Suspended admiral denies wrongdoing

Caught in ‘bureaucratic crossfire’: lawyer

TORONTO — A Canadian admiral mysteriously suspended last month responded Thursday by denying any wrongdoing, with his newly hired lawyer suggesting he’s the victim of a “bureaucratic crossfire.”

The Canadian military announced last month that ViceAdmiral Mark Norman was suspended from his job as vice-chief of defence staff, but has been tight-lipped as to why.

Norman’s lawyer, Marie Henein, issued a statement on Thursday saying that he “looks forward to being cleared.”

“It is our sincerest hope that an objective investigation is concluded quickly and that ViceAdmiral Norman returns to his post serving all Canadians,” the statement said.

Henein’s statement stressed Norman’s public service record that spans more than three decades and said he has always served Canada “honourably.”

“It would be a profound disservice to us all if a national hero and widely respected Canadian who has served under numerous governments was caught in the bureaucratic crossfire,” said Henein.

The job of vice-chief of defence staff is the second-highest ranking job in the military.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has said the suspension was not over national-security concerns, but refused to explain why it was deemed necessary.

Henein has been involved in several high-profile and controversial cases, most recently representing ex-CBC radio personality Jian Ghomeshi.

She found herself immersed in controversy after Ghomeshi was acquitted of charges of sexual assault and choking. Some people criticized her aggressive crossexamination of the complainants in the case.

However, she also has had many defenders, including a former editor of Canadian Lawyer magazine who said her critics lacked an understanding of the Canadian justice system and the role of defence lawyers.