OTTAWA – The federal Conservative government is warning the three Opposition parties that efforts to force disclosure of classified documents on the Afghan detainee controversy are a risk to national security.

The Commons was debating a Liberal Opposition Day motion based on the supremacy of Parliament to force the government's hand.

Meanwhile, a public hearing by a military watchdog into the handling of Afghan prisoners has been rescheduled for the spring — if it proceeds at all.

Peter Tinsley, the outgoing chairman of the Military Police Complaints Commission, said it was necessary to set a date for the resumption of the inquiry, but Conservative government has yet to appoint his successor, The Canadian Press reported.

The Liberal motion would, if passed, order the government to disclose uncensored copies of sensitive documents that are central to the question of whether Canada ignored warnings that prisoner protection arrangements were insufficient and led Canadian soldiers to hand Afghan prisoners over to Afghan authorities who subjected them to torture.

Information of when and how Canadian officials visit particular prisons, for instance, "would be of great value to the insurgents, and to the terrorists," said Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. "They could use this knowledge to attack our monitors and free the detainees."

"It directly affects the lives of Canadians serving on the front lines of a deadly conflict half a world away."

"We must not sacrifice the safety of these brave souls on the altar of parliamentary privilege, yet this is precisely what the motion before us today proposes to do," Nicholson told the House of Commons.

Nicholson dismissed arguments led by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff that parliamentary privilege should prevail, and parliamentarians could be trusted to protect sensitive information.

Ignatieff called for the uncensored documents but also insisted a full public inquiry is needed to clear the air.

Nicholson ridiculed the notion that "parliamentary privilege somehow relieves public servants appearing before committee of their obligation to protect sensitive information that relates to national security, national defence or international relations."

Nicholson said there is "well-established" parliamentary convention that committees will respect crown privilege and Crown immunity when invoked, "at least in relation to matters of national and public security."

He appeared to concede that Parliament reigns supreme, but said in this case it would be unwise to flex its muscle.

"This House must exercise its powers responsibly, and in some cases the only responsible option is for this House and its committees from pressing the theoretical extent of its powers."

Nicholson defended the decision to censor documents provided to the Military Police Complaints Commission, saying "no other tenable option existed" once the commission — investigating the actions of military police in detainee transfers — decided to hold public hearings.

He said that prior to that decision the government had provided thousands of uncensored documents to the commission.

"The decision to redact documents is not taken lightly and reflects the absolute need to protect sensitive information."

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NDP defence critic Jack Harris "the government has built up a wall of secrecy around this and it's unbelievable."

Outside the House, NDP Leader Jack Layton warned that if Canada doesn't call a public inquiry to probe allegations of prisoner tortured by Afghan officials then some international body will do it instead.

Layton told a press conference the Canadian government can't allow that to happen because it would sully the country's enviable reputation for fairness and accountability.

"I'm concerned about Canada's reputation and I believe we should look after our own problems here," Layton said in his year-end press conference.

The Conservative government has ignored an opposition parties' motion calling for a public inquiry and so far calls for Defence Minister Peter MacKay's resignation have been rebuffed as well.

"It is quite clear the government doesn't want the truth to come out," Layton said.

The calls for MacKay to step down grew louder Wednesday when Chief of Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk suddenly admitted that Canadian detainees were abused in Afghanistan, despite years of denials.

"Ultimately it has to be the minister responsible. That our tradition in Canada. It's ministerial responsibility that is supposed to govern the behaviour of a cabinet. What we've had is a minister who has insisted there were no case. And now there is as case. Can we be certain there weren't other cases?" Layton said.

Natynczyk told reporters not only was it known Afghan police abused prisoners but that one in particular handed over by Canadian troops was later badly beaten.

With files from The Canadian Press