Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that it should be made very clear that I appreciate every single dollar that the department spends on Highway No. 3. I have not for one second asked that money be taken from elsewhere. I would caution the Minister to be very careful for not blaming and making up partisanship here where it is not necessary. I think it is really the reason why I am encouraging the Minister to go elsewhere. I have not for one second suggested that we take it from somewhere else. I understand that we have a lot more needs than the resources we have. I know that Highway No. 3 gets the bulk of that. The thing is, Mr. Chairman, I am also concerned about the ten percent cut on capital spending for the government. It affects many departments. It affects the job creation capabilities in the Territories. That is not what I am saying.
This is why I want to support and push the Minister to look for money elsewhere. There are compelling arguments to be made. Mr. Chairman, the Minister suggested in a very matter-of-fact way that next year we may be facing a possibility of closing down the highway just because it may be too dangerous. On top of that, we have no bridge there. We have a ferry system that shuts down this capital. It is a capital city, where at least 50 percent of the population lives. It may be necessary for all 19 of us to park ourselves outside of Minister Collenette's door or the Prime Minister's door. We cannot matter-of-factly, nonchalantly say if the road becomes too dangerous we reduce the speed and give all sorts of speed limits for different size trucks, and do the best we can. I understand that we have to make the best of what we have, but at the same time we have to look at other options.
My next question, Mr. Chairman, I know for a fact that the Minister and the department have been advised of many other possibilities. For example, when the DIAND Minister was up here he suggested to us that he may be able to do something if we were to get a proposal. Members have suggested to him other possibilities, like the Department of Industry, in training money with HRDC. They give away $1 billion in grants and aboriginal funding mechanisms with the federal government.
We have no benefit with any of the industry and economic development money available to every other single place in Canada. There is a compelling case to make. I just think that if I was the Minister of Transportation, not that I am trying to be, but what options do you have? You get asked questions all day long about it, so I would have to look at all possibilities. Mr. Chairman, I would like to know, has he considered any other funding options and what came of it? I did not get his diary for the last six months, Mr. Chairman.