Section 13 deals with information provided to us by another country or a province. For instance, a third country forwards information to us stating that it is confidential. In that case, the section 13 exemption would apply. This exemption is not discretionary, it is mandatory. The access to information coordinator does not have a choice, when the country providing the information states that this information is confidential. It only affects the information forwarded to us by that country.
Moreover, information as to Canada's thoughts on another country do not come from that country. In that case, the information would not be protected under section 13. That would be the information we generated ourselves based on sources other than a foreign country. Section 13 would not apply to this second category of information.