02.22.2019 04:36 PM

What do you call two cases of obstruction of justice?

Well, some mean people would call it “Trudeau’s PMO standard operating procedure.” But I’m a nice guy, so I’d never say that.

So:

  • interference with prosecutions
  • allegations of obstruction of justice
  • involving all of the same people
  • don’t ever, ever fuck with our friend Marie Henein

That last one is free advice.

Anyway. Here’s some of the story. BOOM.

“Subpoenas have been issued to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his former and current top officials — including ex-principal secretary Gerald Butts — for any notes, emails or texts they may have related to the criminal case against Vice-Admiral Mark Norman.

The notes are being sought by the legal team defending the former vice chief of the defence staff against a single charge of breach of trust. Norman is accused of leaking cabinet secrets in relation to a shipbuilding deal.

The subpoenas were issued earlier this month as Toronto lawyer Marie Henein was preparing a motion to dismiss the case on the basis of alleged political interference.

The court order for notes includes both the prime minister and Butts, and also Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford, Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick and Zita Astravas, chief of staff to Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.”

15 Comments

  1. Vancouverois says:

    …aaaaand meanwhile, in Ottawa, look who just got a new contract to build light rapid transit, expanded to be even MORE expensive than originally planned?

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/stage-2-lrt-consortium-announced-1.5029601

    In spite of having already missed a few deadlines, that is…

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-buys-light-rail-train-no-track-record-1.5017483

    …and expecting to miss another in March?

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lrt-explainer-deadline-dispute-1.5016782

    But don’t worry. Mayor and former provincial Liberal Jim Watson says everything’s fine and above board.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-mayor-snc-lavalin-lrt-2-1.5016781

    Excuse me. I’m going to go punch a wall now.

  2. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    I’m not going to mention the name of the company whose owners have a fancy for Bermuda but I wonder how the PMO will try to play it if the shit hits the fan beyond Norman’s alleged conduct.

  3. the salamander says:

    .. shades o grey eh!
    Ms Wilson-Reybould surely could build a list, plus include approx dates .. a list in descending order of urgency, the times she was ‘urged ‘ and any ‘attempts to press’ her or ‘press’ her or ‘put heavy pressure upon her’ & she can draw a red line and bisect the list with the legal ‘Its Time to Resign Red Time Line’.

    Now she (Jody, If I may be so bold..) could also create a similar list regarding the Norman Criminal trial. Many of the sames are identical.. but different case, different stakes.. and add Scott Brison to the list – somewhere !

    Now not to say ‘Jody’ cannot also add names of those who were 100 % decent and law abiding.. or held their preference or wishes in check. Or add those deserving special mention for being A holes etc..

    Hell, ‘Jody’ could probably build a complete list for ecery file she was juggling ! ! Hoho ! A list of lists, so to speak! A specific frequency graph of appearances, and where they appeared above or below the RED LINE would be fascinating..

    Yes yes.. back to the way before, back in the way back. When she took on the complexity of being an MP, then a Minister of the Legal and the Political.. and she commenced to interlock with the Director of Prosecution, The PMO, the Privy Council, the Gerald Butt’s level, the Prime Minister, the Mainstream Media, the hacks, the partisan pundits, the backstabbers, the gibbering haters, the sneering Opposition – Andrew Scheer, holier than thou’s Tony Clements, Pierre Poilievre or Denis Batters et al..

    PS.. ms Wilson-Reybould might also add a brief criteria at the very end to explain if or how that helps guide her Red Pen.. when she draws the Red Line. My suspicion is – she has zero problem knowing where to draw the line..

  4. Des says:

    When a subpoena is issued, who collects this information? RCMP? OPP? Does Butts and co. voluntarily submit this information? I have a feeling there might be some rapid deleting going on of it hasn’t happened already. Under a subpoena, does the police or defense have the ability to retrieve things that could be or have been deleted?

    Sorry if my questions are stupid but I’m a geneticist, not a lawyer!

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Des,

      Normally, this becomes part of the discovery process before trial. The party that receives a subpoena can either voluntarily comply and enter the documents (or testimony) into the record, or fight it out in court. If so, the court can order a party to comply with the subpoena.

      In this case, testimony has already been heard at a pretrial hearing.

      • Des says:

        But still, though, do they have the ability to retrieve electronic documents that may have been disposed of already?

        • Ronald O'Dowd says:

          Des,

          I suppose a fair answer is Yes and No.

          Remember how Trump and the right bitched over and over about Hillary’s alleged permanently deleted e-mails?

          • Fred from BC says:

            “Remember how Trump and the right bitched over and over about Hillary’s alleged permanently deleted e-mails?”

            It wasn’t just Trump and the right, it was a whole bunch of concerned citizens in the middle as well….and the problem was, those emails were deleted *after* being requested by the FBI (and then, of course, no one was ever held responsible).

    • Walter says:

      I suppose this exact group has a history of deleting records, so that is what your questioning is about.

      So maybe you can tell me: Is corruption in the Liberal DNA, or is it a learned behaviour based on environment and the example set by the leader?

      • Ronald O'Dowd says:

        Sooner or later, every party has the pleasure of dealing with that. There are no saints in politics, only flawed human beings.

  5. Lynn says:

    This is the case that I have been keenly watching. There are issues in this prosecution that need to see the light of day, IMHO.

    PMO shenanigans on this file too? I want to know more about this file and the handling of it.

    Is Brison going to be subpoenaed too? His abrupt departure and the subsequent chaos is troubling, to say the least. This just leads to more questions about what is going on in the PMO.

    When I see the Liberals or their advisers these days I am reminded of Big Daddy’s remarks from “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”:

    “What’s that smell in this room? Didn’t you notice it, Brick? Didn’t you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?… There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity… You can smell it. It smells like death.”

    __________________________
    I also have a lot of respect for the abilities of Ms. Henein, and I hope she prevails.

  6. Gord says:

    As a lawyer I am a bit in awe of Marie Henein. She is our generation’s Eddie Greenspan for sure. If I was in trouble (and money was no object) her office would be my first call. Her partners and associates are no slouches either! (I dimly recall one S. Hutchison acted for one W. Kinsella at one point…)

  7. JamesHalifax says:

    No matter how bad this gets for the Liberals, one thing is sure; Once this latest episode of corruption looks like it may actually mean a Conservative win in the fall…..many in the media will start walking their stories back, make excuses, or if all else fails, start screaming that Conservatives are a bunch of racists, bigots, and want to take away a woman’s right to choose. count on it.

    Say hello CBC, and toronto Star.

  8. Derek Pearce says:

    Well then the onus in on the Conservatives to avoid bozo eruptions isn’t it? They need to be on their best behaviour and give no reason to the media to point to such things. They aren’t always good at this. Mind you the worst of them may have departed with Mad Max but still you never know…

  9. Sean says:

    Is there a chance that the Admiral Norman case could lead to Scot Brison?

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