It seems like they've been having financial difficulties for the last 10-20 years. It's almost like they are the Radio Shack of trains/plains/snowmobiles.
They have horrible management, which is where the "layoffs" should happen. They have great engineers, skilled craftsmen, workers, etc., but the upper ranks and board of directors are full of patronage and incest.
But since they're a Canadian company and we protect our own, they continue to win contracts because we're too conservative and risk-averse to allow new companies to be formed and let Bombardier lay people off. It's finally happening and I'm glad. It sucks that 7500 people are losing their jobs but they have valuable skills that will be more useful at Bombardier's existing competitors and future, not yet created competitors.
Here's hoping some more competition happens in the Canadian business world because it's woefully uncompetitive and tends towards oligopolies and monopolies.
Having said that, I do hope they pull through. There was a time when someone wanted to purchase their bus/train division. Not sure why they decided not to divest, might have been able to keep those jobs while improving procuct line-up and market reach.