Andrew McCredie has been reporting on the automotive industry for the past 20 years, from consumer-oriented road tests to new vehicle launches to technological deep dives. For the past decade he has increasingly focused on electric vehicles, and his EV-related Postmedia podcast Plugged In is currently in its sixth season.

In a career that included managing the Canadian government’s legislative agenda and Parliamentary strategy in the 1980s; leading the Canadian Apparel Manufacturers Institute (CAMI) through the transition from the Canada-US FTA to NAFTA; and steering communications and business strategy as Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Toyota Canada Inc., Stephen Beatty has deep experience at the intersection of industry and government. Following his December 2024 retirement from Toyota, he now shares timely insights on his website beattyblog.ca and on LinkedIn.

In association with Trade Facilitation Services in Ottawa, Stephen helps companies understand how to navigate the complex rules governing international trade.  

David Booth, Driving’s Senior Writer, has a Bachelor’s degree in engineering complemented by decades working as an automotive journalist and commentator. He has a cynic’s view of politics, a child's wonder for anything powerful and an engineer's curiosity about how things work, all crucial for dissecting and disseminating the technology the industry constantly springs on us. And for the record, he thinks hybridization is the future, worships at the altar of supercars and absolutely adores his motorcycles, so his perfect vehicle is a 700-horsepower plug-in with two wheels.

Scott MacKenzie, Director and General Manager of Corporate & External Affairs is responsible for all External Affairs functions for Toyota’s Manufacturing and Sales operations across Canada, as well as several corporate functions specific to our manufacturing operations, including Strategic Planning and Corporate Governance.

Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Mackenzie has held various positions in both technical and administrative roles across both companies.

Scott joined Toyota in 1999, working in Manufacturing Operations before moving to a position in Quality Control. Since then, he has held roles in Technical Purchasing (Supply Chain Development), Corporate Strategy and Planning, and Government Relations.

He is responsible for all External Affairs functions for both TMMC and TCI, including Government Relations, Public Relations, and Corporate Communications. His role in Government Relations has seen him at the frontline of several key policy negotiations, most notably as a trusted advisor to the Federal Government on its successful negotiation of several international trade agreements. In his Strategic Planning role, Scott has helped secure several new product lines for TMMC, including the introduction of RAV4 and Lexus NX to TMMC’s North Plant.

Scott was born and raised in Kitchener, educated at the University of Waterloo, and now resides in Waterloo with his wife and two children.

David Paterson is Ontario’s Representative in Washington co-located at the Embassy of Canada to the United States in Washington, D.C. During his 30 years in business, he served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and served on the boards of the Canadian American Business Council, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association and the Canadian Journalism Foundation.

Prior to his Ontario appointment in November 2023, David lead Corporate & Environmental Relations for General Motors Canada and worked as part of GM’s global Public Policy and Communications team. Between 2010 and 2014, he was Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Public Policy at BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion) where he led a global team responsible for regulatory engagement in 175 countries. This included trade, export controls, market access, taxation, privacy, cyber security, patents and intellectual property, spectrum, cross border data flows, consumer protection, environment, and safety.

Prior to that, in 2009 David was Senior Vice President, Public Affairs at Manulife Financial and a member of the Company Management Committee. Manulife is one of the world’s largest insurance and financial services companies including John Hancock in the US. At Manulife he was responsible for managing the company’s overall external image including media, government and community relations as well as brand management and environmental reporting. Before joining Manulife Financial, David served his first term as Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of General Motors Canada Limited where he led government relations and communication during the 2009 automotive bailout and restructuring. Between 1995 and 2002, he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs at Canada’s AGRA Inc. and then assumed the same role in the U.K. post merger for AMEC plc, one of Europe’s largest engineering services companies. At the outset of his career, from 1990-95, David managed corporate and international government relations accounts at Hill and Knowlton Canada where he became Senior Vice President. Between 1986 and 1990, he worked in the Ontario Government as Executive Assistant to the Government House Leader and prior to that as Special Assistant to the Ministers of Government Services, Education, the Attorney General for Ontario and Minister responsible for Race Relations, Native Affairs and Women’s Issues. David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Ontario and a Master of Arts in Canadian History from McGill University in Montreal. He is married and has one daughter.