Last May, Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, was one of the world leaders who attended the inaugural mass of Pope Leon XIV, chosen to occupy the seat of St. Peter after the death of Francis. Carney crossed the pond on his first trip to Europe shortly after his victory in elections perceived by Canadians as the most decisive in the country's recent history. The politician who revived the Liberal Party did not meet Donald Trump at the Vatican, as Trump had attended Francis' funeral but delegated the representation of the US to his vice president at the inauguration of the new Pontiff.
And Carney probably didn't miss him. The threats from the White House to its northern neighbor were deafening those days, both in terms of the determination to declare war through tariffs and the thinly veiled intention to absorb Canada. The successor to the ousted Trudeau had campaigned promising the strongest defense of national sovereignty. Canadians had already realized the importance of getting closer to Europe, as a reaction to the discomfort of sharing geographical space with the US after Trump's second coming.
Carney took his first steps on the international stage in the Vatican. He took the opportunity to meet many leaders present at the pontifical mass, mainly from Europe, but also from other Commonwealth countries that suddenly seemed indispensable allies for the new political era in Ottawa.
One of those leaders he met was the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. Besides being members of the Commonwealth of Nations, both countries share a Head of State, King Charles III. And, judging by the selfies they took in St. Peter's Square and shared on social media, there seemed to be a good connection between them. Carney didn't hesitate to write something funny and complimentary about Albanese that went somewhat unnoticed at the time: "He is the only world leader who can talk in the same conversation about spirituality, global economy, and how Go-jo was robbed at Eurovision."
He was referring to Marty Zambotto, a very famous singer and producer in Australia who had represented the Oceanic country in the recently concluded edition of the Song Festival, where he did not make it to the final, causing disappointment among Australians, who are big Eurovision fans, starting with Prime Minister Albanese, who, as seen, considered it unfair that Go-jo was eliminated in the semifinals.
The final of the contest, the most controversial in history due to the voting issues related to Israel, took place the day before the pontifical mass. So, it's not surprising that it was also a topic of conversation among political leaders. What is more striking is that the issue could interest the leader of a country far from the Eurovision orbit like Canada.
Perhaps Carney already had in mind to change that. Eurovision was not unfamiliar to him. On the contrary, he had served as Governor of the Bank of England between 2013 and 2020. And few countries follow the contest as closely as the United Kingdom. In Canada, they are proud that several of their artists, especially the star Celine Dion, have participated in the contest. But, above all, considering the clear desire of the new Canadian authorities to get closer to the Old Continent, it could only be seen as a good idea to have Canada start participating in the festival that best symbolizes and defines Europe.
Financing for public television
So, suddenly, the federal Government has just presented its plan for the public broadcasting station CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and its French-speaking counterpart, Radio-Canada, for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with the goal announced by the Finance Minister, François-Phillippe Champagne, of "strengthening the national broadcaster, part of the Canadian identity." Carney's administration wants to ensure that, similar to public television in Europe and not so much in America, CBC has the necessary resources, modernize its mandate, and ensure its independence. As part of the whole project, the Government is working for the broadcaster to "explore participation in Eurovision".
The news spread like wildfire in local media. And from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization of broadcasters responsible for the Festival, they have acknowledged "early-stage conversations awaiting further dialogue."
It is not far-fetched. CBC is a television associated with the EBU. And there are precedents of broadcasters with that status already participating in the contest. For example, SBS from Australia, a country invited to compete in 2015, and has been participating ever since.
We are facing much more than a televised song contest. When Eurovision was awarded the prestigious Charlemagne Medal by EU authorities, its "importance as a tool to build bridges between nations and its ability to bring together so many Europeans and viewers from the rest of the world in a unique event" was emphasized.
Canada is taking accelerated steps to strengthen its economic, political, and defense cooperation with Europe. The US currently receives 76% of its exports, something Ottawa is trying to correct amid a trade war and the biggest rift with Washington in history. Joining Eurovision would be another gesture of solidarity with a Europe now perceived as a much friendlier ally.
It is paradoxical that the interest from across the Atlantic in the Festival coincides with its internal crisis. The participation of Israel is the subject of a heartbreaking debate among participating countries, with some broadcasters like Spanish Television willing to not participate in 2026 - coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Festival - if Israel performs due to its actions during the so-called war in Gaza.
The fragile peace process, sponsored by Trump, has reduced tensions, and today Spain is one of the few countries openly calling for Israel's expulsion from the contest. On the contrary, leaders like the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, or the Austrian Christian Stocker - the event's host - have made it clear that they will not allow Tel Aviv to be excluded. The Austrian public television (ORF) officials have shown more support for Israel's presence than for Spain's, forcing Spanish diplomacy to seriously consider its current weight in the continent. The EBU does not take prisoners and seems unconcerned about Spain not being heard in Vienna in 2026, while boasting the return of Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova to the contest. The blatant support to keep Israel in the competition is evident as Ronald Weissmann, ORF's general director, has just visited Jerusalem, where he met with President Isaac Herzog to express unwavering support for his country's presence.
We will see how Mark Carney deals with these conflicts and who he aligns with if his wish for Canada to be part of the Eurovision family comes true.