Canada must join the European Union

 What is happening with Trump's political blackmail—the imposition of tariffs, not only for economic reasons but also for political retaliation—should give pause to the international community and foster the isolation the United States seems proudly seeking. After several postponed deadlines, for personal gain and that of his family, to allow him the most reckless financial operations, Trump's plan appears increasingly clear: to impose a new world order through US financial might. This plan applies to both its most traditional allies and those states commonly considered hostile to Washington. The recent threats of high tariffs against Brazil for impeaching former President Bolsonaro, and the similar blackmail against Canada for expressing its desire to recognize Palestine, are quite eloquent examples of Trump's goals, which clearly encroach on the sovereignty of other states. Moreover, those who could have generated strong opposition, such as the European Union, immediately adopted an overly accommodating stance, which only fueled the American president's bravado. Quite the opposite is true for China, which has taken a tougher stance toward American threats, thanks in part to its historical lack of subservience. It must also be said that President von der Leyen has proven to be a less than effective actor and too prone to Trump's bullying. Europe's fault has been its inability to attract new, strong members and find alternative markets, while attempting to maintain its position in the US market, which was already known to be compromised. The perception is that it lacks a courageous economic and political project. The first step for Europe is to lower internal tariffs and standardize their respective taxation, to present itself on the international stage as a cohesive bloc. Then it is necessary to expand the markets in which it can sell its goods, and the most likely destinations are those to which the US intends to apply the highest tariffs. Finally, it is necessary to expand internal markets with income-boosting policies. If these are the economic starting points, it is even more important to develop a political project capable of allowing Europe to transcend its geographical borders. There is a potential natural ally, one that identifies strongly with European values, unlike countries that are members solely out of pure economic interest, and which is geographically located outside Europe's borders, allowing for an unparalleled common space. This is Canada, which Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex as the fifty-first state of the United States. Planning for Canada's accession to the European Union would mean breaking American hegemony on both sides of the ocean and creating the richest market in the world. It would certainly be an act of war against Washington, but it would add enormous diplomatic weight and greater international relevance to Brussels. Given its cultural affinities and shared democratic values on which the European Union is founded, Canada would be the ideal partner with which to forge a deeper alliance. A bloc configured in this way would be an ideal adversary to bring Trump to heel and also to gain greater autonomy in diplomacy and defense, remaining within the Atlantic Alliance but progressively more independent from Washington. This would certainly be a lengthy process, requiring greater independence of judgment from some of the Union's most important states, compared to the United States, accompanied by a shared process of relinquishing even substantial portions of sovereignty. However, a Europe capable of attracting and reincorporating Canada into its fold would be an even more modern and attractive Union for investment and negotiating clout. The idea of bringing Canada into the world's richest trading zone would increase its value at the expense of the United States, satisfying its isolationist ambitions.