Don Cherry tells Fox News he was fired for using the words, ‘you people’

“Hockey Night in Canada” analyst Don Cherry said he believes he was fired Monday because of two words he used during his Coach’s Corner segment.

“It’s the two words, ‘You people’ — and you know people are very sensitive like that — that got me,” he said Tuesday night during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News.

The popular, outspoken former coach drew criticism for complaining Saturday night that people in Toronto were being disrespectful by not wearing poppies to honour Canada’s fallen military heroes leading up to Remembrance Day. His words were viewed as a criticism of immigrants.

“You people … love our way of life, love our milk and honey,” Cherry said during the segment. “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.”

Sportsnet said Monday that Cherry’s remarks were divisive and “it has been decided that it is the right time for him to immediately step down.”

Cherry, who has made other remarks through the years that sparked controversy, argued that all of the good stories he did on the show were ignored by his bosses.

“I suppose if I had to do it over again, I would have said ‘everybody,’” he said. “‘You people’ are the people they listened to. The silent majority, as you know, are always silent.

“The police are with me. The forces are with me. Everybody is with me, and the firefighters and the whole deal. But it doesn’t make any sense and I was brought in and I was told I was fired after 38 years. I stand by what I said and I still mean it.”

Carlson, who often complains about political correctness, said the people who criticized the remarks weren’t sensitive but were fascists.

“All I was saying in Toronto, wear your poppies,” Cherry said. “These soldiers died for our way of life. … They died so we can have our way of life and please wear a poppy in their honour.”