The federal government’s 2025 budget included an unexpected cultural proposal: Canada may seek entry into the Eurovision Song Contest.The international competition, which began in 1956, brings together countries from across Europe to determine the best original song of the year. It attracts more than 100 million viewers worldwide and has launched the careers of performers such as ABBA and Olivia Newton-John..Although Canada has never competed, several Canadians have appeared in Eurovision history. The most notable is Celine Dion, who won the 1988 contest while representing Switzerland with the song Ne partez pas sans moi (“Don’t Leave Without Me”).According to the budget tabled Tuesday by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, the government intends to “explore modernising CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate to strengthen independence, and is working with CBC/Radio-Canada to explore participation in Eurovision.”Eurovision participation was once limited to members of the European Broadcasting Union, but since 2015 the contest has welcomed “guest nations.” .Non-European countries such as Israel, Azerbaijan, and Australia have competed, with Azerbaijan winning in 2011. CBC has been an associate member of the union since 1950, which would make it eligible to take part.A Canadian version of the contest was announced in 2022 by Toronto’s Insight Productions, but production was later halted and its future remains uncertain.Earlier this year, some Canadian cultural figures suggested Eurovision participation could help strengthen ties with Europe as trade tensions with the United States continue..Prime Minister Mark Carney has also shown personal interest in the event. While attending the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV earlier this year, he replied to a social media post from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling him “the only world leader who can discuss spirituality, the global economy, and how [Australian entrant] Go-Jo was robbed at Eurovision in one go.”
