Preston Manning in Calgary, on Jan. 23, 2006. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
June 29, 2012 - 1:47 PM
OTTAWA - Carleton University has released information about a $15-million donation that created a school backed by Preston Manning.
The Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management was launched in October 2010 to much fanfare, with Reform party founder Manning — and the Manning Centre for Building Democracy — front and centre.
The program, according to Manning and the university administration, was founded thanks to a $15-million donation from Calgary businessman Clayton Riddell.
Its first students were enrolled last September.
But when The Canadian Press requested a copy of the donor agreement under Ontario's freedom-of-information law last summer, Carleton University issued a blanket refusal.
In denying the request, the university cited invasion of privacy, third-party information and the school's economic interests regarding future fundraising.
Following mediation ordered by the information commissioner's office, Carleton released a heavily redacted copy of the donor agreement in March.
The full, unredacted agreement was released today following a year-long battle over the freedom-of-information request.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012