Advocates want authorities to step up after a woman says an STM driver hurled racist remarks at her

MONTREAL – A Montreal woman claims she was verbally assaulted at a bus stop earlier this month.

Jenny Huynh says on Apr. 2, a public transit driver spewed racial slurs at her and refused to let her board the bus.

“He opened the door, so I thought I could come into the bus. And then he opened the door and he told me… ‘You better take the metro. Go home, go back to your country,’” explained Huynh.

“I don’t know why he got so mad. And even when he closed the door, he was still angry. His face is still angry. He still said something but I cannot hear because I was on the sidewalk.”

Nathalie Pham, Huynn’s friend, says she’s concerned about the interaction.

“I’m not happy about it, especially the STM in Montreal–why be racist? Why did that person attack an innocent person that didn’t do anything? She just wanted to get on the bus to go home,” said Pham.

Anti-Asian racism continues to be on the rise in Canada. According to results from surveys compiled by the Chinese Canadian National Council, there were more than 1,000 self-reported incidents of anti-Asain racism since the start of the pandemic.

Montreal police say they recorded 22 crimes targeting Asian people between March and December of last year, 19 more than the year before.

“Numbers tell the story of rising hate rising, acts of aggression directed mostly at women and Asian women and Asian seniors. And, obviously, it’s an attack on the more vulnerable of the Asian communities,” said Fo Niemi, co-founder and executive director of the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR).

“I’m in shock and I’m angry too because I’m like why he do that to me? I didn’t do anything to him I was a nuisance?” said Huynh.

“I know that around the world, right now, it happens. But I didn’t think it would happen in Montreal and it’s not going to happen to me.”

The STM confirmed to CityNews that several complaints about Huynn’s experience have been filed.

“An investigation was swiftly launched and while we cannot give any details on the matter, as per our usual policy regarding individual complaints and human resources, this case is taken very seriously and the appropriate disciplinary measures will be applied,” reads a statement from the STM.

“The described actions are unacceptable and do not reflect in any way the STM policy. We believe that diversity should be valued and cherished and all clients have the same rights to a safe and healthy travel environment.”

Advocates say authorities need to step up.

“Something has to be done about it, you know. It’s about time. Yes, more people are reporting but more importantly what are authorities about it beyond going to do these speeches and Facebook chats? Let’s not forget last June, city council voted unanimously for a motion to condemn anti-Asian violence and hate and to undertake concrete measures to make Asian Montrealers feel safe. And it doesn’t suffice to say that not much has been done since June 2020,” said Niemi.

A support group for Asian Quebecers experiencing racism— Groupe d’Entraide contre le Racisme au Québec—says it’s disappointed to hear about the comments made to Huynh and is calling on the STM to take action.

“We hope STM will take disciplinary measures proportional to the severity of the employee’s disciplinary infraction. We demand STM to release a statement/letter of apology to the victim and to the community to restore trust,” it said in a statement to CityNews.