Country explores taking part in the glitzy song contest as it distances from the US and seeks to deepen ties with Europe
When Canada released its federal budget this month, much of it was standard fare, from the plans to downsize the public service to the boost in defence spending.
But one line tucked in the nearly 500-page document has captured imaginations on both sides of the Atlantic: a mention that the government is working with Canada’s national broadcaster to explore participation in the Eurovision song contest.
When asked about the line, the country’s finance minister, François-Philippe Champagne, said the proposal to join the glitzy TV extravaganza had come from “the people who participate”.
He did not specify whether he was referring to specific countries or the European Broadcasting Union, who organises the contest. CBC-Radio Canada is an associate member of the union; another associate member, Australia, was invited by the contest’s governing board to join Eurovision in 2015.
