A sweet Valentine's Day gesture turned into a message of hate for one young man in Edmonton.
This is why #Pride still matters. This is why we are loud about #LGBTQ equality. Ashamed this happened in #yeg.
According to Shelley Bramhoff Sikorski, her son Degas has been working at Party City in north Edmonton for three years.
When he reported to work last weekend he found a handmade Valentine that someone else had defaced with "faggot" and "You are not getting shifts for a reason."
According to the post, Degas's hour were "suddenly" cut when a new manager came in around Christmas. The weekend shift was his first since New Year's Eve.
"I am beyond livid," wrote Sikorski, adding, "This is definitely a hate message."
The post prompted a flood of reaction on social media condemning the message.
#partycityedmonton Love is Love is Love. You should know better! shame on you! Shame! #yeg
#partycityedmonton #partycity fire your manager asap. What kind of hate are you brewing there? Disgusting!! Edmonton you can do better!
@PartyCity the homophobic behaviour at #partycityedmonton is not acceptable. Promote love not hate.
A spokesperson for Party City told CBC News they are looking into the matter:
"Party City does not condone this behaviour and is committed to creating a fair and inclusive working environment," the statement said. "We are currently looking into this matter and will provide more information as it becomes available."
Degas also wants to make it clear whoever wrote the message doesn't reflect his workplace. In a Facebook post he wrote, "This was one person of many. And all the other people I work with are wonderful people."
BuzzFeed Canada has reached out to the Sikorski family for comment.