Ford to give key to city to McDonald's Canada founder

Before I get into this article, for clarities sake, I am not referring to George Cohon (Founder of both McDonald’s Russia and Canada) being undeserving of the honour he is being giving. This article is solely dealing with decision made my Rob Ford in the current health environments. For the record, George Cohon is very deserving of recognition for all of the work that he has done in the charity world.

                It is widely known that Canada and Ontario specifically are dealing with a surge of obesity and health-related issues. Public Health Ontario’s Taking Action Report and the 7 More Years report both outlined steps that need to be put in place for a healthier, happier Ontario; with a large focus being on healthy eating habits. Now, what does that have to do with the key to the city? Those golden arches are widely known and marketed for the fast-food that has become a staple to drunk/hung over young adults and kids and their families everywhere. Although McDonald’s has made a big push for ‘healthy’ options, films like Super Size Me and health studies have shown negative images of these health-filled options.

                Rob Ford’s decision is puzzling, after very publicly not doing well with his “Cut the Waist” challenge and having more than one meltdown over it; his next move is to honour an affiliate to one of the largest and fast-food organizations in the world. The first key to the city sets a precedent, this precedent gets muddled up in the slew of pro-health research that has very recently been brought to light.

                What’s best to be described as a string of very terrible PR blunders, Rob Ford still makes very, to put it bluntly, stupid decisions and then is upset at public uproar. The jokes and ridicule for this decision the day after the major flop of the Cut the Waist challenge has Rob Ford almost literally painting a yellow arch shaped target on himself. Here’s waiting for the next one.

Information has been taken from the Toronto Sun Article by Don Peat.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/21/ford-to-give-key-to-city-to-mcdonalds-canada-founder