Post by salvado on Dec 12, 2008 18:27:43 GMT -5
Harper, Ignatieff hold budget talks
Tories describe face-to-face meeting as 'cordial and businesslike'; Liberals say PM must put forward 'credible economic plan'
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STEVEN CHASE
Globe and Mail Update
December 12, 2008 at 1:00 PM EST
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper met his new rival Michael Ignatieff this morning to talk about the future of Canada's deadlocked Parliament.
Government officials declined to divulge specifics about the get-together between Mr. Harper and the new Liberal Leader, except to say it took place in Ottawa's Langevin block, where the Prime Minister's main office is located.
"It was a cordial and businesslike meeting," Mr. Harper's director of communications, Kory Teneycke, said. "As the Prime Minister has previously stated, he welcomes the specific input of the opposition on the budget."
The Liberals said there were no concrete proposals at Friday's half-hour meeting.
"The ball is in Mr. Harper's court," said Liberal spokesman Jean-Francois Del Torchio. "He needs to put forward a credible economic plan."
The Prime Minister is preparing a stimulus budget for January 27. His 143-seat minority government is at risk of being defeated by a multiparty alliance of the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois if it can't convince at least 12 opposition MPs to back its economic plan.
More here: www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081212.wPOLignatieff1212/BNStory/politics/home?cid=al_gam_mostview