CANADA, July 1 -- Canada will take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, organisers have announced.

It becomes the first new country to join since Australia in 2015, and follows a turbulent year where long-standing competitors such as Ireland and S pain pulled out over Israels participation.

The path for Canada to compete was cleared last week, when the countrys public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stages the annual competition.

The country can already claim one winner. Quebec-born Celine Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 contest, and took the trophy with her song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.

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Other Cana...