Cherry under government investigation

[Spider-Man NL]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=70961

Canadian Press

2/4/2004

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government is investigating on-air comments about francophones made by Don Cherry, the provocative commentator on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

An aide to Dyane Adam, official languages commissioner, confirmed that she is looking into allegedly anti-francophone remarks made by Don Cherry between periods on Hockey Night in Canada.

``The commissioner feels it's an important enough issue that she's going to investigate,'' said the aide, who asked not to be named.

``There was no formal complaint filed here, but she has on her own initiative decided to investigate. She feels that the allegations are serious enough.''

During a Jan. 24 broadcast, Cherry berated those who were calling for the mandatory use of protective visors by NHL players in the wake of several recent eye injuries.

The only players who wear the visors are ``Europeans'' and ``French guys,'' he said.

In an earlier segment aired after reports that players were using drugs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Cherry, without giving any evidence, said drug use in junior hockey is confined to the QMJHL.

Adam is looking into both comments, the aide said.

CBC spokeswoman Ruth-Ellen Soles said Wednesday the broadcaster had not yet heard from Adam, but added ``if they do launch an investigation, it's our intention to co-operate with them.''

She said the head of the CBC sports department spoke with Cherry on Wednesday morning and asked him to confine his on-air remarks to the game. Cherry agreed, Soles said.

``We feel he should stick to talking about hockey,'' she said.

Cherry could not be reached for comment.

Adam's aide couldn't say if Adam had contacted the CBC or Cherry or anyone else, but said ``there will be contact made. Normally when there is an investigation we would advise the institution.''

The investigation was launched after a B.C. group, Canadian Parents for French, filed a complaint with the CBC ombudsman.

Cherry is no stranger to controversy. He has made a habit of questioning the courage of European hockey players. His on-air support for the war in Iraq last year was also considered provocative, and prompted the CBC to remove the segment from its website.

Last March, Cherry questioned the patriotism of Quebecers during an interview with syndicated sports talk show host Jim Rome while discussing the booing the U.S. national anthem by some fans before a Montreal Canadiens game.

``It's just a damn shame they had to boo the Star Spangled Banner in Quebec. The true Canadians do not feel the way they do in Quebec there.''

The aide to Adam could not say if the official languages commissioner will investigate remarks attributed to Ron Maclean, Cherry's sidekick on the show.

At the opening of the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame in Parry Sound, Ont., last July, MacLean allegedly noted that Cherry has nothing against French immersion, ``he just figures they don't hold them down long enough.''

Soles has said the network does not condone the comments by Cherry and MacLean.

``The opinions are Don's and Ron's and not CBC's, and we don't agree with them.''

Adam is the first francophone from outside Quebec to be appointed official languages commissioner.

This government investigation may give CBC the opportunity to cut Cherry loose, and point the finger elsewhere. They can fire him, and blame the government, thereby saving a large part of their viewers who agree with Don.

[gazer]

If you ask me coach's corner is the most repetitive thing on TV, every week he says the same things maybe using different words, to me thats the definition of boring

[Leafs Suck]

Dave Hodge gets fired for flipping his pen by the same network who defends a bigot like Cherry... The CBC makes me sick

Look at what Rush Limbaugh got fired for. Wow, critizing Donovan McNab. Uh oh.

Cherry degrets our great country and all French Canadians and people cheer him.