Canada will do whatever it takes to defends its workers, farmers and businesses in a trade war with the ​United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney told a meeting of ⁠provincial premiers on Thursday.

"We are ​intensifying our trade negotiations with the ⁠United States and will not hesitate to defend our interests if we have to," he said in televised ​remarks.

Trump threatened on Monday to impose new 50% tariffs ‌on $20 billion worth of Canadian products.

Carney, describing the measures as unwarranted, said "Canada will ⁠do whatever it takes to ⁠defend and support Canadian workers, farmers, businesses, ⁠and ⁠families."

The 10 provinces though are split over ‌how to react. The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, which export crude ‌oil ​and potash respectively to ‌the United States, have ruled out export curbs or duties ​to increase pressure on Washington.