Automotive News Canada - October 2017 - 30

FINAL ASSEMBLY

10.17
30

* OCTOBER 2017

LETTING LOOSE A BIT ON THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE

There's no meaningful discussions.
It looks as if the tactics are, 'We're
the big player, and we're going to force the
agenda, and if you don't like it, too bad.'
So my guess is everybody just walks away.

SAY

WHAT?

THIS NUMBER

$1.6 BILLION

The total value of orders Vancouver's
Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp. says it has
for its Solo single-seat electric commuter
vehicle and Tofino electric sports car.

Unifor President Jerry Dias on NAFTA
renegotiations and the U.S. tactics

( C R E D I T: E L E C T R A M E C C A N I C A )

Infiniti's Paterson
makes the big bounce
New managing
director has been
all over the country

ADAM PATERSON JOINED
Infiniti Canada in October
2011 as a chief marketing manager has been "bouncing back
and forth in the NCI family in
the last six years, " he said.
Now, after learning the
ropes in a variety of jobs,
Adam Paterson is the managing director at Infiniti
Canada. Paterson reports to
Randy Parker, vice-president, Infiniti Americas, and
is responsible for all Infiniti
functions in Canada including sales, aftersales and marketing.
Paterson recounts his
bounces: "After a year-and-ahalf for my first Infiniti mandate, I moved to the Nissan

Adam Paterson: "The only
way to see the future is to
embrace change."
(PHOTO: INFINITI)

side in the Ottawa and eastern Ontario area as a dealer's
operation manager for another 18 months."
Paterson came back to
Infiniti for about a year as
a senior manager for the
QX30 and Q60 models, but he
left for another opportunity
before those products went on
the market.
"I moved to Vancouver,
where I had the chance to
be Nissan's regional general
manager for Western Canada.
I oversaw the work of our 51
dealers from Manitoba to the
[Vancouver] Island. "
"Since I started in the
automotive world in 2004,
the only constant has been
change. Advertising changed,
marketing changed, the
media went from print to
digital, the engine technology evolved. The only way to
see the future is to embrace
change. We have our Infiniti
Lab, which is a technology accelerator program
designed to grow tech companies focused on Internet
of Things and smart-city initiatives. They can be a vector of change a lot faster than
us and provide Infiniti with
fresh ideas and thinking outside the box."
Paterson has a degree
in political science from
Western University in
London, Ont., and a postgraduate certificate in marketing
management from Humber
College in Toronto. - ANC

A little birdie said...
GM touts Equinox's
popularity, and striking
workers are quick to strike

U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ISN'T
the only one who can take to Twitter and call
automakers on the carpet.
Unifor, the Canadian union currently
on strike at the Chevrolet Equinox plant in
Ingersoll, Ont., blasted General Motors on sales
day, Oct. 3.
Using its official Twitter account, GM
proudly boasted its 12-per-cent increase in total
U.S. sales in September, "led by a fresh lineup
of crossovers." That includes the redesigned
and hot-selling Chevrolet Equinox.
In fact, a picture of an Equinox accompanied the post. Unifor wasted no time in calling
out the automaker.
"This is a smack my head post. Incredible

and ruthless all into one. #putaringonitGM
#OneDayMore," read a post from @
CamiJobAction, the official Twitter account of
the union's striking workers.
The group then retweeted a post that read:
"OUR Equinox sales up 69% Sept. 2017 over
2016. Best month EVER. Keep Equinox in
Canada!"
And that's the crux of the issue; Unifor says
it will not sign a new contract if GM refuses
to designate the plant the lead producer of the
Equinox, which would mean the factory would
be the first to get more work if sales increase
and the last to have production scaled back if
sales slump.
Unifor Local 88 also took issue with
Chevrolet Canada's "The Canadian Dream"
ad campaign, which includes video spots on
YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
"The Canadian Dream should = a commitment to Canada," the local tweeted. "Make us
proud to share this [ad]." - ANC

Auto dealer walks the red carpet at NBA film premiere
Toronto Raptors
'Super Fan' nearly
as well know as the
players themselves

CANADIAN AUTO DEALER
Nav Bhatia is already somewhat
famous by modest Canadian
standards, but in September he
found himself on the red carpet
of the Toronto International Film
Festival (TIFF).
The owner of Mississauga
Hyundai and Rexdale Hyundai,
both in the Toronto area, is affectionately known as the Toronto
Raptors "Super Fan." He hasn't
missed a Raptors home basketball

game in 22 years. And with courtside seats and a gregarious personality, millions of TV viewers
have seen him energetically supporting the home team and engaging with players.
But on Sept. 9, he was rubbing
elbows and engaging with the
likes of NBA superstar LeBron
James and Canadian rapper
Drake at TIFF. Bhatia has a small
bit of screen time in The Carter
Effect, a new documentary about
former Raptors star Vince Carter.
Bhatia was one of the many
sports personalities and celebrities featured in the documentary that examines the rise of the
Toronto Raptors, how the team
helped put Toronto on the world's

pop-culture map, and the pivotal role that No. 15, Vince Carter,
played in those two ascendancies.
Bhatia developed a close relationship with Carter, which continues to this day.
"I talk to him no matter where
he is playing," Bhatia said.
Back in the heyday of Carter
mania, he made many appearances at Bhatia's Mississauga dealership.
"I used to bring him to the
dealership so the young kids
could see him, shake his hand,
take a [picture] with him, and get
his autograph. I was blessed that
he gave us that opportunity. He
came twice a year for four years
straight." - ANC

Auto dealer and NBA "Super Fan" Nav Bhatia signs
autographs on the red carpet of the Toronto
International Film Festival. ( P H O T O : F I C T I O N S T R E E T M E D I A )

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News Canada - October 2017