A Coach cornered » Don Cherry fired from ‘Coaches Corner’ segment Craig Allan Staff Writer fter over 35 years of stewarding the "Coaches Corner" segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Don Cherry was fired on November u due to comments he made on air regarding people in Canada who don't buy poppies or wear them. The comment regarded Cherry’s thoughts on people who don't buy poppies in the lead up to Remembrance Day, which many interpret to be directed at immigrants due to Cherry’s “you people come here” part of his statement. Cherry stated “You people love our way of life, you love our milk and honey—at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy.’ Rogers Communications, through their ownership of Sportsnet—who in turn have a sub-licensing deal with the CBC to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada—fired the broadcaster, saying that his comments do not represent, “[Sportsnet’s] values or what we stand for.” This is not the first time that Cherry has been criticized for controversial statements; at times he has made I0G0S comments that many have considered politically incorrect. In the past, Cherry's comments have not been a concern, but with the ever-changing world and societal norms changing, Cherry’s comments resonated with people as inappropriate and unacceptable instead of just merely controversial. Cherry’s comments and subsequent firing have touched a nerve, with many supporters and detractors for the commentator. After his rant, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council was overwhelmed by a flood of negative criticisms of Cherry. The council said that they said hit the limit of their technical processing capacity. As for his supporters, they have come out with criticisms about his firing—they have even organized a protest rally outside Sportsnet headquarters in Toronto which was held on November 13. Since his firing, Cherry has been making the rounds and speaking to big media outlets in Canada, and Fox News show Tucker Carlson Tonight. He has stated that he is not sorry for what he said, but admits that given another chance, he would M SNe esd g t producti » Microsoft Japan’s trial run proved successful Michele Provenzano Staff Writer his past summer, Microsoft executed a trial run of the four-day work week, a schedule that is being considered by more and more companies lately. This experiment took place in Japan as part of the company’s “Work Life Choice Challenge.” Microsoft closed their offices each Friday in August, providing 2300 employees with an additional day off. Despite their time at work being cut by 20 percent, employees received the same pay as they did prior to the experiment. Microsoft recently released a report claiming the study yielded positive results. Productivity, which was measured through the number of sales per employee, increased by 40 percent. Employees were happier and meetings more efficient. The amount of time taken off by employees decreased by 25 percent. Also, the company benefited from a 23 percent reduction in electricity use and a 59 percent reduction in the number of pages printed by staff. Many of the employees (go percent) said that they felt affected by the change, and even more (92 percent) expressed approval of the four-day work week. Many Canadians seem to share the sentiment. According to an Angus Reid poll in 2018, 47 percent of Canadians wish to swap their 40-hour work week for a 30-hour work week. Moreover, when Wty; Have an idea for a story? Mi news@theotherpress.ca not have worded it in the way he originally did—instead he wants to say “everybody” instead of “you people.’ He also voiced his disappointment for his co-star, Ron McLean, who he says “buried me’ the next night by apologizing for his comments. McLean has said that Hockey Night in Canada will continue without Cherry but did not divulge what it will look like. There is also no word as to whether Cherry’s “Coaches Corner" segment will continue after his departure. Cherry has said that he does not have any other broadcasting opportunities on the horizon, which may indicate the end of his broadcast career. Cherry has been a fixture of Canadian television for almost 40 years, but considering Sportsnet’s attempts considering having to continue working a 40-hour work week, 68 percent say they would rather have their work week consist of four 10-hour shifts than five 8-hour shifts. The results of the Microsoft study were promising. Based on the positive public response, Japan may soon witness a shift from the standard Monday to Friday work week to some form of an abridged work week—and many hope that it may carry over to Canada. Bucknell University professor of management, Eddy Ng, provided some insight to Global News, saying it depends on the industry in which you work. Retail, for instance, is an industry in which a four-day work week would be difficult to ¢ Library due date fast approaching e Events at the college this week ¢ ‘Collaborative Alchemy’ on display ..and more Photo via Wikimedia Commons to appeal to an non-English speaking audience—with examples like Punjabi broadcasts of games—it would seem that his time has run out as a broadcaster trying to establish broader coverage of Canada’s national sport. entertain. However, he believes that most workplaces could successfully shorten the work week, and that once some companies do, others will follow. “All it takes is [...] a tipping point when enough employers do it,’ Ng said. He adds that to stay competitive and attract the best candidates, more companies will have to follow suit. “We are always looking for new ways to [...] improve the experience for our employees around the globe,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to The Guardian. The company has not yet decided to implement the four-day work week long- term, but they will repeat the trial this winter.