OK, first I'll make it clear that in the context presented, it is a reprehensible and offensive comment.
But to play a little devils advocate, if the paper was in France and called "La Presse", wouldn't it all have been in French and therefore in perhaps a context that us English-speakers wouldn't get? Words have different meanings and connotations when translated between languages and it may be easy to take something someone said in French and make the direct translation and come to, "OH MY!! Dick Pound called Natives savages!!"
I don't know if that's the case or not, but I think it's possible.
It's just way too stupid a thing to say for there not to be a reasonable explanation!
Though Dick Pound does have a history of saying stupid, outlandish things. Whether he says them to get attention or because he truly believes them, it would be nice if this guy didn't have to be associated with our fine nation.
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