Canada is increasing the amount of money it is sending to the victims of the tsunami disaster in south Asia, and deploying a team to determine whether the military's crack response team will follow.

"Today we are announcing an increase in our financial contribution to $40 million to provide immediate emergency relief as the situation evolves," Graham told reporters, reading a statement from Prime Minister Paul Martin.

"This includes the $4 million in financial assistance already committed."

In addition, Graham said a planeload of emergency supplies is being flown to Indonesia and Canadian consular staff levels are being increased "where needed... for as long as necessary."

The minister then said a "multidisciplinary reconnaissance team of about a dozen officials from Canadian Forces Disaster Assistance Response Team, the DART, Foreign Affairs and CIDA is being sent to the region to make recommendations on additional Canadian assistance, including the possible deployment of the DART."

Since Sunday's magnitude-9.0 quake sent devastating a tsunami sweeping across south Asia, Ottawa has faced criticism for not immediately deploying the crack mobile medical unit known as DART.

Answering those critics, Graham told reporters the 200-member DART isn't something that can, or should, be sent on a moment's notice.

"We just can't get to an airport with 200 people and say, 'Here we are,' without knowing where we're going," Graham said in French.

Therefore, the minister explained, the advance team is being sent to determine where the team is needed, and how best it might be used.

"This is an issue we look at in terms of whether it's appropriate, whether countries need it and whether or not it's worth moving it," he said.

Col. Guy Laroche of the Department of National Defence told a media briefing that for now, DART isn't needed and hadn't been requested.

"It seems the DART is not the right tool at this time,'' he said.

But Graham said Wednesday the government is still open to the possibility of sending some, if not all of the crack response team.

"The purpose of the reconnaissance team that is going tomorrow is to look whether perhaps some parts of the DART would be useful in the countries concerned."

During the briefing's question-and-answer period, the defence minister was also forced to defend the pace of his government's reaction to the disaster.

Although Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and International Co-operation Minister Aileen Carroll are now cutting short their vacations to return to Ottawa, reporters demanded to know why it's taken them more than three days to do so.

In response, Graham insisted the ministers concerned, as well as holidaying Prime Minister Martin, have been working with their staff.

"This has been going on, and the ministers involved have been in touch with their departments," he said, adding,"But now they've decided to be sur place and I think that's a good decision on their part."

Graham's announcement is just the lastest in a growing number of pledges to the disaster-stricken region, where the number of dead is feared to exceed 100,000.

B.C. joins list of donors

The world's richest nations have pledged more than $250 million US in emergency aid -- that includes $68 million from Spain, $35 million from the United States and $30 million from Japan. Britain has pledged $29 million.

Also Wednesday, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell said his province is sending $8 million to the aid effort. On top of the $40 million in federal assistance, Campbell said the money would go directly to the Canadian Red Cross.

Describing the tragedy as one so profound it effects all of us, Campbell said it's important his province, as Canada's gateway to the Pacific Rim, show leadership.

Speaking to reporters at his Texas ranch on Wednesday, U.S. President George Bush announced that America has established "a regional core group with India, Japan and Australia to help coordinate relief efforts."

"I'm confident more nations will join this core group in short order," Bush said in his first public comments since the devastating tsunamis struck.