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Don Cherry fired for anti-immigrant comments

By Ian Oland

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November 11, 2019 3:08 pm

Hockey Night In Canada analyst Don Cherry has been fired for the anti-immigrant comments he made Saturday.

The firing ends Cherry’s Coach’s Corner segment which has aired during Hockey Night In Canada for the last 35 years.

The Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington and former Sportsnet reporter John Shannon were the first to report the news.

Sportsnet later confirmed the news in a tweet.

The tweet read:

Sports brings people together – it unites us, not divides us. Following further discussions with Don Cherry after Saturday night’s broadcast, it has been decided it is the right time for him to immediately step down. During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for.

Don is synonymous with hockey and has played an integral role in growing the game over the past 40 years. We would like to thank Don for his contributions to hockey and sports broadcasting in Canada. -Bart Yabsley, President, Sportsnet

The firing occurred on Remembrance Day or Poppy Day in Canada – a holiday observed since the end of the First World War to remember the soldiers who have died in the line of duty.

Cherry’s rant went like this.

“I live in Mississauga. Very few people wear the poppy,” Cherry said. “Downtown Toronto, forget it. Nobody wears the poppy. Now you go to the small cities. You people . . . that come here, whatever it is — you love our way of life. You love our milk and honey. At least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy or something like that. These guys pay for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada. These guys paid the biggest price for that.”

Cherry’s comments were condemned by the NHL, Sportsnet, and Hockey Canada.

Coach’s Corner host, Ron MacLean, addressed Cherry’s remarks as well and apologized for standing idly by as Don said them.

Cherry has made repugnant remarks before, including calling the Carolina Hurricanes and Evgeny Kuznetsov jerks for their exuberant celebrations last season. Don also once compared Alex Ovechkin to a soccer player.

The 85-year-old Cherry was a defenseman and played professionally, mostly in the minor leagues, from 1954 to 1972. Cherry went on to become head coach of the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Rockies before being hired as a studio analyst for CBC’s playoff coverage in 1980.