[Rob Beintema/mississauga.com]

[Rob Beintema/mississauga.com]

I’m not stunned by the fact that homophobes exist in Canada, but rather by the fact that anyone in the real estate business would be dumb enough to pull a stunt like this:

A real estate agent will issue a public apology and make a donation to an unspecified local charity after publishing what some residents described as offensive material in a flyer distributed to homes in Lorne Park and Port Credit earlier this week.

Andrew Ciastek, a City Centre sales representative for RE/MAX Realty One, will apologize for printing what residents call a homophobic article in his brochure, according to RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

“I didn’t want to offend anybody … I didn’t have bad intentions,” Ciastek said.

The piece in question is a study conducted by a sociology professor from Texas University that says unemployment is three times higher among offspring of homosexual couples than those of heterosexual couples. The brochure cites the report as having been originally published in Social Research Science.

Lorne Park resident Jon McDonald, a retired elementary school teacher, was outraged by the material and sees no reason for such information to be printed in a real estate brochure.

“It just makes no sense whatsoever,” McDonald told The News. “On the inside is information on how to maintain your air conditioner, how to save money, what you should know about air conditioners, all things you need to know if you’re looking to purchase a home. The back (of the brochure) just seems so incongruous and offensive.”

So he included a piece from (completely, thoroughly discredited hack) Mark Regnerus, again, in a flyer distributed with the intent of drumming up real estate business. Seriously, I can’t even make it past what a phenomenally stupid business move this was, much less be offended by it.

[h/t Andy]