Steve Norn allegedly sent a message to a Facebook group including 16 of his fellow MLAs and two legislative assembly staff members that the lawyer to the adjudicator overseeing his hearing considers threatening and evidence of possible obstruction and witness intimidation.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just want to say f*** you for making my loved ones cry,SA国际影视传媒� Norn allegedly sent to the group at 6:43 p.m. Sunday night, Oct. 3, the evening before the inquiry into a complaint about his conduct from caucus was to begin. SA国际影视传媒淵ou squeezed my heart. Whoever backed this, ISA国际影视传媒檓 coming for you.SA国际影视传媒�
The message was read into the record during an Oct. 7 hearing into a conduct complaint lodged against Norn by his fellow MLAs.
SA国际影视传媒淭he content of the message is threatening,SA国际影视传媒� said Maurice Laprairie, lawyer to adjudicator R.L. Barclay. SA国际影视传媒淎nd it raises the concern of obstruction. This could be intimidating to any of the MLAs who could have testified.SA国际影视传媒�
In an Oct. 7 email, the indicated its longstanding policy is not to confirm or deny the existence of a criminal investigation.
NornSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer, Steven Cooper, objected strongly to the message being brought up. He questioned the authenticity of the copy Laprairie had and said his fellow lawyer was reading in not just intent but the fact that Norn had written it at all. He argued the message fell outside of the terms of reference for the inquiry.
SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 know the source. We donSA国际影视传媒檛 know where it came from,SA国际影视传媒� Cooper said. SA国际影视传媒淲hat does this communication have to do with any of this?SA国际影视传媒�
Barclay agreed to exclude the message from the hearing.
Laprairie then unsuccessfully applied to question Norn in the form of a cross-examination, which is a more adversarial method than SA国际影视传媒渄irectSA国际影视传媒� examination.
Laprairie said Norn had in a previous interview refused to answer questions under oath and acted disrespectfully, saying things like SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 even want to hear your voice right now.SA国际影视传媒�
Cooper strongly objected to this, too, saying he had no notice of LaprairieSA国际影视传媒檚 intent to make the application. Adjudicator Barclay argued that as an experienced lawyer, Cooper should have anticipated such a move.
But after a recess to consider the point, he let CooperSA国际影视传媒檚 objection stand SA国际影视传媒渙ut of fairnessSA国际影视传媒� to Norn.
During the ensuing interview, Norn told Laprairie that he was exhausted in April of this year. He said he did not remember the April 23 follow-up interview with investigators, including an epidemiologist, nor some things he had said to Cabin Radio head of programming and news Ollie Williams that same day, or to CBC reporter Liny Lamberink on May 4.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was mentally fried,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 stress that enough. I slept for SA国际影视传媒� (only) several hours during that time. I was completely exhausted.SA国际影视传媒�
Cooper used his cross-examination to paint a more sympathetic portrait of his client.
He had Norn describe working at the legislature as a constituency assistant for then-Tu Nedhe MLA Tom Beaulieu during the summer of 2014, then asked him to lead the hearing through the early days of the 19th Legislative Assembly.
Norn described the elation of being elected, the orientation process for new MLAs and the supports that were available to him, including through the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Tim Mercer.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was really good,SA国际影视传媒� Norn said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 describe it as the honeymoon phase. It was exciting.SA国际影视传媒�
He also described the SA国际影视传媒渃hangeSA国际影视传媒� in tone in his relationship with the clerkSA国际影视传媒檚 office after he was removed from his position as chair of the accountability committee of MLAs in a vote May 14.
Asked if he thought the change had anything to do with his filing a complaint against Mercer in February, Norn said, SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 very likely.SA国际影视传媒�
He said at that time he felt he could still approach deputy clerk Glen Rutland but that more broadly his SA国际影视传媒渟upport structure deteriorated.SA国际影视传媒�
Norn said he can count on support from three MLAs, but not the rest. He did not name them.
The entire ordeal, including this weekSA国际影视传媒檚 inquiry, was SA国际影视传媒渙ut of proportionSA国际影视传媒� to what he had done, said Norn. He added that he felt like a SA国际影视传媒減ariahSA国际影视传媒� after admitting he contracted Covid-19.
SA国际影视传媒淚t has seemed like through this entire ordeal, including this inquiry, it seems like ISA国际影视传媒檓 doing something treasonous,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 like ISA国际影视传媒檓 disrupting the government.SA国际影视传媒�
The hearing continues Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. It is being broadcast on YouTube and hosted on the Northwest Territories Legislative AssemblySA国际影视传媒檚 website.
The discussion at the end of the Oct. 7 session indicated there were three new matters added to the hearing Thursday morning when Norn was already under oath and couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 consult Cooper. When a witness is under oath, they are usually prohibited from discuss anything to do with their evidence with anyone. Barclay granted Norn permission to speak to Cooper only about those matters in the meantime.
It also appears at least one more day of oral arguments will be required and is expected to take place Friday, Oct. 15.
