Hill Whining Over Grapes (hockey guy runs afoul of Canada's official languages commissioner

Canoe ^ | February 6, 2004 | Kathleen Harris [Sun Media]

[quidnunc]

Feds slam hockey talker for French gaffes

Ottawa – The furor over anti-French remarks made by hockey sports commentator Don Cherry has skated onto Parliament Hill. Official Languages Commissioner Dyan Adam said her probe into Cherry's comments about francophones will be a "priority" while an angry senator demanded an apology in the red chamber.

At issue are comments made on Hockey Night In Canada's Coach's Corner Jan. 24, when Cherry derided calls for mandatory use of protective visors by NHL players following a spate of eye injuries. Only "Europeans and French guys" routinely wear the visors, said the unrepentantly frank commentator known as Grapes.

Yesterday, Adam called the remarks a "major issue" that were creating national turmoil. Her mandate is to ensure Official Languages Act provisions are upheld at all public institutions, including the CBC.

-snip-

[quidnunc]

Perhaps the movie 'Canadian Bacon' was really a documentary — albeit inadvertently.

[wiseone]

le frogs can kiss MON ASSI!!

[NativeNewYorker]

[marlon]

Yeah and like we're worried that they don't Bush. Obviously they have much bigger problems than Islamic terrorists to worry about. Damn they better hurry up and rebuild their military this abuse of the French language thing might escalate into a full scale war with someone shouting Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey, Eh!

[MonroeDNA]

The truth hurts.

[socal_parrot]

Here's a picture of that French looking guy John Kerry not wearing a shield. Of course, with part of his mug being paralyzed due to botox, he wouldn't feel it anyway.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Commissioner Dyan Adam said her probe into Cherry's comments about francophones

What is a francophone?

a. A telephone used by major league baseball managers to summon John Franco from the bullpen.
b. An amplification device used by hot dog vendors at sporting events.
c. The hot-line phone on FDR's desk used to contact the Dictator of Spain.
d. A megaphone used to amplify the words, "I surrender" when uttered by crack French troops.

[You Dirty Rats]

Don Cherry Rocks!

[Patrick1]

I guess Don Cherry is part of the 15% of Canadians that would vote for Bush.

[akorahil]

Cherry wouldn't discuss his latest dip in hot water as he celebrated his 70th birthday yesterday.

Well Happy B-Day Grapes!!

[Lost Highway]

I would have bet the house that it was Don Cherry based on the headline alone.

[coydog]

Isn't there some cereal box she should be checking somewhere? The witch and the Senate vultures definitely have too much time on their hands if they're wringing said appendages over Don Cherry's last comments.

[coydog]

And to add to that, she and the other Libs have their panties in a bunch over the undeniable fact that Canada's 'multicultural' facade is crumbling faster than bad make-up and more people are getting fed up with it here, though it's not public yet (just seething under the surface).

[retrokitten]

I love Don Cherry. I think most FReepers would love Don Cherry if they watched just one Coaches Corner. I believe he got into on-air spat with his co-host (whose name escapes me) because Cherry was going on about how Canada should support America at the start of the war and his co-host didn't agree.

He is one of the main reasons we have NHL Center Ice.

[retrokitten]

Don Cherry Ping!

[CurlyBill]

Thanks for the ping Retro!!! I love Don Cherry ... the guy says it like it is. We have too many phoneys out there adhering to political correctness and not speaking their minds. The guy is a breath of fresh air. I just wish there were more like him.

[CurlyBill]

BTW ..... It's well known in the hockey world that the Euros are soft... John Kerry fits right in with them!!