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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From Canada with Love: Celebrating 30 Delicious Years of the McFlurry®
Join McDonald's Canada in Honouring the Atlantic Roots of the McFlurry with New Flavours, Art and a Summer of Celebration TORONTO, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - A Canadian invention as iconic as poutine, the McFlurry® – one of Canada's tastiest creations – is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer! Created in June 1995 by Ron McLellan, a visionary Canadian franchisee from Bathurst, New Brunswick, the McFlurry has transformed from its humble beginnings as a local favourite into an international phenomenon, enjoyed in 99 countries around the world. This summer, McDonald's Canada is inviting people across the country to dive into a celebration filled with new flavours, art, and Canadian spirit. "The McFlurry is more than a dessert; it's a testament to the Canadian spirit of innovation and a source of national pride," said Ron McLellan, McDonald's Canada Franchisee and inventor of the McFlurry. While the McFlurry might have captured hearts globally, its roots remain planted in Atlantic Canada. As we mark this significant milestone, McDonald's Canada invites guests to celebrate the innovation and community spirit that the McFlurry embodies by picking up a McFlurry this summer and enjoying a sweet bite of unique Canadian history. "Creating the McFlurry was about sharing joy," McLellan reflects. "Seeing it embraced around the world is a dream." Taste the Celebration: New Menu Lineup Celebrate the McFlurry all summer long with limited-time flavours that promise an explosion of taste. Canadians can mark this milestone with the Birthday Cake McFlurry – made with creamy vanilla soft serve, confetti cookie dough, and a splash of birthday cake syrup. They can also indulge in the luscious Cheesecake McFlurry, with four flavour toppings to choose from, including: Strawberry, Fudge, Caramel, and Oreo. Following this, McDonald's Canada will introduce another new flavour to help Canadians beat the heat while quantities last. Every McFlurry is made with 100% Canadian dairy, reflecting McDonald's commitment to quality and Canadian sourcing. Art Meets Dessert: East Coast Originality in Action To pay homage to the birthplace of the McFlurry, McDonald's Canada is launching its "An East Coast Original" campaign to celebrate where it all began. As part of this tribute, seven talented artists across the East Coast were commissioned to craft and produce original McFlurry-inspired artworks in each of their unique mediums to bring this campaign to life. These pieces will highlight the dynamic culture and vibrant spirit of Atlantic Canada, instill pride, and showcase local originality, in recognition of the McFlurry 30th anniversary. The artists included in the campaign are: Vanessa Thomas, Painting & Mixed Media, Nova Scotia Adam McNamara, Wood Sculpture, Nova Scotia Cynthia DeCoste, Painting, New Brunswick Janice Goguen & Les Hookeuses du Bor'de'lo, Rug Hooking, New Brunswick Sarah Nicole Dart, Cynography, PEI Jill O'Reilly, Stained Glass Mosaic, Newfoundland Jonathan and Elizabeth White, Quilting, Driftwood & Painting, Newfoundland McFlurry Fast Facts The McFlurry was first created on June 7th, 1995, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, by Ron McLellan, McDonald's Canada franchisee It was named McFlurry because a flurry felt like a cool, crisp, catch-a-snowflake-on-your-tongue moment of delightful possibility that engaged the senses and lifted people's moods The first-ever McFlurry flavour was Oreo, and still one of the most beloved flavours today At launch, there were six flavours at Ron McLellan's Bathurst, New Brunswick location: Oreo, Smarties, Coffee Crisp, Crispy Crunch, SKOR, and Fudgee-O Ron McLellan's favourite McFlurry flavour is caramel with a double shot of Oreo! Some global unique flavours include Baci® Perugina® in Italy, Matcha in Japan, and Durian Crunch in Singapore About McDonald's Canada: In 1967, Canada welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, with McDonald's restaurants serving nearly two million guests every day and employing almost 100,00 people across Canada. More than 90 per cent of McDonald's 1,450 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees, with the remaining restaurants corporately owned and operated by McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited. Of the almost $2 billion spent on food and paper by McDonald's restaurants, over 80 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada, visit SOURCE McDonald's Canada View original content to download multimedia:
CBC
08-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Carney's campaign made big promises for AI. Will his government deliver?
