LITTLE LIGHT SHED ON REMOVAL OF VICE ADMIRAL

The removal of Vice Admiral Mark Norman from his job had nothing to do with national security, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Tuesday, though he refused to provide any other details.

Norman, who served as vice chief of the defence staff, was temporarily removed from command on Jan. 13 by Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance.

No explanation was provided at the time, and Sajjan told journalists at the Liberal government’s cabinet retreat in Calgary on Tuesday that “this had nothing to do with national security."

Sources have said the removal of the second-highest officer in the Canadian Forces was linked to the alleged leak of information on the government’s shipbuilding program. But National Defence and the Canadian Forces will not confirm that claim, and Norman has not commented.

Sajjan repeated his statement that he supports Vance in his decision to remove Norman, who had been head of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Norman has a reputation as straight-shooter and his removal has surprised some in uniform, particularly those in the Navy.

He has been vocal in his concerns about the government’s shipbuilding program. He pointed out in 2015 that the federal government misjudged the amount of money needed to build the Canadian Surface Combatant ships. In addition, he has privately raised concerns the current shipbuilding plan may mean the Navy might not get enough ships in the future.

Norman’s concerns are well known inside the Liberal government. In December 2015 he told CBC journalist James Cudmore that the public had not been given accurate information about the growing price of the surface combatants, saying the warships alone would likely cost $30 billion, which could climb to $42 billion with added costs.

Cudmore is now a procurement adviser for Sajjan.