He is also the founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides accommodation for families whose children are receiving medical treatment, in Canada and in Russia. Awards and honours In 1988, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 1998, he was awarded the Order of Friendship by the Russian government. He was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2000. In 2012, he received a key to the city of Toronto. In 2019 he was promoted within the Order of Canada to the highest grade of Companion by Governor General Julie Payette. This will give him the Post Nominal Letters "CC" for Life. On 14 June 2011 He was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) by Simon Fraser University. As a recipient of the Order of Canada He has also received The 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992, The Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Personal life His son, Mark Cohon, was the 12th commissioner of the Canadian Football League. In 2000, George Cohon was diagnosed with prostate cancer but fully recovered. In 2004, he was rejected from Toronto's Rosedale Golf Club due to his Jewish heritage. After being taken to court, a Judge ruled this was unlawful. References External links Multimedia CBC Archives CBC Television reports on the opening of Moscow McDonald's (1990). 1937 births Living people American emigrants to Canada American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Astral Media people Businesspeople from Chicago Businesspeople from Toronto Canadian chairpersons of corporations Canadian people of American-Jewish descent Canadian people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Directors of Royal Bank of Canada Drake University alumni Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law alumni McDonald's people Members of the Order of Ontario Companions of the Order of Canada