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B.C girl calls out McDonald’s CEO at shareholder meeting

B.C girl calls out McDonald’s CEO at shareholder meeting

A 9-year-old girl from Kelowna, B.C. has become somewhat of an international star after speaking at a McDonald's annual shareholders meeting in Chicago last week.

Hannah Robertson and her mother Kia were invited to the meeting as members of the watchdog group, Corporate Accountability International. They spoke on behalf of an online campaign created by the group called "Mom’s Not Loving It" and have also started their own healthy eating blog Eat a Rainbow.

"Mr. Thompson, don't you want kids to be healthy so they can live a long and happy life?" Robertson asks CEO Don Thompson during the question and answer period. "It would be nice if you stopped trying to trick kids into wanting to eat your food all the time."

Also see: McDonald's just created its highest calorie menu ever in Japan

Thompson responds, "Couple of things, Hannah. First off, we don't sell junk food, Hannah."

"The way you describe us is not who we are," he continues. "We're not predators."

Hannah and her mother acknowledge McDonald’s has stepped up efforts to offer healthy foods, such as fruit smoothies and apple slices in the Happy Meals, but suggest the company must avoid specifically marketing their fast food to kids.

“Take toys out of the Happy Meals and not using cartoon characters and sports icons,” Hannah tells Global.

Also see: 14-year-old McDonald's burger shows no sign of aging

She maintains that Happy Meal toys are liked too much by kids.

"It's kind of like tricking them into thinking that McDonald's is good for them and it's like this amazing thing," she tells CBC.

The CNN and ABC star is now back in her Grade 4 classroom, but hoping to hear from Thomspon.

“I gave him our business card and told him to email us about healthy eating ideas for McDonald’s.”