There was NO secrecy regarding the funding offered to Canada's Dept of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) to study the northwest Pacific marine environment and fisheries in early 2010.  The money was to be distributed with federal oversight.  Originally, Harper's government accepted the partnership offered to Tides of a grant of $8.3-million from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Foundation wanted to work with the DFO through a partnership with Tides.  Gordon Moore was a successful creative businessman and engineer who set up INTEL which developed efficient integrated circuits. Ever heard of Moore's Law? 
Eight months after agreeing to the deal, Harper cancelled it after Enbridge lobbied against the study because the company thought the results might be used against its planned terminal for its proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.  This was all laid out in the media, and the government had, and the public could find, all the details relating to the marine study and the Enbridge proposal.