OTTAWA - They may disagree about the future of the Liberal party but Michael Ignatieff insists there's no rift between him and former prime minister Jean Chretien.

Indeed, Ignatieff had nothing but praise Thursday for Chretien, who won three back-to-back majority governments for the Liberals in 1993, 1997 and 2000.

"My relations with Jean Chretien have always been good," Ignatieff told a news conference.

"I don't always agree with Mr. Chretien . . . but I'm smart enough to recognize a master of politics when I see it."

The current and former Liberal leaders have been at odds of late over whether their party should find some way to join forces with the NDP, be it through an electoral non-compete pact, a coalition or outright merger.

Chretien has publicly suggested the party should pursue some sort of co-operation with the NDP in order to defeat Stephen Harper's Tories in the next election. And he's admitted he's had casual discussions on the matter with former NDP leader Ed Broadbent, although he's stressed he has no mandate to negotiate anything.

Chretien's musings last month fuelled a frenzy of rumour and chatter among grassroots Liberals about the future of the party, which eventually forced Ignatieff to clarify his own stand on the matter.

Ignatieff flatly ruled out any non-compete deals or mergers. He left the door open to considering a coalition government but only after the next election, should the results make a coalition necessary and feasible.

Efforts have since been made to put the matter to bed and erase any impression of a family feud within the Liberal party.

For instance, Chretien is to join Ignatieff for a party event next month in his old Quebec riding of St. Maurice.

Ignatieff laughed at suggestions he's asked the former prime minister to keep his opinions about coalitions or mergers to himself.

"Jean Chretien won three majority governments. You don't go around telling anybody of that distinction to cease and desist," he said.

Still, Ignatieff reiterated his view that the Liberal party must concentrate on building a "big red tent" in the centre of the political spectrum, drawing support from parties on both the left and right.

"That's the job. That's what Jean Chretien did, that's what I want to do, that's what we will do."

Ignatieff pointed out that Chretien spent three years as Opposition leader. He didn't specifically mention that those were a rocky three years in which the leader's approval rating and the party's support levels were tepid at best -- just as they are now.

But he alluded to it, saying he's learned from Chretien's opposition experience.

"What I learned from Jean is that you have to persevere."