Not surprisingly, politicians themselves are among the most generous donors, contributing more than $2 million to their own parties over the past decade – and in some cases to their opponents as well.
Retiring B.C. NDP MP Alex Atamanenko was the single most generous donors to his party, contributing nearly $27,000 since. Nearly $41,000 in donations has come from B.C. Conservative Andrew Saxton, although that figure includes contributions from his father who shares his name, B.C. businessman Andrew Saxton Sr.
Conservative Stephen Harper has donated $40,000 to his party over the past decade, far more than his rivals, although he has been in parliament much longer. Justin Trudeau, who has been Liberal leader since 2013, contributed $12,000 to his party, including a 2006 donation to failed party leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy. NDP leader Tom Mulcair, chosen to head the party in 2012, has donated $11,440. Both Green Party leader Elizabeth May and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe have donated nearly $20,000 each to their respective parties over the past decade.
In general, MPs who have been in office the longest have donated the most to their own parties, a reflection of politicians who have contributed money to their own election campaigns over the years. But that is not always the case. Conservative Rona Ambrose, who was most recently minister of health in Stephen Harper's cabinet, has donated less than $2,000 to the party despite a decade in parliament. Calgary Conservative Deepak Obhrai has been in parliament since 1997, but has donated little more than $2,500 in the past decade. By contrast, Liberal Joyce Murray has donated more than $18,000 and Conservative Ed Holder more than $15,000 even though both have been in parliament only since 2008.
Not all MPs have been lifelong partisans. Several have donated to rival parties before running for office. Ontario's Costas Menegakis donated nearly $1,900 to the Liberals before running for the Conservatives in 2011. Conservative Andrew Saxton and his family have donated $6,400 to the Liberals. Conservative Kerry-Lynne Findlay who served as Minister of National Revenue, donated $400 to the Liberals in 2005. B.C.'s Murray Rankin donated more than $1,500 to the Liberals before running for the New Democrats. Both Ms. Findlay and Mr. Rankin were practising lawyers and some of the donations appear to have come from addresses associated with their law firms. Ontario Conservative Brad Butt donated $250 to the Liberals in 2006, when he was head of the Greater Toronto Apartments Association.
Below is a look at how much each of the party leaders and all current MPs running for re-election have donated to federal politics since 2004. The list contains only donations of $200 or more made between 2004 and 2014.
For more Globe and Mail analysis on political donations see Dollars and votes: How fundraising has shaped the federal election campaign.