Ron MacLean says he is figuring out how to “make amends” for comments about immigrants made by his Coach’s Corner co-host Don Cherry on Saturday night.
“We’re in the process of sorting out how to make amends,” MacLean told the Star when reached by phone Sunday.
“I’ll leave it at that. I’m trying to sort out what I’m going to do.”
MacLean said he wasn’t going to talk to the media until a decision had been made and that he was working with Sportsnet, Rogers and Hockey Night in Canada, which air the Coach’s Corner segment.
The 85-year-old Cherry said Saturday on his weekly Coach’s Corner segment that he’s seeing fewer people wearing poppies to honour fallen Canadian soldiers — and he singled out those he believes are immigrants in Toronto.
“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.”
MacLean’s comments came after Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley apologized in a statement sent out Sunday morning.
“Don’s discriminatory comments are offensive and they do not represent our values and what we stand for as a network,” Yabsley said. “We have spoken with Don about the severity of this issue and we sincerely apologize for these divisive remarks.”
On Twitter, people called for Cherry’s firing and some criticized MacLean for not speaking out during the segment.
“Cherry’s remarks were ignorant and prejudiced, and at this point in our history can’t go without comment,” tweeted former Ontario premier Bob Rae.
More later.
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