Former hockey commentator Don Cherry has been appointed to the Order of Ontario.
Cherry, 92, was among 30 new recipients of the province’s highest civilian honour announced by Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont on Tuesday morning.
Other new Order of Ontario appointees include Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey and Edward Rogers, the executive chair of Rogers Communications and chair of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
“The 2025 Order of Ontario appointees represent the very best of our province,” Dumont said in a news release. “Through their exceptional dedication and achievements, they have made profound contributions that have touched lives across Ontario and beyond. May their remarkable examples continue to inspire us all to work together for the greater good.”
Cherry was born in Kingston, Ont., and went on to a career as a professional hockey player and later as the coach of the Boston Bruins.
But he was perhaps best known for hosting the Coach’s Corner segment on Hockey Night in Canada for more than 30 years.
Sportsnet cut ties with Cherry in 2019 after he delivered on-air remarks about people not wearing poppies that were seemingly aimed at immigrants.
While Cherry denied that he was specifically singling out new Canadians, Rogers Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley said at the time that his remarks were “divisive” and “do not represent our values or what we stand for.”
Premier Doug Ford was asked about the decision to grant Cherry the Order of Ontario during an unrelated media availability on Tuesday and said that he supports the move, noting that the former broadcaster has “given back to minor hockey for so many years and helped out so many charitable organizations.”
“Bring Don out to Scotiabank Arena when the Leafs play and the place will go ballistic right? They will go wild. He has massive support out there and I support him so good for Don, I want to congratulate him along with all the other recipients that receive the Order of Ontario,” Ford said.
Here is the full list of new appointees to the Order of Ontario:
- Ahmad Attia
- Cameron Bailey
- Arron Barberian
- Major-General (Retd) Jean-Robert Bernier, OMM, CD
- John B.W. Carmichael
- Jamaica Cass
- Don Cherry
- Donette Chin-Loy Chang
- Robert James Cusimano
- Philip J. Devereaux
- Morris Freedman
- Jacques Frémont
- Kathleen Gartke
- Amanda Grzyb
- Zabeen Hirji, MSM
- Shirley Horn
- Bernard Lawless
- Nathan Leipciger, CM
- David MacNaughton
- Joe Mancinelli
- Claudette McGowan, CM
- Tracy Moore
- Edward Rogers
- Richard Rooney
- John L. Semple
- Nancy Mei Chun Siew
- Stephen J. R. Smith
- The Honourable George Strathy
- J. David Wake, KC
- Mary Wells
With files from The Canadian Press
