Don Cherry, longtime co-host of Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada, has been fired by Sportsnet following controversial remarks he made on Saturday night.
During his last HNIC airing, Cherry singled out new immigrants who didn’t wear poppies to honour Canada’s veterans for Remembrance Day.
“Downtown Toronto, forget it, downtown Toronto, nobody wears a poppy,” Cherry said.
“You people love, you that come here, whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple of bucks for poppies or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada.”
Following the statement, the 85-year-old has been on the receiving end of much criticism.
Don Cherry stirs controversy with rant on immigrants not wearing poppies. “You people love… that come here.. you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy…” #HNIC pic.twitter.com/r3WQ0ZalaJ
— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) November 10, 2019
Sportsnet officially condemned the comments, along with the NHL and Cherry’s co-host Ron MacLean, but Cherry himself has declined to issue an apology.
“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,” said Bart Yabsley, President of Sportsnet in a statement.
“During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for.”
Statement from Sportsnet: pic.twitter.com/LRKrww0AQ1
— Sportsnet PR (@SportsnetPR) November 11, 2019
Saturday’s recent rant is the latest in a string of offensive comments in his three decades on air – over the years, he’s also taken shots at women, progressives, French Canadians, and others.
Twitter reacts
Here’s how social media reacted to Don Cherry’s comments as well as Sportsnet’s decision to let him go:
If you admit his comments are "discriminatory" and "offensive" and still retain him on your show, they *absolutely* represent your network.
You can't have it both ways. Logically this position makes no sense.
— Jeff Halperin (@meh_just_a_guy) November 10, 2019
Releasing this statement on the PR account with 8k followers instead of the main @Sportsnet account with 700k followers shows that you aren’t taking racism seriously and would rather brush this under the rug.
We’re coming for your advertisers! #FireDonCherry https://t.co/9t3W6Y1ez1
— Racism Never Wins (@BoycottHNIC) November 10, 2019
If you admit his comments are "discriminatory" and "offensive" and still retain him on your show, they *absolutely* represent your network.
You can't have it both ways. Logically this position makes no sense.
— Jeff Halperin (@meh_just_a_guy) November 10, 2019
Honestly, the only question I have about Don Cherry is how he lasted this long.
— Jen Gerson (@jengerson) November 11, 2019
This day was long in coming for Don Cherry, who has needlessly "Other"-ized European and French-Canadian players for his entire career, and his famous videos will be remembered as traumatic brain injury shows. He has done good things for the game, but his misdeeds overshadow them
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) November 11, 2019
don cherry getting fired from hockey for racism is absolutely what my ancestors fought for
— vicky mochama (@vmochama) November 11, 2019
