Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, December 7, 2007 

Pesky dinner hour calls spoil family gathering

Ah suppertime, that tranquil and reflective hour or so to gather around the table to eat, reconnect and dissect the day. Sadly, for many folks it has become a tedious time where strangers brazenly – and often fraudulently – prey upon our compassion. And this problem seems to be epidemic each December.

On an almost nightly basis, just as my son is about to share his latest test score in math or recount his challenges with verb conjugation ‘en français’, we get the double-whammy of the simultaneous doorbell chime and the telltale one-long, two-short rings of a long-distance call.

So I drop my fork and head for the door while the wife grabs the phone leaving the young one to dine alone. Thankfully mom gets back to the table quickly after making short work of the telemarketer. There was that two-second, dead air pause between the switch-over from the automated dialer to the live voice coming on the line to make the pitch so she quickly hung up.

And in those rare moments of weakness where we hang on the line, it is usually a charity trying to sell us a lottery ticket because we gave $50 to them eons ago, or it is Bell, Rogers, or the bank trying to flog a new service. Hey, if we need new services, we’ll call you thank you very much!

Meanwhile, yours truly is at the door with yet another alleged charity that I’ve never heard of asking me for $20 and offering a tax receipt on the spot. Nine times out of 10, these are scams and you should not give even one penny of your money despite their solemn and gut-wrenching pitch for youth at risk, disadvantaged kids’ camp, etc.

Yes they look official with their laminated picture badge and a mock-flag logo to convey taxman legitimacy. As well, the canvasser may have a few $20 bills visible on their clipboard to make it look like folks are giving (read: being suckered). But don’t be taken in.

Instead, ask for their Canada Revenue Agency charitable number. Ask for a copy of their flier or information sheet. Ask if they have a website or number you can call for more information tomorrow. No information, no potential donation, it’s that simple. And ask the canvasser if he/she gets a commission on what they collect; if yes, send them packing. If you still want to give, sleep on it, review the info provided and do further research the next day.

Of course some doorstep canvassing is legit. Examples include the weekend bottle drive for a sports team replete with kids in jerseys and parents in minivans in tow. As well, sponsoring your neighbour’s kid for a skate-a-thon or jump rope event at school is cool. And yes, one should never say no to the pitch to buy Girl Guide cookies, mmm… yummy.

Now please excuse me, my dinner is cold, I spent too much time at the door.  

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You can share your thoughts with Walter Robinson at OrleansOuttakes@transcontinental.ca.