Twitter wars: Watson vs. MacLeod

There's an intriguing little set-to going on over on the Twitter between Ottawa mayor Jim Watson and Nepean Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod. Watson is at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in London, and he's taken umbrage to comments he claims Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak made at the gathering. Here's how the conversation went (it's a bit hard to follow, but the animosity is unmistakable).

@JimWatsonOttawa: @timhudak- very concerned what you said at AMO- that you wouldn't commit to the final 5 years of the upload agreement signed by AMO and Prov  8:58 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa @blakebatson @CouncillorMcRae @timhudak I'm very concerned that there is no commitment to honour Prov-Mun upload agreement. Why  9:00 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @blakebatson @MacLeodLisa @CouncillorMcRae @timhudak I have copy and no where does it say what Tim said today that he won't honor agreement  9:15 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa @blakebatson @CouncillorMcRae @timhudak I campaigned at keeping taxes at 2.5 % and delivered 2.4 %. It was in my platform  9:16

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa YOUR city is counting on over $30 million in upload savings over next 5 years in deal signed by AMO, Toronto and Province.  9:18

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa. So will you fight to reverse your leaders policy to not honour this deal that benefits ALL 444 municipalities?  9:19

@MacLeodLisa: @JimWatsonOttawa no mention, only by you, of changing agreement.We'll fix arb,restore local decision making&bring consistency to inf funding  9:23 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: @JimWatsonOttawa so I take it you'll be VERY active in campaigning for your party this provincial election.  9:24 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa he was asked by journalist if he would honour upload agreement and he would not commit! Delegates are not pleased.  9:38 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa I will continue to speak out anytime OUR city is not being treated fairly. That's my role as mayor  9:38 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: @JimWatsonOttawa delegates I'm seeing on twitter seem to like it. Cc @tim_sutton  9:40 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: @JimWatsonOttawa I hope you'll defend OUR village of North Gower who wants local decision making restored.  9:41 a.m. 

@JimWatsonOttawa:@andreahorwath along with @Dalton_McGuinty were both very clear they would NOT download costs to cities! Bravo.  9:43 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @JonathanWilling @MacLeodLisa he was asked if he would honour upload agreement and he wouldn't, in a q and a with ... tmi.me/eS874  9:44 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @JonathanWilling ask Tim if he will honour the agreement signed between AMO, Toronto and Prov. He would NOT commit. Ask Peter hume  9:49 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @JonathanWilling by 2018 we have 30 m annually build into budget. It would mean deeper cuts to programs and services to makeup shortfall  9:51 a.m. 

@MacLeodLisa: Tim Hudak will help Ottawa by fixing arbitration system&saving us money, consistent infrastructure funding& restoring local decision making.  9:56 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @andreahorwath was asked the same question as @timhudak on uploading and she was crystal clear she WOULD honour agreement!  9:57

I think they're done now. We will endeavour to find out what, exactly, Tim Hudak said about provincial uploading.

***UPDATE***

I was wrong, they kept going at it. Here's the rest of their conversation (I'm not including Tweets that aren't directly related to the discussion at hand):

@MacLeodLisa:Under the McGuinty Liberals Ottawa City Councils opposition to windfarm in North Gower ignored. @timhudak will restore local decision making  9:57 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: RT @OREAGR: @TimHudak will treat municipalities as partners to be trusted and give them more power to make decisions locally #onpoli  9:59 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: Ottawa resident can't afford another tax hike. With @timhudak we'll provide relief.  10:11 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: Municipalities will continue to enjoy $1b in uploading under an @timhudak government Cc @JimWatsonOttawa @JonathanWilling @alistairsteele  10:20 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @MacLeodLisa @timhudak @JonathanWilling @alistairsteele the deal was $1.5 billion. So are you cancelling the rest of the upload deal?  10:22 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @rmgard @willsamuel @Dalton_McGuinty. I make no apologies for defending our city's interest. Uploading deal was good for cities. Saves $120m  10:39 a.m.

@MacLeodLisa: RT @jasonlietaer: Despite #OLP spin/fearmongering, municipalities will receive $1b in uploading under an @timhudak government #onpoli  10:41 a.m.

@JimWatsonOttawa: @rjperry61 I'm standing up for a very good agreement I signed that saves Ottawa $120 million! This year alone savings was $25 million!  10:48 a.m.