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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper rejected calls to fire his embattled defence minister today and insisted the Canadian Forces acted with the "highest integrity" when handling Afghan prisoners.
During a raucous session in the House of Commons, Harper defended Peter MacKay, who is under mounting pressure to resign after
Canada's top soldier revealed earlier today that an Afghan suspect detained by Canadian Forces was beaten by Afghan police.
MacKay has long maintained there was never any "credible evidence" that any Afghan under Canadian custody was abused. Harper insisted today's admission from Gen. Walt Natynczyk only proves the actions of the Canadian Forces is beyond reproach.
"With respect to cases of abuse, when there is evidence the Canadian Forces and our diplomats act with the highest integrity, and they took the appropriate steps in this case," he said.
During a hastily-called news conference this morning, Natynczyk, the chief of defence staff, admitted critical testimony he delivered to MPs Tuesday on the Afghan detainee abuse issue was "incorrect" and "not totally consistent" with field reports from Kandahar.
"Clearly an individual who was in custody of the Canadian Forces and the Afghan Police (that) assumed custody of that individual, was abused," he said. "And I am responsible for providing that information. I regret that I only have this information at this point."
Natynczyk could not explain why he only obtained full information on the 2006 incident at 9:06 this morning, but said he intends to get answers by calling a board of internal inquiry.
Testifying before the Commons defence committee Tuesday, Natynczyk said the suspect was beaten by Afghan police after he was questioned and photographed, but subsequently released, by Canadians. He insisted the individual was not a Canadian detainee.
But after a fresh briefing from his officials this morning, Natynczyk said the suspect "was in fact in Canadian custody."
Insisting no one acted with "malicious" intent, he stressed that Canadian soldiers later intervened and rescued the injured man in June of 2006 — an act he said was carried out "courageously and ethically."
Natynczyk also said the incident unfolded in the middle of a "complex battlefield" and explained that a duty officer trying to quickly collect information, sift through and relay information.
All opposition parties united to demand MacKay resign and renewed calls for a public inquiry. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said the government has lost the public's faith.
"The issue here is trust. We can't trust this government; we can't trust a word that comes out of the mouth of this minister," he said.
NDP MP Paul Dewar called the admission from Gen. Walt Natynczyk, the chief of defence staff, a "bombshell" that corroborates earlier testimony from Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin. He accused MacKay of abdicating his his ministerial responsibility and engaging in a cover-up.
"What happened today is Gen. Natynczyk has fully exonerated Mr. Colvin and has thrown Mr. MacKay's credibility to the shreds," he said.
MacKay is scheduled to appear before the Commons committee studying the detainee issue this afternoon.
kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca