Candidates vying for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership have businesses to thank for the bulk of $1.2-million donated to their campaigns over the past two months. More than 57 per cent of all contributions originated from a business entity, the largest coming from a Toronto-based construction company for $50,000 to candidate Charles Sousa.
The chart below uses data from Elections Ontario to track cumulative fundraising for each candidate in the race, showing sharp increases often credited to large single contributions.
Kathleen Wynne (in pink below) has been the strongest and most consistent fundraiser. She kept pace with rivals like Mr. Sousa (in purple below), who started slowly but briefly surpassed Ms. Wynne after the $50,000 donation from the Limen Group.
Sandra Pupatello (in green below) also lagged behind at the start but quickly matched pace after she increased her funding by almost $100,000 in just two days. On Dec. 17, 2012, she received $25,000 from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, a national industry association representing Canada's insurance companies; then she received two donations of $25,000 each from Barry and Clayton Zekelman, who bare the same name as a pair of wealthy Windsor industrialists. The next day she received $20,000 from the Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario, an industry group representing landlords and property managers.
Harinder Takhar (in light blue below) has been the least successful Liberal fundraiser so far, receiving only 10 donations on two separate days.
Interactive by STUART A. THOMPSON