Canada pulls out of global disinformation conference with panels pointing to U.S. as source of foreign interference

The federal government has withdrawn its sponsorship for a European disinformation conference that includes panel discussions about the U.S. government as a risk for foreign interference.

The conference is an annual event focused on countering disinformation. Organized by EU DisinfoLab, a non-profit based in Brussels, it attracts researchers, people who work in counter-disinformation, journalists, think tanks, academics and government officials. The 2026 edition is taking place in Vilnius, Lithuania this week.

More than one panel slated for Disinfo2026 , discusses the U.S. as a source of foreign-information manipulation and interference (FIMI), which refers to state-backed actors engaging in coordinated efforts to sway public debate aiming to undermining elections and institutions.

Global Affairs Canada says Ottawa isn’t comfortable with how those discussions were framed, so while Canadian officials will still be participating in the conference, they will not be chairing any discussions.

“Following changes to the framing of several panel discussions, Global Affairs decided to revise its participation in those sessions at the EU DisinfoLab 2026 conference,” says Samatha Lafleur, spokesperson for Global Affairs.

The department “carefully assesses participation in, and sponsorship of, external events on a case-by-case basis,” she said in an email to National Post on Thursday. “We respect the right of the organizers to frame discussions as they see fit and recognize the independence of civil society actors and speakers at the conference.”

Despite the sponsorship cancellation, Lafleur added that “Canada remains firmly committed to addressing the challenge of disinformation and misinformation. Global Affairs Canada officials continue to participate in the … conference and look forward to engaging with partners and stakeholders on efforts to counter disinformation.”

The Guardian is reporting that the Trump administration “pressured multiple countries to withdraw their sponsorship” and that Canada, as well as Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service agreed. Lafleur did not respond to this allegation.

Just days before the conference was to begin, the logos of the main supporters, including the Lithuanian ministry of foreign affairs, the European External Action Service and Global Affairs Canada, were removed from the conference website, states the Guardian. Both the Guardian and CBC are reporting that photos of the event show white stickers placed over the logos of these organizations on official conference materials.

On Wednesday, a panel that Lithuania took exception to, according to the Guardian, explored how Europe’s disinformation community could rebuild resilience without Washington, the first time the conference appears to have entertained the idea that the U.S. could be a disinformation actor in Europe. It’s called “USA as a FIMI threat: adapt, acknowledge, push back.”

Another session will discuss “growing evidence” that the United States has in some Arctic contexts, operated as a FIMI actor.

The U.S. State Department is neither confirming, nor denying the application of pressure to withdraw conference sponsorship.

In an emailed statement to National Post on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Jennifer Viau said: “While we are unable to comment on the details of diplomatic conversations, it should not be a surprise that countries would disaffiliate from this conference upon learning that it labeled the U.S. a ‘FIMI threat.’ Labeling the United States a FIMI threat – a term normally reserved for describing influence operations of adversaries – undermines shared goals and should alarm those involved.”

An EU spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian that the European External Action Service decided to withdraw its support from the conference because “the organizers chose to frame some of the discussions in a way which does not align with the official positions held by the EU.” Despite withdrawing its sponsorship, the EU continues to fund the conference.

Canada’s move comes at a time when the country is caught in the ongoing tensions of a bitter trade dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

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