Another "big victory"

The Conservatives have dropped their appeal of a federal court ruling in the in-and-out affair.

The Conservative Party of Canada has repaid taxpayers $230,198 for the "in-and-out" election financing dispute and dropped its appeal at the Supreme Court of Canada ... Elections Canada refused to issue the more than $800,000 in total rebates to the Conservative Party and the party then sued to get the money.

They won the case in a lower court ruling, but in early 2011, the federal Court of Appeal unanimously overturned that ruling, saying Elections Canada had every right to deny the expenses.

Four months ago, in a separate proceeding, the Conservative party pleaded guilty to violating the Elections Act.