Tell Bombardier it’s liftoff or bust

The good news: At least the most recent bailout to Bombardier won’t cost us $1 billion.

The bad news: Taxpayers are saddled with the federal government’s decision to offer $372.5 million in interest-free loans over four years to the Quebec-based company. Since late 2015, Bombardier has been requesting $1 billion from the Liberal government, to match the $1 billion it already got from the Quebec government.

The bailouts are meant to support two jet programs, including the CSeries, which, when it debuted in July 2016, was two years overdue and $2 billion over budget. These are not exactly signs of a dynamic company. Last December, Bombardier said that, one year into its five-year plan to turn things around (it slashed 14,000 jobs, for instance), its worst days were behind it. If so, it didn’t need our help. The handouts Bombardier has got over the years are getting tiresome.

Enough. If Bombardier doesn’t achieve liftoff this time, let’s just leave it grounded.