def ensure_header(self, header: BlockHeader=None) -> BlockHeader:
        """
        Return ``header`` if it is not ``None``, otherwise return the header
        of the canonical head.
        """
        if header is None:
            head = self.get_canonical_head()
            return self.create_header_from_parent(head)
        else:
            return header
Return ``header`` if it is not ``None``, otherwise return the header
        of the canonical head.