Sam Merulla’s recent motion to regulate, and hopefully ban, aggressive door-to-door salesperson is a high political value, low return motion.
It’s high political value comes from responding to a real problem annoying people in Hamilton. The low return is due to the lack of municipal powers to regulate consumer protection. Consumer protection is a provincial power, and ultimately, substantive changes will need to be amended into the Consumer Protection Act.
Public awareness is needed. Obviously, there are people purchasing from door-to-door salespeople, otherwise the industry wouldn’t exist.
Here’s a great public awareness video from the Australia comedy group The Chaser which aired on their public broadcaster.
I’d love to see a similar public awareness video – and protections – here in Ontario.