Updated: August 03, 2014 (Go to Bottom of story for most Recent update)
By: Stewart Brennan
Today I used the Montreal Transit system as I always do to
go get groceries at Maxi’s on St John’s Road in Pointe Claire Quebec. I paid
$3.00 and received a bus pass from the dispenser on the bus number 204, thanked
the bus driver and proceeded to sit in a double seat just in front of the rear
exit. Within 5 minutes the bus was pulled over by STM security who were waiting
on Hymus Blvd in front of the old office of Canadian Unemployment center 2
buildings down from the Hymus Brasserie. An STM security agent who was
Caucasian with an Eastern European accent entered the bus from the front and
then proceeded to demand to see everyone’s bus passes.
I spoke out saying that what he was doing was harassment,
wrong and that he had no right to do this. Not even the police can do this
especially if there has not been any crime committed. Pure and simple what
these STM employees were doing was unnecessary harassment. There was no good
reason for them to do this. What was their reason?
I got up from my seat and went to the front and asked the
STM security employee to ask the bus driver if anyone had not paid for their
bus ticket, because what they were doing was pure harassment. To me, what they
are doing is no different than what the Nazi thugs in pre World War II Germany
did by stopping people and demanding “PAPERS” and threatening to arrest anyone
that did not comply.
A second STM Security Employee (African origin) entered from
the rear exit of the bus demanding to see my bus pass as I sat back down in my
seat. I replied “ask the Bus driver if I paid or not because you have no right
to harass me”. They both then came to my seat and threatened to arrest me if I
did not show them my bus pass. I replied that they were not cops and had no
authority to do so...to which they replied I would have to leave the bus. I
told them I paid my fare and questioned them if they were told otherwise…”just
ask the bus driver!”…Again they threatened to arrest me if I did not comply. I
refused and asked them to call the police…
Both of these STM Security thugs proceeded to grab my arms
telling me I was under arrest and had to leave the bus and I told them you are
not cops and to stop touching me, they refused and pulled me up from my seat. A
struggle ensued as they grabbed my arms and pulled me up where I then lost my
balance. I put out my right forearm to catch my balance, which the first
security thug had in his grasp.
They then pulled me off the bus threw me to the ground
manhandled me and handcuffed my hands behind my back. They cut off the
circulation in my right hand which turned blue I was told by the paramedics
that arrived later. I was in a great deal of pain and screamed for them to take
off the cuffs because of the pain and that my hand went numb.
All the while I called for help and for someone to call the
police. A woman then approached and said she had called the police and that
they were on their way.
My eyeglasses came off my head as I was thrown to the
ground. Shortly afterwards the second STM security thug picked them up put them
down again and then proceeded to step on them breaking the frames. He did it on
purpose.
The Police showed up after about 10 minutes all the while
the searing pain in my arm was getting worse. I was also having chest pains,
back pains, and pain in my legs. I asked them to remove the cuffs because of
the pain. I’m 53 years old.
The police told the STM security thugs to take off the
cuffs, which they had a hard time doing because they were on so tight.
The police then asked if I was ok to which I replied “NO”.
They then asked me if I needed an ambulance to which I replied yes.
I asked the police for a copy of the report and they replied
that they were not going to make one, all they were going to do is give a “Call
Number” which they did not even give.
I was very unsteady on my feet, very weak, felt faint,
nauseous, and was in a great deal of pain in my arms, legs, back, neck and
head.
The STM security thugs then issued a ticket to me for
$333.00, which is what they probably wanted to do in the first place, make
their quota in tickets to keep their jobs…that is the ONLY reason I figured
that they entered the bus. The STM security are there to harassed people,
threatened them and then fine them for not obeying their commands…pardon me for
saying this but that is pure fascism…especially when a Corporation, funded by
the Quebec Government can hire thugs with police powers?
I explained to the police that what they did was illegal
according the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to which they replied
that the STM HAD the authority in a municipal bylaw to arrest and fine people…
In the Country I was born and raised in, (Canada) a person
is innocent until proven guilty but these STM thugs operate as if everyone is
guilty until they say otherwise.
I spent the day in the Lakeshore General Hospital. They took
x-rays of my head, neck, & back, while monitoring my heart due to an
extremely high heart rate. I was beaten and fined for not obeying…and I had not
committed any crime.
This is not an isolated incident. I was told by the
Ambulance driver that these STM security thugs are keeping them very busy, and
after my release from the hospital a Taxi driver had witnessed the same thing
several times. This is the 2nd time I was harassed by the STM
Security.
I paid my bus fare and have the card to prove it. I have the
Ambulance transportation doc with both paramedics willing to testify on my
behalf in court of the injuries I sustained.
Busses are equipped with silent alarms, cameras and
microphones for security purposes. I know this because I worked for a Bus
manufacturer in Winnipeg Manitoba. Security personnel should be used to stop
crime, not harass innocent civilians doing their daily routines.
