It helps box the A380 into an even smaller niche,

These guys are basically taking oil money and trying to convert it into a long-term value-added business. That's not dumb.

You're putting a lot of Canadian content in this plane, which means if it fails, much of Canada's aerospace industry really feels that pain, and perhaps fails with it.

The requirement is strong. The budget dismal. That adds up to possible but not likely.

The analysis of alternatives did nothing more than endorse the very concept of the obvious.

Both sides can claim victory. It looks like a reasonable compromise.