TORONTO - Air Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers Union reached a tentative cost-cutting deal Thursday, an agreement that was considered crucial in keeping the airline solvent. "I'm just absolutely elated to say ? we have got this done," said Buzz Hargrove, president of the CAW, after emerging from an all-day meeting with Air Canada president Robert Milton. Hargrove offered few details, only saying a number of compromises had been made in every area. The two sides had been locked in final talks all day Thursday trying to salvage a rescue deal for Canada's flagship carrier, after a judge ordered discussions to continue. Justice Warren Winkler of the Ontario Superior Court made the call after talks between the country's biggest airline and the union collapsed Wednesday night after 16 days. The CAW had refused to agree to multi-million dollar concessions demanded by the airline's would-be rescuer, Deutsche Bank. The concessions are a condition of an $850 million financing to keep the airline alive. The union, which represents over 8,000 present and former Air Canada customer services and maintenance workers, had said the $45 million in wage cuts it was being asked to accept are too much. The CAW, the last of seven unions to hold out on agreeing to $200 million in savings being sought by Air Canada, said it was willing to consider about $18.3 million in cuts. Hargrove also called on Canadians to urge the federal government to help ensure that Air Canada survives over the long term.