Cancel Bombardier contract and get the job done on time

Re Bombardier offers look at disputed vehicle, Feb. 23 I can never understand why cities/countries continue to go to Bombardier for planes, street cars and subways, etc. They never seem to deliver on time, no matter the contract.

Toronto’s current beef with them brought Bombardier out with a “prototype” in Kingston of its light rail vehicle that was just balloons and lights. This vehicle, unable to operate mostly on its own, was just for show and there was no indication of how it would operate on the street.

Bombardier has a long history of delays in delivery and this just puts cities like Toronto well behind the 8-ball, with no penalties and the public frustration of yet another useless deal.

With this history, they just don’t deserve all the chances they get, competing with other manufacturers that would quite possibly meet deadlines with superior products.

Doesn’t “meets basic standards” say it all? Cancel the contract, seek new products elsewhere (it’s nice to go Canadian, but if they don’t step up to the plate, go elsewhere) and get the job done and finished in time to meet the needs of the public. The federal government should be considering this as well, given the bailout money they keep getting. Chris Andrews, Woodbridge