In-and-out affair: Should the Conservatives repay any refunds they received?

Opposition MPs are demanding that Conservative candidates repay any refunds they received for money spent on national ads in the government's 2006 in-and-out ad spending.

The national party transferred money to 67 local candidates, who then transferred it back to be spent on national ads.

Elections Canada reimburses all candidates 60 per cent of their eligible expenses if they meet a certain threshold of votes. The money comes from the public purse.

Court documents show Elections Canada reimbursed more than $100,000 to 17 Conservative candidates before the election officials noticed anything was amiss.

The Liberal motion says the in-and-out financing was "an act of electoral fraud and represents an assault on the democratic principles upon which Parliament and our electoral system are based."

The Conservatives say the strategy was legal at the time. They argue Elections Canada changed its interpretation of the rules after the 2006 election so the party didn't do it again in the 2008 election.

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Should the Conservatives repay any refunds they received for money spent on national ads in 2006? Let us know.

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Related: Are you following the In-and-out controversy?