Tobacco industry campaign contributions in Ontario, 1990-95.

campaign contributions from the tobacco industry can influence legislators’ tobaccorelated policy decisions. To our knowledge, there have been no published accounts of tobacco industry contributions to Canadian legislators. As part of a broader study examining Canadian legislators’ attitudes toward tobacco control policies and possible factors that influence those attitudes, we have documented campaign contributions by the tobacco industry to Ontario provincial politicians between 1990 and 1995. In Ontario, contributions can be made to candidates running for election (maximum of $750 per campaign), to riding associations (maximum of $750 annually), and to political parties (maximum of $4,000 annually, with an additional $4,000 permitted during election periods). Contributions can also be made during leadership campaigns, with no contribution limit. If the cumulative contribution for the year is greater than $100, the Election Finances Act, 1986 requires that the contributor’s name be identified and made publicly accessible.