Don Cherry, the colorfully dressed fixture of “Hockey Night in Canada” broadcasts, was fired on Monday after on-air comments that were widely viewed as a racist attack on the patriotism of immigrants.

“Following further discussions with Don Cherry after Saturday night’s broadcast, it has been decided it is the right time for him to immediately step down,” said Bart Yabsley, the president of the cable channel Sportsnet, which produces the Saturday night N.H.L. games that make up “Hockey Night in Canada.”

In rambling remarks on Saturday night, Cherry criticized what he believed to be the insufficient patriotism of Canadians who weren’t wearing small plastic poppies in honor of military personnel who died on behalf of their country. The poppy is a prominent symbol of Remembrance Day, observed on Monday in countries with historic ties to the United Kingdom.

Cherry complained that in downtown Toronto “nobody wears a poppy,” a contrast with “small cities.” Then, apparently addressing nonwhite Canadians, who make up just over half of Toronto’s population, he added that: “you people love — that come here, whatever it is — you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price.”