I worked as a professional interviewer for three years, and there was nothing that I found more frustrating (and humorous) than calling someone in the US, and having them say "I'm on the do not call list" and having to go through the entire spiel that thousands of interviewers are about to have to become intimately familiar with in the near future.

"I'm sorry sir/ma'am but that list only applies to people who are trying to sell you something, as we are only asking for your opinion, it does not apply to us.......... start survey here"

Or

"I told you to take me off your list yesterday" (Do you have *any* idea how many market researchers/telemarketers/charities there are?? But for some of my co-workers, %$&% You got put down as an answering machine just because after seven hours of being hung up on the last thing you need is another jerk who doesn't realize that you have to put yourself through school somehow, or that If you walk with a cane, or weigh upwards of 400lbs other jobs aren't an option.)

The Do not call list, when it is implemented in a little less than three weeks will apply ONLY to telemarketers. A Telemarketer is someone trying to sell you something. They can usually be identified by the "Private Name, Private Number" On your phone.

The Do not call list does *Not* apply to market research companies. You know. those ones that call at 9:30 at night (Because they can, by the way, legally call until 10:00, though most don't unless they are down to the wire on a project) and want to know everything about you except your bra or jockstrap size? ---There's a reason for those questions.. I'll get to them later--- Be expecting a few of those calls in the weeks between now and the Fourteenth of October, everyone and their dog wants to know who you're voting for, but they can't ask you that outright, so they'll ask you twenty other questions in a roundabout way to ask "So, You voting for Harper, Dion, or Layton?"

The Do not call list does *not* apply to *registered* Charities (See my links list for a list of the CCRA's registered charities) A legitimate charity will not have an issue with giving you their charitable number so you can verify it, giving you a phone number you can call them back at, *or* giving you twenty four hours to look them up.

Politicians are, unfortunately not exempt, so no matter how much you hate (Insert name here) and His entire party and belief system. He's allowed to call your home, there's nothing that says you have to be polite to said politician though 8) (DId I say that?)

Newspapers seeking subscribers are allowed to call, as are any commercial agencies you have, or have had relationships with in the past eighteen months. (So you know that carpet cleaning company that the person who had the number before you had clean their carpets? They can call your phone.)

Oh yeah, and the one exception that isn't on *any* list, and that no one ever wants to hear from, is the collection agency, but fortunately they, too, are governed by a set of rules. (The Consumer Handbook Link) In addition to the rules listed here:

if an agency has been informed that you are to be away from home for a period of time they are NOT permitted to phone your home, much less repeatedly.

They are NOT allowed to be abusive.- Swearing, Yelling, -

Market Researchers can be identified in a number of ways.

1) -- They aren't allowed to block their numbers, at the very least the phone number will come up *and* if you look it up in a reverse directory, will show up listed to a company, not "unlisted".

2) -- **Legitimate** (Note the stress there) Market Research will *Not* *Ever* ask you to answer questions that can be used to specifically identify you, and it is *incredibly* inappropriate to ask the respondent questions about their spouse, this is in violation of privacy laws. It is the equivalent of turning to your classmate and saying "So Whatcha get on that midterm?"

3) -- Again, stressing the *Legitimate* Market researchers will have, for their own protection, a survey registration number, and a 1-800 number that you can call to verify the legitimacy of the survey, and they won't mind calling you back in twenty four to fourty eight hours, to give you a chance to verify it. (So if you're on the phone with someone and you ask the survey registration number and they hang up on you, chances are they're fulla something)

4) Oh.. Some people say that companies are supposed to identify who the research is for, but if you were being asked a series of questions on say, operating systems, and had been told that the client was "I can't tell you, but think fruit". And had a PC at home and a MAC at the Office, you might suddenly begin to adore the Mac despite the fact that you actually hate it. -- Or, if you knew it was about politics and "I can't say who the client is but think angels (harps, for those who can't quite figure that one out) Despite the fact that you support the NDP, you may change your answers, therefore, inadvertently changing the results of the entire survey.