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.