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In the news today, June 21
Four stories in the news for Friday, June 21
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SENATE PASSES TWO CONTROVERSIAL ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS
A pair of controversial environmental bills scaled their final hurdle in the Senate on Thursday, over the objections of critics who warn the two pieces of legislation will kneecap Canada’s oil industry and fuel separatist sentiment in Alberta. Senators passed Bill C-69, which overhauls the federal environmental assessment process for major construction projects, by a vote of 57-37. They also approved — just barely — Bill C-48, legislation barring oil tankers from loading at ports on the northern coast of British Columbia. That bill passed on a vote of 49-46, only narrowly escaping defeat. The two bills have together become a flashpoint between the Liberals and Conservatives over how Canada can protect the environment without driving investment away from the fossil-fuel sector.