If you haven't watched the Eurovision Song Contest before, you're missing a spectacle like no other. Countries from Europe — and beyond — compete with fiery performances and elaborate sets amid a sea of fans, flags and national pride.
Tens of millions around the globe will watch Saturday's Grand Final from Basel, Switzerland, while casting votes for their favourite song and country. The cultural phenomenon, which debuted in 1956 and is now in its 69th edition, is a week-long affair with musicians from 37 countries vying for the top prize.
Canadians have represented other nations in competitions and achieved victories, yet our country hasn’t formally joined these events. Previous efforts to get Canada involved stalled because of worries over expenses and public interest; however, this idea has gained traction once more—especially following renewed national pride after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Canada might become the 51st state.
"It is literally The Hunger Games of music," said Laurell Barker, a Canadian songwriter who wrote songs for the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland that made it to the 2019 final, which was won by The Netherlands.
Barker mentioned, 'It would be incredibly significant for Canada to participate.' He added, 'There’s immense talent here, and we have plenty to express, numerous ideas to convey, and abundant affection to offer.'
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Canadians compete for others—but not for Canada.
Although numerous Eurovision contestants do not achieve international superstardom, there are significant exceptions such as Sweden’s ABBA. They claimed victory in 1974 with their song. Waterloo , and their triumph led to their enduring fame.
Next up is Canada’s connection to Eurovision success – Céline Dion, who represented Switzerland in 1988 and emerged victorious with her rendition of Ne Quittez Pas Sans Moi (Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi) At age 20, she attributed Eurovision for aiding her rise to international stardom.
For artists, having the opportunity to perform in front of a massive global audience is invaluable.
Barker stated, 'I don’t believe there’s a more thrilling live broadcast event than Eurovision. The experience of hearing everyone sing the lyrics together and joining in has been incredibly exciting, particularly when witnessed from within the venue.'
Karen Fricker, a Eurovision specialist from Toronto with over two decades of experience reporting on the event, argues that Canada’s case for participating becomes stronger due to our significant involvement in the competition throughout its history.
She questioned why we can’t make an effort to present our own performance if we’re skilled enough to sing and triumph for another nation.
"Ultimately, it will depend on a broadcaster's determination and the influence of the public exerted on that broadcaster to push for saying 'It’s about time Canada competes,'" Fricker stated during an interview from Basel.
Canada is not in Europe — just like Australia, it's elsewhere.
Eurovision is organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), an alliance of public broadcasters and public service media. It has also included countries in Europe-adjacent countries in western Asia — including Israel, which has participated in the contest since 1973, as well as Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Australia, some 14,000 kilometres away from Europe, began taking part in the competition 10 years ago when the EBU gave it special approval to participate.
Australia's Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), an associated member of the European Broadcast Union (EBU), has been broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest since 1983, according to Fricker, which significantly contributed to its massive popularity in the country.
"Joining requires a willingness," Fricker stated.
Although she isn't certain about its strength in Canada, Fricker observes that the present degree of Canadian pride amid U.S. hostility might foster renewed interest in Canada’s involvement.
I mean, the United States has also never participated in Eurovision. So, this issue of how we as North Americans can perform on this platform really requires serious consideration.
Canada's Eurovision quest
Insight Productions, a Toronto-based production firm, tried to introduce Canada to the Eurovision competition in 2022 by submitting a proposal. Eurovision Canada competition Where musicians from each province and territory would participate in national competitions, with the victor going on to represent Canada in Europe.
However, there was no support from Canada's national broadcast network, CBC/Radio-Canada, at that time. It should be mentioned that CBC is an associated member of the EBU, noting that it would be the sole Canadian broadcaster "theoretically capable of participating" in the Eurovision contest.
Lindsay Cox, who serves as co-chief content officer at Insight Productions, spoke with The Canadian Press not long ago about realizing the intricacies involved when a Canadian competes in Europe. This insight came after her team made their intentions known in 2022.
Nevertheless, she states that the firm hasn't surrendered and is revising its proposal.
Chuck Thompson, a spokesperson for CBC, informed CBC News that the network explored this option and held discussions with stakeholders. However, they concluded that it would be too costly to implement.
"Ultimately, we were unable to make it function for our situation," he stated.
However, a nationwide TV contest is not required for submitting an entry. As stated by the EBU, broadcasters have the option to extend invitations or reach out directly to artists and/or record labels. Additionally, they might opt for a combined approach where the broadcaster selects the performer, yet the public gets to decide on the song through voting.
Thompson confirmed to CBC News that the public broadcaster has never considered these options.
The economics of Eurovision
Taking part in Eurovision does come with a large price tag.
Entry fees vary from year to year and country to country, with the "strongest shoulders carrying the most weight," according to the Eurovision website .
The EBU informed CBC News that it doesn’t disclose the fees it imposes; however, Irish state broadcaster RTÉ recently made public the expenses related to its involvement.
In the previous year, the broadcaster distributed 389,999 euros (approximately $575,000 CAD), encompassing their entry fee, production expenses, as well as transportation and lodging costs.
The nation that emerges victorious usually gets to host the following contest, and this is when expenses start to add up significantly.
Last year, Nemo from Switzerland emerged as the winner. s So the Swiss city of Basel will be hosting Eurovision 2025. Basel approved public funding equal to $55 million CAD For hosting — an initiative supported by slightly less than 67 percent of local voters in a November referendum .
However, hosting cities may also experience financial benefits.
In 2023, Liverpool, a British city, assumed hosting responsibilities from Ukraine. Ukraine had secured the win in 2022 shortly following Russia’s invasion but was unable to host because of the ongoing conflict.
The expense of hosting was estimated At around £24 million (approximately $40 million CAD), but according to a study ordered by the Liverpool city council, This led to an economic surge of £55 million GBP (approximately $92 million CAD).
An opportunity to develop relationships with Europe
Fricker describes taking part in Eurovision as a bit of a "catch-22" scenario since a broadcaster cannot gauge the size of their potential audience until they actually participate.
However, she also highlights Eurovision’s origins in the post-World War II era of solidarity and draws comparisons to current shifts in relationships between the United States and its allies such as Europe and Canada.
"A great way to build a relationship with Europe is to participate in the song contest," she said.
