The complainant alleged that National Defence (DND) did not respond to an access request for specific records related to strategic communications campaigns regarding managing perceptions about drones within the 30‐day period set out in section 7 of the Access to Information Act. The complaint falls within paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act.

DND did not respond to the request, being of the view that it did not meet the requirements of section 6 of the Act.

The investigation found that the request met the requirements of section 6 of the Act and that, as a result, DND should have been able to process the request without the need for clarification. As such, DND was in a state of deemed refusal pursuant to subsection 10(3).

The Information Commissioner ordered that DND provide a complete response to the access request.

DND gave notice to the Commissioner that it would be implementing the order.

The complaint is well founded.