Canada has pulled its official backing from the EU DisinfoLab 2026 conference in Vilnius after taking issue with how several sessions portray the United States as a source of foreign‑information manipulation. Global Affairs spokesperson Samantha Lafleur said the decision followed changes to the framing of a number of panel discussions, though Canadian officials will still attend the event in a non‑chairing capacity.
Canada’s decision to step back
The move came after the conference programme listed a session titled “USA as a FIMI threat: acknowledge, adapt, push back” and another called “Under attack: How the counter‑disinformation community is dealing with US government pressure”. Lafleur noted that Ottawa was uncomfortable with the way these panels positioned the United States alongside traditional adversaries. While Canada remains committed to fighting disinformation, it chose not to lend its name to discussions it views as mischaracterising the role of a key ally.
Reactions from Washington and partners
The U.S. State Department condemned the conference’s suggestion that America could be a foreign‑information actor, calling the equivalence “false” and saying it obscures the genuine threats posed by hostile states. Washington declined to confirm whether it had raised concerns directly with Ottawa or European capitals, but stressed that it regularly engages partners on issues of free expression and countering malign propaganda.
Lithuania also cancelled its sponsorship, stating that parts of the programme diverged from its official stance. The European External Action Service similarly withdrew support, leaving the organisers to cover the gaps with white stickers over the logos of Canada, Lithuania and the EU on promotional material.
What the conference panels actually say
One of the highlighted speakers is Kimberly Prost, the Canadian jurist who faced sanctions from former President Donald Trump for her work on an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan involving U.S. forces. Another key figure slated to lead a discussion on Arctic disinformation was Saliou Babou, who heads a Global Affairs Canada unit created to counter state‑sponsored falsehoods.
Benjamin Shultz, a researcher with the American Sunlight Project attending the event, told reporters that the panel descriptions have not been altered since a June 2026 version, contradicting the Canadian claim that the framing was changed. He added that the stickers now concealing the sponsors’ logos are a visible sign of the growing diplomatic rift.
Why it Matters
Canada’s withdrawal signals a broader unease among Western allies about how disinformation forums are framing the strategic competition with the United States. By distancing itself from panels that label Washington as a potential source of foreign‑information manipulation, Ottawa is trying to preserve the trans‑Atlantic alliance while still participating in the fight against false narratives. The episode underscores the delicate balance governments must strike between advocating for robust counter‑disinformation measures and avoiding rhetoric that could be perceived as undermining a core partner’s credibility. As the conference proceeds in Vilnius, the controversy may shape future collaborations on information integrity across Europe and North America.
