Mr. Speaker, since time immemorial, the arts have been an integral part of human life. From the Lascaux cave paintings to film, music, dance and poetry, all peoples throughout time have expressed themselves through art. It makes the world a more beautiful place, it inspires, it stirs our emotions, it brings love and meaning into our lives. When we marvel at a work of art, a symphony or a painting, we connect with the essence of who we are. Art is also the ability to empathize with the characters in a novel, to imagine oneself in another's shoes. It is a multitude of pathways to the humanity we all share, because creation is a human act.
Today, that very essence is under threat. On June 9, representatives of more than 25,000 Quebec artists published a manifesto in defence of authentic creation because, every day, artificial intelligence steals work without consent or compensation. AI-generated content must be identified, and the government must protect creators and their copyright, because culture is fundamentally human.