What we have here in Montreal Quebec is an STM out of
control and I want justice for what they did to me today but more than
anything, I want this harassment of passengers on STM transport stopped before
they kill someone.
Today I was beaten up by STM corporate thugs and heavily
fined for not showing my papers…and the Police department thinks that’s ok. Tonight
I’m on pain killer medication, extremely angry and want an end to this Montreal
Stazi STM security bullshit! If you know people who have also been victims of the STM Stazi, please share this story so that they might come forward. Together we can fight against the abusive STM and stop them before they kill someone.
My father fought in World War II with the Canadian Cameron Highlanders so that tyranny would not rule here in Canada…apparently someone forgot to tell the Quebec Government and the City of Montreal.
------------------------------
Photo: STM OPUS Card (Monthly Pass) & Single Fare Receipt & Transfer
Update: August 05, 2013
I’ve heard a few people saying that there is a lot of OPUS card fraud going on and that is why they push Security harassment on the STM busses but that reasoning doesn’t add up because the same OPUS technology is being used on the South Shore but without transfers being received for people who op to pay in cash ($3.25)
So I have to ask, is the same security harassment happening
on the RTL because the same technology is used and second what about the people
who pay cash, are they thrown off the bus because they pay cash and have no
proof of payment? The RTL busses do not give transfers or receipts as they do
on the STM but the combination opus cards allow people to travel on both RTL
& STM busses.
The next question is why harass the people if it is a
technology thing. Get the manufacturer to change the codes or to put the
security info into the card readers like they have with the security scanners?
This is not about OPUS Card fraud, this is about corporate
fascism, and harassment of the public and it needs to stop.
----------------------------Update: August 8th, 2013
Is the Montreal Transit Authority’s
Claim of “OPUS Card Fraud” a Fraud itself and a Pretext to More Draconian
Legislation in the Near Future? A look at Montreal’s STM (RFID) OPUS Cards,
Fraud Claims, STM Security, and What Comes Next.
By: Stewart Brennan
World United News
In 2008, the Montreal Transit
Commission (STM) adopted a new system for their monthly bus passes and single
fare ticketing from European corporation “Calypso Networks Association”
(C.N.A.) with, the integration corporation “Spirtech” assisting in the
implementation and engineering of C.N.A. software.
Montreal had jumped into the RFID
OPUS technology for monthly bus passes while also using a magnetic strip card
reader for single transit fares. We were told then that the reason they were
moving to this new $219 Million dollar system was to prevent Bus pass fraud in
the old system.
On the surface it seemed that there
wouldn’t be too many problems associated with this new technology, with the
exception of the STM’S South Shore “Longueuil Metro Station” which did not, and
still does not accept STM Magnetic cards bought anywhere else but in the
Longueuil metro station. Not good if you prepaid all your STM trips somewhere
else and do not have any money left to pay for an additional one…which did
happen to me the first time I used the system going home from the South Shore.
It was a very frustrating experience that I wont get into here.
The STM, Fraud, & OPUS Cards
Since 2009, MICHEL LABRECQUE has been the chairman and the primary representative
of the STM. He oversees the performance and execution of the STM’s functions
and powers…and, in agreement with other board members, sets corporate
orientations. He also chairs the Board’s public meetings and approves the
agenda in collaboration with the STM’s Chief executive officer and is the
Transit Users’ Representative…
Recently,
Michele Labrecque estimated that the STM saves $12 million a year on fraud by
using the OPUS Card technology but did not give any details on how they do this
exactly. His statement raised a lot of unanswered questions to say the least.
When you
invest 219 million dollars of taxpayers money into a NEW system that is
supposed to be Fraud proof and a benefit to the citizens, you certainly
wouldn’t want to skip out on purchasing the Fraud Detection Option when
purchasing this system…especially when stopping Fraud is the reason they bought
the system in the first place. So it is very strange and disturbing to see more
and more STM Security Inspectors harassing passengers for their tickets and bus
passes in the name of Fraud.
These STM
directives and security actions clearly state that either the system they
bought is totally useless in detecting Fraud, that someone grossly incompetent
is responsible for not acquiring the proper equipment and programming, or there
is corruption happening inside the STM.
Regardless
of the answer, the people of Montreal and the surrounding communities should
not have to be shoulder the Orwellian directives by Government & Corporate
decisions that harass the public, especially when the STM are to blame in the
first place.
“Spirtech”
an OPUS Technology engineering firm and partner with Calypso Networks claims
that their system is virtually Fraud proof. Who am I to believe? (http://www.spirtech.com/products/fraud-detector)
If Fraud is
not a problem with this new technology, then why do we need STM Security
checking everyone’s Monthly OPUS Bus passes and Magnetic Strip single fare
tickets?
