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Pin a poppy on, Premier Doug Ford says.

Ford was asked Thursday about the poppy controversy that recently cost hockey icon Don Cherry his Coach’s Corner gig.

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“I’m not going to get into Don,” Ford said. “In my opinion, I think everyone in this country should wear a poppy. That’s just my opinion.”

Cherry was accused of making an anti-immigrant comment when he bemoaned the lack of poppies worn by people, especially in his home town of Mississauga and downtown Toronto.

“You people 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,” Cherry said. “These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price.”

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Cherry told the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington that he was not commenting on race, but instead meant that everyone in Canada should wear a poppy to honour the country’s fallen soldiers.

Cherry was the keynote speaker at the inaugural meeting of Toronto council in 2010 after the election of then mayor Rob Ford and Ford as a councillor.

aartuso@postmedia.com