee Hammond, a retired army officer who started the fundraising initiative, to refund as much of the $442,800 as possible and give any donations that can’t be refunded to charity.

“Admiral Norman has always been clear that he saw the purpose of the GoFundMe account as a way to help pay for his legal fees,” said Hammond, who started the fund in January 2018. “He never really had access to the funds personally as it was set up for his lawyers.”

Norman, the former second-in-command of the Canadian Forces, was suspended in 2017 after the RCMP presented Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance with allegations Norman was responsible for the leak of confidential information about the Liberal government’s plans to pause a project that would see Quebec-based Davie Shipbuilding convert a commercial ship into a refuelling vessel for the navy.

Norman was later charged with one count of breach of trust, but on May 8 the charge was stayed. Prosecutors told the court that based on the new evidence collected by the defence there was no likelihood of a conviction. It is not known what that evidence was, but sources have said some of it was related to the former Conservative government’s push to keep the Davie deal on track, and suggested the communication Norman had with Davie that formed the basis for the charge simply showed Norman following orders. Norman always maintained he had done nothing wrong.

On Wednesday Norman and the Department of National Defence released a joint statement that the naval officer will retire after reaching a “mutually acceptable agreement, the details of which will remain confidential. ”

Norman has declined to discuss the final tally of his legal fees, but sources say it is well over $1 million.

After the case against Norman collapsed in May, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the federal government would cover his legal costs.

Hammond, a retired army colonel in Vancouver, set up the GoFundMe page to help with the naval officer’s legal bills after he read Postmedia’s report about the government rejecting Norman’s request for assistance with his fees.

One donor has already requested a refund while a number have requested their payments be given to various charities, Hammond said.