Newmarket byelection candidate trumpets use of robocalls to reach voters

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 28, 2016
By Chris Simon

If you live in Ward 5 and your phone rings at some point over the next few weeks, Bob Kwapis’ voice could be on the other end.

It’s that time in the byelection when candidates are ramping up their efforts to get noticed. Lawn signs started to be erected earlier this month, and for the candidates who can afford it, you may see print and radio ads pop up in the coming weeks. However, one method used by Kwapis to reach out to voters - Automatic Dialing Announcing Devices - is drawing the ire of a handful of people.

ADADs, commonly referred to as ‘robocallers’, send a pre-recorded or synthesized voice message to a phone number. The equipment will be used to reach out to every home in the ward, Kwapis said in an email to The Era Tuesday.

While a few residents have told The Era the calls are annoying and fellow candidate Darryl Wolk accused Kwapis of breaching Newmarket residents’ privacy in a Tweet a few days ago, it’s important to note the use of ADADs is permitted by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission under certain conditions.

“I've actually had a great response to my use of voice broadcasts,” Kwapis said, noting a firm was hired to conduct the robocalls. “It's a tool that many campaigns use, and it is one of many things I am doing to make sure I reach each and every single voter. I want to try and reach every single voter in Ward 5 so that I can hear about the issues that are important to them, and so that they can hear my vision to make Newmarket and Ward 5 an even better place to live.”

According to the CRTC, which has jurisdiction over the matter, ADADs can be used to make calls that are not for the purpose of solicitation. ADAD calls must also begin by clearly identifying the candidate, before briefly describing the purpose of the call. They must also include an email or postal address and a local or toll-free number where representatives of the candidate can be reached. 

The Era listened to a recording of the robocall and, based on the above mentioned criteria, it appears to conform to CRTC standards.

Robocalls became a controversial subject following the 2011 federal election - the Commissioner of Canada Elections received more than 40,000 general communications and complaints about ADADs during that campaign. On polling day, hundreds of calls claiming to be from Elections Canada and giving false poll information were made in the riding of Guelph, and a Conservative Party staffer was later found guilty under the Elections Act.

However, this is not the case in Ward 5, and the automated calls are just one aspect of Kwapis’ advertising campaign - he is also canvassing, hosting campaign events, mailing a brochure and using social media to contact voters.

Fellow candidate Tom Pearson wants robocalls banned from town councillor campaigns, though the municipality says it doesn’t have the authority to do so.

“The system is already skewed enough towards those with bigger budgets,” Pearson said. “Going door-to-door and good old fashioned engaging people on the street is my strategy. I feel if I can actually connect with people, they might be more apt to actually vote. It's also how you gauge which issues are most important to the residents.”

It's clear each candidate is using a combination of marketing techniques to get their message out in this campaign. All methods have benefits and drawbacks. Tracee Chambers will canvass within the community, erect signs and advertise in print during the campaign; Peter Geibel plans to use social media, mailouts, canvassing, local media and a meet and greet to push his message out.

“We have individually been asking homes/businesses for their permission to place a sign,” Chambers said. “Having said that, the signs are an issue; some are regularly being removed/stolen by someone. It seems strange in this day and age of technology to do this when so many homes/businesses have security cameras.”

Wolk's advertising approach includes social media, flyers, door-to-door canvassing, coffee parties and website updates.

CRTC spokesperson Sujata Raisinghani says there is an official complaint mechanism for anyone who receives an unsolicited robocall. However, Raisinghani notes there is a distinct difference between telemarketing and campaign calls.

“The necessity of express consent applies when the ADAD call is made for telemarketing/solicitation purposes and not in relation to calls relative to election campaigns,” Raisinghani said. “Any suspected violation of unsolicited telecommunication rules should be reported to the CRTC through the National (Do Not Call List) website.”

Kwapis says his opponents may be complaining because he's "out-campaigning" them so far.

"Forgive me for not wanting to leave one stone unturned in trying to win this election," he said. "I always go all-in and deliver results. The all-in approach served me well in business and it's the kind of approach residents can expect from me as their councillor."