BACKGROUND:

Sportsnet has fired Don Cherry after comments he made about immigrants on Coach’s Corner this past Saturday.

In a statement, Sportsnet said that “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.”

The 85-year-old Cherry saidon his weekly Coach’s Corner segment as part of Hockey Night in Canada that he’s less frequently seeing people wearing poppies anymore to honour fallen Canadian soldiers — and he singled out those he believes are immigrants in Toronto, prompting a swift online backlash.

“You people … you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that,” Cherry said. “These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price.”

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READ MORE: Petition to ‘bring back Don Cherry’ goes viral after immigrant poppy rant