If indeed
the STM has reduced Fraud by 12 million dollars as per MICHEL
LABRECQUE, why is the STM giving themselves huge pay raises as
stated in an article by the Montreal Gazette on July 25th, 2013 to
the tune of millions of dollars? And WHY have they hired an army of bus pass
inspectors?
Does this 12 million dollar savings at the STM mean that STM
management get to pocket this money? Are the STM Security Army, who also
received big raises, becoming the cash cow tool of the STM’s corporate management?
(See Gazette Report for security personnel salaries)
“Court Orders STM to pay $123,000.00 in back pay to STM
Security Officers”
Failure to
show these STM Inspectors your ticket will land you a huge fine and in the
hospital if you refuse to budge, as was the case with me on August 03rd,
2013. One might look at it as strong-armed tactics by the STM to ensure every
passenger obays whatever they are told by STM Security or face being roughed up
and fined without any recourse to challenge them…because the STM Board of
Directors, who are also municipal legislators, passed a municipal law that
grants this corporation police powers.
As stated
in the Montreal Gazette on July 25th, 2013 the STM gave themselves
big pay raises. I wonder where they got the money to inflate their already
massive salaries?
STM Got Big Pay Raises
When the
size of your STM Salary is dependent on growth and there are no other means to
create that growth how exactly does one create growth and give themselves large
pay increases? All the pay increases of
the STM payroll have to come from somewhere…and a job needs to be a benefit to
the corporation for profitability. So I wonder why they have hired more people
in the STM Security department?
The STM’s
Michel Labrecque also stated that they want a 40% increase in rider-ship
by 2020…in my opinion, harassing and beating up their customers is certainly
not the way to go. If they keep up their current pace by treating everyone as a
potential criminal, more people will stop using their system.
Coming to Montreal by 2015 OPUS 2.0
During his
opening remarks for AQTR’s conference on Urban mobility in the age of
electronic payment (Feb 25, 2012), the president of the STM’S governing board
Michel Labrecque stated, “We transport millions of people…soon we will get to
know who they are.” What Mr. Lebreque was referring to was the implementation
of OPUS 2.0 and having access to all your personal information in the future on
the Montreal Transit Bus Pass. Security related? Fraud free?
OPUS Background Info
The OPUS
card uses RFID
(Radio-frequency identification) technology which can be read by anyone with an RFID transmitter /
receiver. The OPUS card technology is owned by “Calypso Networks Association”;
this European company’s primary goal is to use this technology on all digital
transactions worldwide and to eventually replace the worlds currencies to
become the Global technology and system for all monetary transactions. We are
already seeing this technology being used by the Banks through Debit Cards, and
Credit Cards, but we are also seeing this technology on Medicare cards, Drivers
Licenses, passports, and soon there will be an upgrade to the Transit
Authority’s OPUS 2 Cards.
Is there OPUS Card Fraud
in Montreal?
So if this
OPUS card fraud is real then what makes the Bankcards safe and the Bus Pass not
safe? The bigger question is, of course, why are we allowing our governments to
bully us into this RFID technology if it isn’t reliable? On a larger scale, We
are talking about a massive corporation merger interconnected with many
national governments, banks, and powerful shareholders that have the potential
to end all national sovereignty by economic merger when financial controls of
this technology are in place. “Spirtech” is the company being used to help
engineer the OPUS RFID technology merger between corporations, banks, and
governments. So their claim to be a safe system certainly needs to be proven
since it conflicts with the STM’s assessment…but then it’s all about control,
money and security isn’t it; but security for who?
Is it
really necessary for Montreal’s STM Security to harass transit passengers
because THEY SAY there is fraud in the OPUS system? If the answer is yes, then
what about debit cards, credit cards, and Medicare Cards? Are these same
technology cards at risk of fraud as well? And if so are we to expect a future
where security people threaten debit and credit card holders to show ID and
threaten us with arrest if we do not show them what they want?
As far as
“Spirtech” is concerned, programming is all that is required to secure the
cards…If that is so, why is Montreal’s STM spending Millions of Taxpayers dollars
to hire an army of security inspectors to harass the public, instead of fixing
the system?
The South Shore Transit System
(RTL)
The South Shore of Montreal has a different Transit System
(RTL), which also adopted the OPUS card and has a combination OPUS card with
the STM for passengers requiring both transportation systems. However the RTL
did not choose to adopt the single transit fare magnetic strip cards, so there
is no proof of payments or transfers for single use. Even still there doesn’t
seem to be a breach of security with their OPUS cards nor do they employ an
army of security people to harass their passengers.
The RTL does have an OPUS card for occasional RTL riders who
can’t purchase a monthly rechargeable OPUS card. The commuter can choose to
load 6, 12, 18 or 24 RTL trips on a Solo card at the regular rate ($3.25 each x
number of trips). Valid on all RTL buses, where a transfer is automatically
issued on the Solo card. But they do not have a single fare proof of purchase
to issue a passenger when they pay $3.25 on the bus.
