National Do Not Call List

This article is about Canada's National Do Not Call List. For similar registries in other countries, see Do not call list.

The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) (French: Liste nationale de numéros de télécommunication exclus) is a list administered by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that enables residents of Canada to decide whether or not to receive telemarketing calls.[1] It was first announced by the Government of Canada on 13 December 2004.[2]

The DNCL has been labelled a "disaster"[3] and over a decade after the law's creation, many telemarketers are either unaware or do not follow the rules imposed by the DNCL.[4]

The DNCL continues to receive heavy criticism, the latest being from Senator Percy Downe who referred to it as "totally useless",[5] due to the costly but totally ineffective enforcement, the large number of exempt groups and the ability for anyone from anywhere in the world to purchase sets of phone numbers for relatively low fees, and then abuse the Do Not Call List as a calling list.[6] Senator Downe cited multiple examples of constituents, whom he had personally added to the list, receiving a sudden increase in telemarketing calls three months later.[7]

On 20 April 2009, the CRTC announced that telephone and fax numbers on the list would be listed on the DNCL for five years, extended from the three years at the list's inception.[8] Numbers are now on the list indefinitely.[9]

  1. ^ "What is the National Do Not Call List?". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Retrieved 2 October 2008.
  2. ^ "Bill C-37: An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act". Ottawa: Parliament of Canada. 7 February 2005.
  3. ^ Geist, Michael (2 February 2009). "Tough Action Can Reverse Do-Not-Call Disaster". Michael Geist (website). Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  4. ^ Harris, Sophia (15 June 2016). "Still Getting Annoying Telemarketer Calls? CRTC Survey Finds Many Firms Don't Follow Do-Not-Call List Rules". Business. CBC News. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  5. ^ The Canadian Press (7 July 2010). "Do-Not-Call List 'Useless,' Critics Say". CBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  6. ^ Global News. "Global News uncovers serious loophole in 'Do Not Call' List". Retrieved 14 January 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)[dead link]
  7. ^ Galloway, Gloria (7 July 2010). "Do-Not-Call List Gets Dismal Results, Senator Finds". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Do-not-call list now good for 5 years not 3: CRTC". The Canadian Press. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  9. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions : National do not call list". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Retrieved 7 April 2017.