Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the area of transportation and more in the area of highways, this is a concern that I raised in committee when we found out that during the interim appropriation that the department had cut $500,000 out of the Dempster Highway Widening Project, as it was called at that time. On my return to my community, hearing a lot of the concerns about the lack of work and what is going on, and the information that they were hearing was that work was being delayed because the widening project included every capital project along the Dempster Highway. It was not just the widening project that is continuing on the highway.
One was a concern that the information being provided was missing some critical pieces when it comes to the actual dollars being spent in the area. On review of this, the main estimates, and in the committee, the Minister confirmed that $500,000 coming out of the Dempster Highway Widening Project was in fact a lot of the other projects in the Dempster Highway or Highway No. 8, as it would be called. The concern is with this area, in fact, when they were talking about reducing capital areas they selected a number of highway sites where this was happening. All except for Highway No. 3, which remained on the capital plan with the budget allocated.
It brings concern to our end of the Northwest Territories even though we do not have 15,000 people there. There is going to be a large increase in the traffic as this year goes by with the seismic work that is going to happen with the development that is under way. We are cutting back in other areas of Dempster Highway repairs and capital improvements are a very big concern to myself and the residents. We have heard a lot of discussion around here about the lack of dollars and so on, but I must agree with what Mr. Krutko raised earlier. There has to be an evening out of that. If it is government policy to make expenditures in a way that includes population, traffic volumes and so on, we might as well just shut down some areas of the Territory. It is just lack of volume.
I understand that there is a need for that because the more traffic you have and the heavier the traffic, there is going to be some wear and tear, but all the talk about Highway No. 3 -- I have heard from individuals the distance or the time it takes them to drive from here to the ferry crossing at the speed they would be going, it just does not match up with this concern of safety. Some people are absolutely moving down that highway well above the posted speed limits. I had the opportunity to ride with the Minister back from Providence and I must say at that time the highway was in pretty good shape from the standards I am accustomed to on the Dempster Highway. An example, Mr. Chairman, on a recent trip home coming home to the airport on a nice clear day, coming down for a landing, being able to see the Dempster Highway out of the left side of the plane and seeing traffic which was miles away, and the dust clouds they left behind them. Probably 40 miles away I could still see a vehicle moving down the road because of the dust cloud. That, to me, is a dangerous situation, especially when you have inter-community travel, as well as trade, and then the tourists coming down the highway. Those tourists going back down the other way, the message that they are going to give is do not bother to go down that highway unless you want your windshield taken out, or extra flat tires, or if you want to be dusting out your camper for the next year.
I come from the side of Mr. Krutko and request that the department look at some of its initiatives and try to be more balanced in the area of funds. When we look at Highway No. 3, it is clear that there is $6 million for that project of straightening it, widening it, paving it on top, but when we look at Inuvik, the Dempster Highway and then find out, in fact, that it is every project along that way. It is troubling to know that we are getting two different definitions here and then to find out the capital project for the bridge at the Campbell Creek, which is new, and I believe is being pushed by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. It is interesting to see that they are pushing that. That, too, will come out of what was $2 million or $2.5 million at one point. So, in fact, even less money is going for the widening of that project. I urge the department, along with my colleague, Mr. Krutko, that there needs to be a clear definition, guidelines, and some balance to how this is done. Thank you.