The complainant alleged that Global Affairs Canada (Global Affairs) had improperly withheld information under subsection 13(1) (confidential information from government bodies) and subsection 15(1) (international affairs, national security, defence) of the Access to Information Act in response to an access request for information about consultations on military operations. The allegation falls under paragraph 30(1)(a).

Global Affairs issued one supplementary disclosure during the investigation and continued to withhold certain portions of the records under subsections 13(1) and 15(1). Global Affairs could not show that it met all the requirements of the exemptions claimed nor that it reasonably exercised its discretion to decide whether to disclose the subject information.

The Information Commissioner informed Global Affairs of her intention to order the Minister to disclose certain information in the records and to re-exercise discretion under subsections 13(2) and 15(2), and to provide a new response no later than 36 business days after the date of the final report.

Global Affairs gave notice to the Commissioner that it would implement her orders. Before the Final report could be issued, Global Affairs released all of the information previously withheld from disclosure.

Therefore, an order to disclose is not necessary since Global Affairs released all of the withheld information.

The complaint is well founded.