The colorful, legendary Canadian sportscaster Don Cherry was fired on Monday after controversial on-air remarks he made about people not supporting veterans by purchasing a poppy to show their support for their military members.

“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,” Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley explained in a statement. “During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for.”

According to Saint Alban’s Messenger – In Canada, people wear small artificial poppies in the days leading up to Remembrance Day to commemorate military personnel who have died during war. Speaking Saturday night during “Coach’s Corner,” his intermission segment during the CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada,” Cherry noted that he rarely sees anyone wearing poppies in Mississauga, where he lives, or in downtown Toronto. Both areas have sizable ethnic populations.

“You people love — you, that come here, whatever it is — you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey,” Cherry said. “At least you could pay a couple of bucks for poppies or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life, that you enjoy in Canada. “

Cherry himself would not apologize for his comments, telling the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington that he’s “had my say.” But Rogers Sportsnet, which produces “Hockey Night in Canada,” issued a statement from president Bart Yabsley on Sunday morning condemning Cherry’s comments.

Ron MacLean, Cherry’s longtime broadcast partner, also apologized for not pushing back on Cherry’s remarks.

“Don Cherry made remarks which were hurtful, discriminatory, which were flat-out wrong,” MacLean said. “I sat there, did not catch it, did not respond. . . . Last night was a really great lesson for Don and me. We were wrong and I sincerely apologize. I wanted to thank you for calling me and Don on that last night. “

Cherry was mercilessly attacked by the left who called for his scalp on social media. On Monday, they tweeted #fireDonCherry until their liberal fingers bled

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson spoke with the 83-year-old legendary hockey commentator, Don Cherry, about his firing on his show tonight.

The one thing that got me was “you people.” He continued, “I suppose if I had it to do over again, I would have said, ‘everybody.'”

“I stand by what I said, and I still mean it,” Cherry told Tucker.

Watch his broadcast here and the Tucker Carlson interview below:

Do you agree with Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley? Should the 83-year-old have been fired simply because the left was able to effectively organize a campaign against him?

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