OTTAWA -- Ottawa is taking a new look at its budget to ensure that the country is prepared to thwart large-scale attacks, such the one that devastated New York City.

As the military gears up to join an international coalition against terrorism, federal officials are searching for the legal holes through which terrorists can crawl -- and devising ways to fill them.

Finance Minister Paul Martin made it clear yesterday that Canada has money in place for the extra security.

"We can put money into national security, and we obviously have to," Mr. Martin said in an interview on CTV's Question Period.

When the House of Commons convenes for the start of its fall sitting today, there will be an emergency debate on the attacks against the United States and the implications for Canada.

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien will make the first speech of the day in which he is expected to state that Canada is in lockstep with the United States in this fight but that Canada must rely on its virtues of patience and wisdom in these trying times.

Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day will then launch a bid to push the government to take quick and forceful action. Mr. Day is expected to call for measures that would limit the activities of groups with ties to foreign terrorists and would allow quicker deportation of suspected terrorists.

The Alliance's justice critic said yesterday he is concerned that terrorists could seek refuge in Canada because of a restriction on the extradition of people to countries where they would face the death penalty.