Executive Raymond Royer helped Bombardier expand from snowmobiles to trains and planes

In 1982, Bombardier Inc. landed a monster contract to supply 825 subway cars to New York, valued at $1-billion (US$622-million). A cross-border political battle ensued.Rival bidder Budd Co. cried foul, alleging that Bombardier was only able to win the work because it was backed with cheap financing from Canada’s Export Development Corp. A contentious Senate hearing in Washington followed and retaliatory duties were threatened, but the U.S. government let the deal proceed, agreeing that Bombardier had promised to provide better quality and quicker delivery times for the cars.