Mark Carney's promise to lead a Canadian economic transformation includes a renewed focus on artificial intelligence, which the new prime minister listed as a key pillar of his plan. Experts say they are encouraged by Carney's campaign pledge to invest in the technology. But they say that after establishing itself as a leader in the early decades of AI development, Canada risks falling farther behind other countries if his government doesn't deliver. "They care about the right stuff and I think they are generally on the right track," said Lawrence Zhang, head of policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness. "I don't know if they're going to deliver or not. But it's extremely important that they do deliver." During the election campaign, Carney announced up to $15,000 for workers in priority sectors to learn how to use AI. The Liberal platform also promised to invest $2.5 billion in digital infrastructure like chips and data centres through the next two fiscal years. WATCH | Canada's 'godfather' of AI weighs in on its future: Has AI doomed us all? Here's what the 'godfather of AI' says 4 months ago Duration 1:11 Geoffrey Hinton fears an AI takeover — but says there's a way to stop it. The British Canadian computer scientist, known as the "godfather of AI," says governments should regulate how tech companies are developing artificial intelligence to make sure it's done safely. The platform also promised a 20 per cent tax credit for small- and medium-sized businesses on AI adoption projects, costing $400 million through the 2028-29 fiscal year. And it promised to expand national AI institutes or create a new Office of Digital Transformation, although those ideas weren't costed. Carney's focus on AI is not new. In 2021, he signalled that rapidly capitalizing on AI would be key to grasping what he called the coming digital transformation in his book Valu e(s). "Rapid improvements in computing power, the greater availability of big data and advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning all mean smarter machines are already replacing a broader range of human activities than before," Carney wrote. A need for consistent investment Adegboyega Ojo, the Canada Research Chair in Governance and Artificial Intelligence, says the platform lacks a plan to stimulate constant investment — key to creating a healthy AI ecosystem. "Private money could come in. It doesn't have to be government putting in everything," Ojo said. "Can we stimulate investment in that sector? That's the point here." Zhang said Canada is behind other countries in AI development, which could be devastating for foreign competitiveness and Canadian economic prosperity. "It's not too late for us," said Zhang, who co-authored a commentary on the subject for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, an Ottawa-based think tank. "The window is closing, but we can still lead in how AI is deployed." Julien Billot, the CEO of Scale AI, a federally funded Global Innovation Cluster, said AI will inevitably become an important part of the Canadian economy. "We are in a world driven by electricity and software," Billot said. "AI is just another layer on software and it's going to improve software, whether we like it or not." AI was a growing priority in former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government. His 2024 budget announced $2.4 billion for Canada's AI sector over five years. Ojo said that investment is a step in the right direction, but a "one-time thing" is not enough to sustain an AI ecosystem that is attractive to private investors. Billot added that Canada's AI sector is competing with powerful players like the United States, China and Europe that have more money to strengthen their own domestic sectors. The Carney government hasn't announced a specific timeline for some of his AI-related promises, such as a new Office of Digital Transformation. "AI has been and remains a priority given its enormous potential to support transformation across all sectors, including in government," a Privy Council Office spokesperson told the CBC News in an email. Zhang said a national buy-in on AI could deliver better tools for teachers, shorter hospital wait times or even grow paycheques for the average Canadian. "How can we actually leverage this across the economy? This is not just a bunch of tech companies with ping pong tables," Zhang said. According to Billot, the importance of a well-developed domestic AI sector is an issue of sovereignty. By relying on AI developed by other countries, Billot said Canada would sacrifice control over the technology. Maintaining such control is something the government is increasingly weighing, including in the defence industry.
