The winter holidays are a time to embrace the spirit of togetherness, be merry, and spend time with family. Unfortunately, something happened in November that has quickly become one of the most heated issues in Canada (and could lead to awkward conversations with the extended family around the dinner table). This event was the firing of Don Cherry. You’ve probably heard about this, but in case you haven’t, here is a brief rundown of what happened. On Remembrance Day, the 85-year-old NHL commentator went after immigrants in Toronto and Mississauga, accusing them of not wearing poppies and not honouring Canada’s veterans. Undoubtedly the part that drew the most criticism was his use of the words “you people.”
The statement quickly drew widespread criticism, and Sportsnet fired Don Cherry. Don Cherry, throughout his history as a broadcaster, has had a history of making very controversial statements. These instances include the time when he complained about “wom[e]n yapping away” at hockey games or when he said vulgar things about Liberals at the 2010 inaugural meeting of Toronto’s new city council, describing the Liberal media as “left-wing pinkos”, and “kooks”.
One of the things that may have contributed to Cherry’s firing was his unwillingness to apologize. In an interview he did with Fox News, he said that he might have used different wording if he could have done it over, but came nowhere near giving a formal apology.
Not only were Cherry’s comments offensive, but they were inaccurate and counterproductive. While the sentiment of getting people to appreciate all that our veterans have sacrificed for Canada is good, Cherry failed to take into account that immigrants are also part of the Canadian military. Sergeant Stephen Thomas, 37, is a first-generation Canadian with parents from Guyana, who served two tours in Afghanistan, and was shocked by Cherry’s comments. He said: “I don’t think he’s realized how much the military has changed over the last decade or two.”
The reason Don Cherry was fired was that his comments, whether intentional or unintentional (as his supporters claim), hurt people. His racist, sexist, and rude comments throughout the years may have been few and far between, but the fact that he was unwilling to apologize says a lot about his character. His firing is a stepping stone in slowly getting rid of the voices of discrimination better left in the past. On this holiday, in the spirit of togetherness, we should all recognize what Cherry could not - that no matter what country we were born in, we are all Canadian.
Image Source: "Hockey Night in Canada" by Franco Barroeta is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0