Although the Quebec Government
represents both transit systems (RTL & STM) together for a better price
when approaching corporations for retrofits or Spare Parts such as implementing
the new OPUS technology, the “South Shore Transit Commission” (RTL), chose not
to use the exact same system as the STM. The only difference is the magnetic
strip single fare cards…and the number of security personnel hired…
RTL & Municipal Governments
I’ve learned that at the municipal
council level of government on the South Shore there are Paid RTL
representatives that receive a minimum $15,000.00 just for being an RTL
corporate representative. In my opinion there is a huge conflict of interest
here since the money comes from the citizen’s taxes to pay them this bonus over
and above the salary they receive for being on the council. Those chosen to
represent the RTL are usually favoured by the Mayor of the specific community,
if, of course, they do not claim the bonus for themselves.
This got me to thinking, “Does the
STM also Pay the City Councillors in Montreal and the West Island a Bonus”?
If we take a look at who is on the
STM Corporate Board of Directors and the STM Committees the answer is “YES”.
The same people are on both Corporate and government posts. My question is how
much are these municipal government reps being paid just to rubber stamp their
STM corporate directives? Am I wrong to think this is corruption?
STM – Members of the Board of Directors
Attacked By STM Security Agents
On Saturday August 3rd,
2013, STM Security attacked me for not showing them the magnetic strip bus pass
I received after paying for a single fare on Bus #204 in the West Island of
Montreal. They put me in the hospital. The incident is an ongoing nightmare for
me now because I will not take public transport for fear of a repeat
performance by the STM Security. It also stops me from visiting my 87-year-old
mother on the South Shore who needs help because of her complications from
dementia. I don’t have a car nor do I know anyone here that can take me to the
South Shore once a week so I will need to find a way to rectify this. I will
not bow to this authoritarian minded corporation, nor will I allow my dignity
as a human being to be trampled on.
One of my fears is based on being
singled out by STM security personnel with the Security software programs the
STM have installed with all of the security cameras throughout the transit
system. “Facial Recognition Technology” allows the STM Security Inspectors to
profile passengers at will and is reason enough for me to stay away from ever
taking the bus again simply because I feel I will be targeted and because my
plea for justice has fallen on deaf ears by the STM, Municipal Governments,
Gazette, CBC, CTV and other mainstream media. The NEWS mediums simply have not
done their jobs in investigating and bringing the public’s attention to the
ongoing conflicts of interest, corruption, and unjust laws that enable thuggery
by the STM and its security apparatus.
According to Calypso Network
Association, the creators of the OPUS technology and the engineering group
Spirtech that works with C.N.A., there is no Fraud with their system…but the
STM hires security to run around all day long harassing passengers by insisting
on checking everyone’s OPUS cards and magnetic strip single fare cards…In my
opinion, the STM, which is a merger of government and corporation is a
completely corrupt organization operating as a parasite on the tax payers of
Montreal and the citizens of the surrounding service area’s. The STM and all
it’s Board members need to be investigated through a public inquiry including a
forensic audit investigation of their books. The Harassment by STM Security on the
population using public transit has to stop!
My Personal Request to the
STM
I want an
apology from the STM for their security personnel roughing me up and putting me
in the hospital because I wouldn’t show them the ticket I had just paid for. I
want a complete stop to the STM security’s harassment of the public. I want the
$333.00 fine they imposed on me for not showing them my ticket to be dropped,
and I want the STM to pay for the damages inflicted on me by their security
personnel.
Stewart
Brennan
Update : 2014 August 03
It has been one year to the day since the violent incident
involving the STM and their belligerent security thugs who accosted me on Bus
number 204 and put me in the hospital. Here’s what I hope will be my final
update on this matter:
I challenged the ticket issued to me by the STM in court and
won, in fact the judge shook her finger at the STM representatives for their
brutality and warned that she hopes there will not be anymore incidents like
this in the future by the STM and its security…not long afterwards the STM
security blended into the background and stopped pulling busses over; this is a
“Victory” for the citizens who use public transport in Montreal. We all win
when a bully is put in its place. Stand up and don’t back down when you have
been wronged. There are still some credible people within the justice system
that know the difference between right and wrong. Peace!
Links:
Calypso Networks Association
Spirtech
OPUS 2.0 Urban Mobility in the Age of Electronic Payment
Court Orders STM to pay $123,000.00 in back pay to STM
Security Officiers
STM Got Big Pay Raises
STM – Members of the Board of Directors
Calypso Networks Association & STM – (PDF File)
NOVA Bus
RFID
Metro Security think they are Policemen
Woman Fined $219.00 for not paying bus fare with exact change
Corruption, Fraud and Thuggery by an Out of Control Montreal
STM
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