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The mudslinging began Sunday morning after Levant asked Nenshi about the city’s contracts with the Pembina Institute, an environmental think tank and consulting firm.

The city paid Pembina about $340,000 to consult on a greenhouse gas reduction program. The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation argues it was improper for the city to hire an advocacy group as independent experts. Levant referred to Pembina as an “anti-oilsands lobby group” in a column last week.

Levant fired off a series of questions at Nenshi including: “Will you release the video tribute you gave to Pembina’s fundraising dinner? Or are you glad they deleted it from YouTube?” and “You said the 22 Pembina staff you hired were ‘scientists.’ Most were spin doctors, three were registered lobbyists. Will you correct?”

Nenshi, arguably the most responsive politician on social media in this country, was quick to fire back.

“I’ve discussed policy with you too! OMG, I must be a shill for the Sun!” he said in reply to Levant about two minutes later.

“And congrats for actually asking a question for perhaps first time ever. Because I’ve never met any of the peeps you mention…,” Nenshi added. “And clearly that anti-oil sands lobbying is working. Oh wait, you said I had the best defense of Keystone you’d ever seen.”

At this point, it appears Nenshi was going walk away from the Twitter debate, suggesting he would not fall into a public argument with Levant.

“So, Ez, fill your boots with lazy manufactured outrage just like you did when we were kids. But I won’t play with you, sorry,” he said. The “kids” reference is to the pair’s university days, where they met on the debate circuit.