Kelowna girl grills McDonald's CEO
A nine-year-old Okanagan girl is being pursued by media across North America after putting the CEO of McDonald's on the spot at the corporation's recent annual general meeting.
Kelowna resident Hannah Robertson went to the microphone and chewed out the boss, Don Thompson, for targeting children with its marketing messages.
In an interview with USA Today, Robertson said she told Thomspon that "it's not fair that big companies try to trick kids into eating foot that's not good for them by giving them toys—and with cartoon characters."
Robertson admitted that she was scared and she couldn't control her shaking.
"If they put more healthy food on their menu, I'd be OK with that," Robertson told USA Today. "But when you think of the Golden Arches and McDonald's, you think of Big Macs, fries, and nuggets."
Robertson and her parents run the website Today I Ate a Rainbow, which encourages kids to eat healthy foods.
Comments
4 Comments
DavidH
May 26, 2013 at 10:59am
It's sad to see small children manipulated by their parents.
This child didn't know what to think until she was told what she thought. Period.
McDonald's (and others) have a lot to answer for ... but parents who indoctrinate the little ones do too.
Fight your battles yourself, Mom. Or maybe your future includes beauty pageants for little girls.
RUK
May 26, 2013 at 8:19pm
It's cute, but if she had stood up and questioned abortion rights, the Georgia Straight reader would say, "why of course she is just repeating what her parent(s) believe. Her opinion is of no persuasive value."
But it would still be cute!
Chickiepoo
May 26, 2013 at 8:56pm
@DavidH - sorry to break it to you, but there are lots of smart kids out there who know their own minds, thank you. I raised two of 'em - and at the age of 9, yes, they did have minds of their own.
Some parents have the ability to encourage their children to think for themselves, rather than stifling them.
DavidH
May 27, 2013 at 3:34pm
@ Chickiepoo: Sorry to break it to you, but only a parent believes that he/she has "raised two of 'em".
You probably raised two normal children who, at the age of 9, had limited intellectual capacity - but listened to mom and dad drone on about their own beliefs.
I didn't "stifle" my own two children, but I wasn't thoughtless enough to believe that they had advanced beyond their capacity.
I hope they enjoyed their time in sequins and bikinis. Or did they become "gymnasts"?