"You people who come here, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy."
5 years ago, Don Cherry was fired from Hockey Night in Canada for these comments.
He was right then, and even moreso today. Even Ron McLean agreed with him at the time as you can see in the video. That is, before he stabbed Don in the back the next day.
The woke knee-jerk reaction of letting him go was a big mistake, Don Cherry is a national treasure!
His entire Remembrance Day segment was excellent, watch it here:
Don Cherry existed before the hideously smug Rick Mercer/This Hour Has 22 Minutes brand of Canadian caricature began its rise to prominence.
"Grapes" loved hockey and he loved his country. He still does for that matter.
He didn't care about the pearl-clutching niceties so many dime-a-dozen public figures ingratiate themselves with today.
The "sin" which led to his eventual ejection from Hockey Night in Canada was that he refused to stop being himself in a culture that was no longer big enough to contain him.
He hadn't shrunk. We had.
His final comment -- not even intended maliciously -- about the careless treatment of a significant Canadian symbol (the poppy) produced an uproar among the hypocritical elite. As plain speaking will always do.
He was and will remain a Canadian hero.