The National Today: Bombardier's billion-dollar deal, and Mugabe's rule ended?

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The end of Robert Mugabe?

Robert Mugabe's thuggish rule of Zimbabwe has continued for so long — 37 years — that it seemed like it might never end.

Time, and politics, have finally caught up to the 93-year-old, however. His once-loyal military have taken control of the country, placing troops and tanks in the streets of the capital Harare, and Mugabe and his wife Grace are currently under detention in an undisclosed location where "their security is guaranteed."

The official line is that the army is only going after "criminals around the president." But this must surely be the end of the line for the world's oldest leader.

The final straw was apparently the authoritarian ruler's decision to sack one of his vice-presidents, Emmerson Mnangagwa, last week, clearing the way for his 52-year-old wife Grace to become his successor.

Mnangagwa, who had been in Mugabe's cabinet since the end of white minority rule in 1980, is popular with the military and veterans of the independence struggle.

As the CBC's Margaret Evans outlined last spring, Mugabe's rule has had a devastating effect on Zimbabwe and few will mourn his removal from power.

But there was a time when his drive to end colonial rule in Rhodesia made him a hero to millions. As this 1962 interview with the late Morley Safer attests.

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Planes, trains and a billion-dollar deal

The big news out of the Dubai Airshow yesterday was an announcement from Montreal's Bombardier Inc. that it has signed a $1.4 billion letter of intent with EgyptAir for the purchase of up to 24 CS-300 Series jets.

• It's the first firm C Series order for the embattled aircraft maker since Dec. 2016's two-plane deal with the Tanzanian government.

• And the first large-scale purchase since Air Canada ordered 45 jets in June 2016.

• Bombardier said earlier this month has another deal in the works for 31 planes, and an option for 30 more, with an as-yet-unidentified European client.

The difference-maker seems to be the deal the company inked with its much-larger rival, Airbus Industries, in mid-October. It's less a partnership than a surrender - Airbus got 50.01 per cent of the C Series project for no cash and no investment. And within five years it will own the program lock, stock and aviation fuel barrel.

But most analysts believe it was necessary for Bombardier's survival. The 160 passenger CS-300, and the skinnier 130 passenger CS-100, are considered to be best-of-class planes.

However, their development cost Bombardier at least $6 billion — $2 billion more than budgeted — and was two years behind schedule.

And when Bombardier finally did make some headway in the crucial U.S. market, landing an order from Delta Airlines for 75 CS-100 jets in April 2016, it resulted in a trade complaint from Seattle's Boeing Inc., and the imposition of a whopping 299.45 per cent tariff.

The Airbus deal solved that problem — the planes will now be made in Alabama. And it's clearly giving other buyers confidence that parts and service will be available for the aircraft down the road. (Not a trifling concern for buyers, with a list price of $89.5 million for the CS-300 and $79.5 million for the CS-100.)

But Bombardier still has a long way to go. According to the company's most recent quarterly update, 360 jets have been ordered since 2016, but only 19 of them completed.

And it's not like the pace of production is picking up. Over the summer, just five aircraft were built, bringing the financial-year-to-date total to 12, well-short of the target of 30.

Bombardier production issues are all-too familiar for people living in Canada's largest city. The Toronto Transit Commission placed a $1 billion order for 204 new streetcars with Bombardier back in 2009. By mid-Oct., there were supposed to be 146 of them in service, but just 45 had been delivered.  

Australia embraces equality

An Australian referendum has delivered a strong 'Yes' vote in favour of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Almost 80 per cent of eligible voters participated in the voluntary, mail-in survey, with a convincing majority - 61.6 per cent -  telling the government that they favour marriage equality.

And from the sounds of it, the country's politicians received the message.

Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister, said the "voice of the people" must be respected. "We asked them for their opinion and they have given it to us. It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming."

Turnbull  urged parliament to legalize same-sex weddings before the Christmas break.

Bill Shorten, leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party (NO U), addressed a joyous 'Yes' rally in Melbourne. "Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate," he vowed.

Every region of the country delivered a majority 'Yes'. And The 'No' vote — 38.4 per cent —fell below the 40 per cent mark that former prime minister Tony Abbott - a same-sex marriage opponent - targeted as a "moral victory."

If the government moves ahead, Australia will become the 25th nation to legally recognize same-sex unions.

Here's a sampling of the reaction to the vote:

SMH v Daily Tele front pages for Thursday on the same-sex marriage vote. Via @bencubby @wrongdorey pic.twitter.com/xzZt183tvu

— @jamesmassola

So Margaret Court now says there will be no more Christmas or Easter, nor Mother’s and Father’s Day in Australia, all because of Same Sex Marriage. Au contraire Margaret- us gays love parties, especially the boys:), and we just might have 2 Mother’s days and 2 Father’s days:)

— @Martina

To those who voted NO. Just making sure you realise that you will NOT be forced to marry someone of the same sex, so please relax #auspol #SSM

— @TaodeHaas

Outside the State Library the moment the samesex marriage result was announced #9News pic.twitter.com/jWdHTVoGrL

— @Brett_McLeod

Love wins in Australia! Thrilled to hear Australians have voted in favour of legalizing same-sex marriage. #MarriageEquality

— @JustinTrudeau

Quote of the moment

"Umm, I'm not a fan of Wikileaks."

- Jeff Sessions, the U.S. Attorney General, on whether he shares Donald Trump's professed "love" for the leaked-document website, now embroiled in the probe into the 2016 election.

What the National is reading

• FBI investigating 60 Russian "2016 election" money transfers to its embassies (Buzzfeed)

• More than $128,000 raised to search for young Montrealer missing in Peru (Montreal Gazette)

• Alabama pastor poses as reporter, offers reward for "dirt" on Roy Moore (Washington Post)

• The secret deal to let ISIS fighters flee Raqqa (BBC)

• Contact sports hurt memory, at least temporarily (McMaster University)

• "Knees Together" judge has been training staff for Ezra Levant's Rebel (Canadaland)

• Geologists uncover Antarctica's fossilized forests (phys.org)

• A new fungus is turning ants into zombies (Fox News)

Today in history

Nov. 15, 1948: A farewell address from Prime Minister Mackenzie King — who was also apparently the voice of Sam the Snowman in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.