The Cons have been desperately trying to suppress the above video, and you can see why. Given Rob Ford’s latest travails, it has created new interest, including overseas. As first reported shortly before the Ontario provincial election in 2011, Harper attended a chummy little backyard gathering at Mayor Ford’s place in honour of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, and he had a few words to say on that occasion.

Here’s what most would agree is the money quote:

“We’ve started cleaning up the left-wing mess federally in this area - Rob’s doing it municipally - and now we’ve got to complete the hat trick, and do it provincially as well.”

Ah, to see ourselves as others see us:

As leader, [Harper] has run his party with Bolshevik efficiency - hammering a caucus perhaps a bit over-laden, by historical standards, with yokels, whackos and chancers, into a wide-eyed, tight-lipped regiment of skittish yes-people.

Heck, a lot of us already knew that. But it’s good to have our perceptions confirmed.

The “hat trick” was never accomplished, as we know. The virulently anti-choice and anti-union Tim Hudak was thrashed at the polls, and the provincial NDP has given the Liberal government a little breathing-room to set things right after the disastrous latter-day reign of the sleazy Dalton McGuinty. The good Mayor is more than waist-deep in the Big Muddy, and Harper himself, with his caucus, is simply awash in scandals.

A hat-trick of quite a different kind may be looming. But one shouldn’t gloat when the enemy is down. Out of charity, perhaps Elections Canada could at least write off Eve Adams’ cupcake.

[H/t Stephen Lautens]