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Month in Review

National Do Not Call List

An overwhelming majority of Canadians find telemarketing calls to be annoying and inconvenient. Over half of Canadians surveyed said they would sign up if a Do Not Call List was created.

In November 2005, the federal government passed legislation which will give the CRTC the authority to create a national Do Not Call List. The legislation has not yet come into effect.

Highlights of the new legislation:

  • Creates the necessary legislative framework to establish a national Do Not Call List
  • Gives the CRTC the authority to impose fines against telemarketers who violate the law. Each call to a number registered on the Do Not Call List is a violation of the legislation - individuals are subject to a fine of $1,500 per offending call and corporations are subject to a fine of $15,000 per offending call
  • There are defences available to telemarketers, i.e.: they took all responsible steps to prevent the violation

There are exceptions and the national Do Not Call List does not cover:

  • Registered charities
  • Registered political parties, individual candidates or leaders, or associations of members of a political party
  • Businesses with whom the consumer has an "existing business relationship" (purchased a service or product within the last 18 months or made an inquiry or application for a product or service within the last 6 months) and who has not made a do not call request
  • Surveys
  • Newspapers

Telemarketers that are exempt from the legislation must maintain their own do not call lists.

The CRTC is currently holding a public proceeding and asking Canadians for their views. Some of the things the CRTC is looking at include:

  • How the do not call list will be set up, i.e.: how to register your number, protection of your privacy, etc.
  • Whether we still need the current telemarketing rules
  • How complaints will be investigated and when fines will be imposed, i.e.: should there be a "grace period"?

For more information, contact CAC Manitoba at 452-2572

If you want to let the CRTC know how you feel, you can send your comments directly to them. For more information, contact the CRTC's Winnipeg office at 983-6306,or toll-free at 1-877-249-2782, or online at www.crtc.gc.ca

CAC Manitoba's Do Not Call List survey

CAC Manitoba has posted a survey online which you can access right here. We encourage you to participate and share your thoughts and ideas with us.
   

 This page was last updated on April 24, 2006
   
© 2006- Consumers Association of Canada (Manitoba)