Prime Minister Stephen Harper and new interim Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff met in Ottawa Friday for talks described as cordial and businesslike.

Officials with the Prime Minister's Office wouldn't say what was discussed, but during an interview with the CBC's Peter Mansbridge on Wednesday, Ignatieff said Harper had asked to meet him to talk about "parliamentary business."

The meeting, which took place in Harper's office just off Parliament Hill, lasted close to an hour.

Harper's communications director, Kory Teneycke, called the meeting cordial and businesslike, while a Liberal spokesperson said no concrete proposals emerged from the 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 Liberals and NDP, along with support from the Bloc Québécois, are poised to vote down the government and ask to form a coalition government when Parliament resumes in late January.

Ignatieff, declared Liberal leader earlier this week, has said he wants to see what economic stimulus measures the Conservative government includes in its Jan. 27 budget before deciding whether to move ahead with the coalition.

He has repeatedly said the prime minister has lost the trust of Parliament and accused him of being less than truthful when it comes to revealing the country's finances.

Liberal officials are expected to meet with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty next week.

Harper and Ignatieff also spoke by phone on Wednesday night, hours after Ignatieff was declared his party's new leader.

Ignatieff characterized that conversation as "short" and "businesslike."

With files from the Canadian Press