Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada鈥檚 premiers will meet in Ottawa Jan. 15 to finalize a plan to respond to tariff threats from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, including discussing what the best targets are for Canada to retaliate with tariffs of its own.

The meeting comes as the federal and provincial governments are seized with responding to Trump鈥檚 promise to slap an across-the-board import tariff of 25 per cent on Canada and Mexico on Jan. 20 and his escalating rhetoric about turning Canada into the 51st state.

Trudeau鈥檚 office said earlier this week they were looking to meet in-person after two virtual first ministers鈥� meetings on Trump鈥檚 tariffs took place in November and December.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, after meeting virtually with other premiers Wednesday, confirmed that meeting will happen and said Ottawa has provided a 鈥渟mall list鈥� of proposed retaliatory tariffs. He would not reveal what they are.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 strategic for Canadians or Ontarians to hand out the list,鈥� Ford said. The premiers have a strong plan, but Ford said they want to hear what strategy the federal government has come up with. 鈥淟et鈥檚 just make sure that we do everything in our power, I mentioned to the premiers, to avoid these tariffs,鈥� Ford said.

In 2018, after Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum during his first term in the White House, Canada retaliated with tariffs on dozens of American exports tailored to cause maximum pain to Republican leaders in their home states, including whisky, chocolate, yogurt, and orange juice.

Trudeau鈥檚 announcement Monday that he will resign as prime minister as soon as the Liberals elect a new leader added some uncertainty to Canada鈥檚 ability to respond, and prompted a new round of insults from Trump about Trudeau鈥檚 leadership. But Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has been at the forefront of the national response thus far, said Monday he won鈥檛 seek the leadership so he can focus solely on it.

Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly said she hadn鈥檛 decided whether to run or not but said in making her decision she is weighing her responsibilities as foreign affairs minister and the need to confront Trump鈥檚 threats. She was among several ministers who said Canada should not overreact to Trump鈥檚 threats but should also not take them lightly.

鈥淲hen president-elect Trump talks, we need to listen and we need to take him very seriously. I never take his threats lightly, but at the same time we can鈥檛 take the bait,鈥� Joly said.

LeBlanc, who attended the dinner at Mar-a-Lago in November where Trump first made the 51st state quip, initially dismissed it as just a 鈥渏oke.鈥�

That鈥檚 not how the government sees it now, with Trump continuing his taunts this week. Tuesday he said he would use 鈥渆conomic force鈥� to annex Canada and Wednesday posted a map of Canada and the United States online, with the American flag superimposed over both countries. Trump captioned it, 鈥淥h Canada.鈥�

International Trade Minister Mary Ng said Wednesday that Trump is 鈥渘ot鈥� joking about the U.S. somehow absorbing Canada.

鈥淗e鈥檚 not and we are taking it seriously and we will respond seriously as well,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I have done a lot of work meeting Canadian businesses, American businesses, American legislators and they understand the importance of this relationship.鈥�

Immigration Minister Marc Miller repeated an earlier comment comparing Trump鈥檚 rhetoric to an episode of the animated comedy South Park. He said he鈥檒l only start to worry if Trump appoints Eric Cartman, a foul-mouthed 10-year-old from the show, to the joint chiefs of staff.

鈥淚t鈥檚 silly, it鈥檚 unbecoming of a president to say that, but we do have to take it seriously and we will continue to do that,鈥� he said.

In a post on X, Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault said Trump鈥檚 comments 鈥渕ust be taken seriously.鈥�

鈥淭here is clearly no question of Canada becoming the 51st American state, but Mr. Trump will use every opportunity at his disposal to increase his balance of power,鈥� Legault wrote in French. 鈥淎ll the more reason to keep a cool head and refuse to play the president-elect鈥檚 game.鈥�

He said his responsibility is to protect Quebec鈥檚 economy from 鈥渢he threat of tariffs that could cause significant damage.鈥�

鈥淐ertainly we鈥檇 like to have less uncertainty in the federal government right now,鈥� he added. 鈥淗owever, Quebec and the rest of Canada are not without the means to act.鈥�

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said Wednesday that Trump has a history of making comments that start off as jokes but become policy.

鈥淭his is a strong and sovereign country, and it will always be a strong and sovereign country,鈥� Furey said. 鈥淭o have, unfortunately, our best friend 鈥� threaten our sovereignty is completely unacceptable.鈥�

B.C. Premier David Eby said he鈥檚 been having conversations with governors about how the tariffs would hurt both countries, including a call with Washington Governor Jay Inselee today.

鈥淎s always, Canadians stand ready to help our American friends when they are in need. However, we will never sacrifice our identity or independence to any other country in the world. And we will always stand strong against any threat to our people,鈥� Eby said.

Two former U.S. ambassadors to Canada also weighed in on how Canada should respond to the annexation threat.

Gordon Giffin, who served under former U.S. president Bill Clinton, said Trump has 鈥済one too far.鈥�

鈥淯nfortunately, the president-elect has become enamoured with the line and he is almost just reverting to it in an unconscious way,鈥� he said.

Giffin said Canada should be calm and firm in its response.

鈥淚 think Canada and Canadian leaders ought to be dismissive of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 scowl and take offence. I would just be dismissive.鈥�

Bruce Heyman served as U.S. ambassador to Canada under former president Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. He also called on Canadian officials to keep their cool.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think everybody should be overreacting to this at this moment,鈥� Heyman said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 overreact to every press conference and look at the opportunity you have ahead of you and work that diplomatically.鈥