Mississauga Realtor Fired for Circulating Pro-family Views
Mix in a real estate agent who cites a U.S. study about some ill effects of children being raised by a same sex couple, add a snarly former school teacher who is shocked and appalled and complaints to the local newspaper, the police, the human rights commission and, perhaps, even dear Abby and what do you get? A little community controversy?
No, not in these mean, politically correct times. The real estate agent is fired. The RE/MAX giant his former employer is running scared and takes out a huge, grovelling ad “to apologize for the inappropriate communication.” [There’s that vague catch-all, politically correct term.] “RE/MAX does not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour.” (Mississauga News, May 8, 2013)The agent in question expressed an opinion in a flyer distributed to advertise his services. The only “discriminatory behaviour” was RE/MAX’s firing of this man.
The Mississauga News (May 8, 2013) reported: ” A City Centre real estate agent has been fired for distributing a controversial flyer to residents in Lorne Park and Port Credit earlier this week. RE/MAX Realty One sales agent Andrew Ciastek was let go this afternoon in the wake of publishing what many residents view as homophobic material in a recent newsletter.
On Wednesday, the Sussex Centre realtor said he will issue a formal apology and make a donation to a local charity of RE/MAX’s choosing. ‘We cannot and will not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour,’ said Christine Martysiewicz, director of internal and public relations for RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. … The piece in question was a research study saying that unemployment is three times higher among offspring of homosexual couples than those of heterosexual couples. The study was conducted by Mark Regnerus, a Texas University sociology professor. The flyer cites the report as having been originally published in Social Research Science, although Ciastek says he found it in a copy of Polish .
Busybody Complainer and Former Schoolteacher Jon McDonald cost a man his job.
RE/MAX has been working with Peel Regional Police’s Hate Crime Division and has been informed that no charges will be laid against Ciastek. Lorne Park resident Jon McDonald contacted The News when he saw the flyer Tuesday and filed complaints with RE/MAX, Peel ‘It’s just not right,’ said McDonald, a retired elementary school teacher said.”
The Toronto Star (May 2, 2013) reported: “Andrew Ciastek, a sales representative for RE/MAX, distributed the flyers — which said ‘traditional family is the best for the future of the kids’ — to hundreds of homes in the Port Credit and Lorne Park neighbourhoods. ‘I didn’t want to offend anybody . . . I didn’t have bad intentions,’ Ciastek said. Ciastek also told the Star he will apologize ‘because I understand some people were very hurt. It is the right thing to apologize.’”
Of course, intent means nothing to the politically correct. Only the words matter. A privileged minority “might” be offended. Mr. Ciastek should not have offered to apologize, unless he really didn’t believe what he’d written. Why should he apologize for his views.
Notice, as well, that it’s not the science cited by Mr. Ciastek that RE/MAX criticizes, only that he said anything critical of a privileged minority. Truth does not matter.
We have warned that the promoters of the homosexual agenda are one of the biggest threats to free speech in Canada. Christians and people of all faiths who uphold the traditional view of the family beware. The homosexual agenda of silencing critics has claimed another victim: Marc Lemire, Bill Whatcott and now Andrew Ciastek.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION