YOU DON’T DENY WHAT NO ONE HAS CAUSE TO SUSPECT.

TRUDEAU MUST BE WONDERING WHEN ALL THE PAIN WILL STOP. — MCPARLAND THERE’S STILL PLENTY OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.

Something very interesting happened in Ottawa on Wednesday. Not just the shock twist of the Crown staying the breach of trust charge that had been laid against Vice-admiral Mark Norman. But what was said during and after said staying.

The case, of course, relates to the conversion of a civilian vessel for use as a naval supply ship. Canada’s decrepit procurement system was unable to deliver replacements for our elderly supply ships, both of which were withdrawn from service in 2015 without successors. This left a massive gap in our navy’s capabilities; in 2015, the Tories gave Quebec-based Davie shipyard a contract to purchase a civilian cargo ship and convert it to military needs.

Not long after, the Liberals won the federal election and Davie got nervous that the contract would be cancelled, amid speculation that Scott Brison, then a Liberal cabinet minister, was pushing for another shipyard to get the work. (Brison denies this.)

During the months-long uncertainty, the Crown alleged, Norman had communicated cabinet secrets to Davie, to assist in its lobbying efforts. No one alleged that this was for financial gain, that Norman was on the take. Even Norman’s accusers agreed he simply wanted the ship because he believed the fleet needed it.

Norman was relieved of duty as C a n a d a ’s second-highest-ranking officer in 2017, and charged criminally the next year.

But on Wednesday, after months of being savaged by Norman’s defence team, the Crown announced that newly disclosed evidence convinced them there was no prospect of a conviction — that Norman may have acted inappropriately, at times, but not illegally.

There will be no trial. Norman’s a free man.

It was a stunning development. But it wasn’t the most interesting part of the morning.

That came in some of the comments made by the Crown, and then, shortly thereafter, by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When announcing that the charges were being stayed, the Crown attorney took pains to stress that there had been no political interference in that decision, or the earlier decision to begin the prosecution. Shortly thereafter, in a brief scrum with reporters on Parliament Hill, the prime minister said much the same thing.

“The process involved in a public prosecution like this is entirely independent of my office,” Trudeau said. “It’s an independent process and we have confidence in the work done by the director of Public Prosecutions.”

In Parliament later that day, the Attorney-general and Minister of National Defence seemed locked in some kind of competition to see who could say the more “independently” more. Hansard shows at least 13 between them — every instance stressing that the decision was made by the prosecutors, well, “independently.”

You know, if you have to say it …

I don’t know what new evidence emerged in recent months that convinced the

Crown it made sense to stay the charge against the admiral. (When asked, they wouldn’t say.) I’m prepared to accept that there was no political interference and that the Crown’s case, already known to be troubled and reeling under a brutally effective pretrial assault by Norman’s defence, simply collapsed.

But the problem for the Liberals is that the Crown did feel the need to say there had been no interference. The Snc-lavalin fiasco may have finally dropped out of the daily headlines, but the bad smell of it lingers.

While I’m willing to give the Crown the benefit of the doubt when they say there was no interference, it has to be noted that avoiding a trial is good for the Liberals. The entire case had the feel of an unfolding prosecutorial catastrophe, and it was scheduled to be getting underway just before the fall’s federal vote.

So yes, they’ve been spared an awkwardly timed trial. But there’s still plenty of things that can happen. Norman remains a naval officer. Though relieved of duty in 2017, he was not removed from the service, and said shortly after the court proceeding ended that he intended to return to duty. Gen. Jonathan Vance, commander of the Canadian Forces, said on Wednesday evening that military regulations are clear: now that the matter is clear of the courts without a conviction, Norman shall be returned to duty. So that’ll be interesting. There is also the possibility that the admiral might choose to initiate a civil action over matters related to the failed prosecution.

On Wednesday, outside the courthouse, in full view of waiting reporters and news cameras — surely not a coincidence, that — Andrew Leslie, a retired lieutenant-general and former commander of the Canadian Army, met Norman as he headed in to learn his fate.

The men hugged and exchanged pleasantries. Leslie’s presence there could not have been a more obvious sign of support for a fellow officer — and though he’s already said he won’t run again, remember that Leslie is currently a sitting Liberal MP. He was also to appear as a witness for the defence in Norman’s trial.

Perhaps Leslie was just there for moral support.

But I can’t help but wonder if his very public appearance might not be the beginning of another disgruntled Liberal MP making trouble for the party.

Time will tell. And in the meantime, for what it’s worth, remember that ship the Liberals weren’t so sure they wanted? The one Norman fought for? She was delivered on time, on budget and is currently supporting Canadian and allied naval operations abroad. Just thought I’d mention that.