The CMA urges the government to ensure that any proposed regulatory framework instituted by the province preserve this balance and that no further restrictions, which might alter this balance, be put in place. The consultation paper addresses at some length the issues around consent and also poses numerous questions concerning the alteration of the application of the forms of consent as outlined in the CSA Code. Before addressing some of the specific questions raised in the paper, it is important to provide some context of the current economic realities under which the marketing community operates in 2000. Recent demographic shifts in Canada have resulted in a different, sometimes more sophisticated consumer. The growth of families with two working parents, single parent families and an aging population has meant that more Canadians want to be able to shop from home using a variety of media.
Consumers expect tailored packages, convenience, and good customer service.
Marketers want to meet and respond to these expectations, but need customized information in order to do so. As a result, more businesses are implementing ways to collect and use customer information in order to identify and reach new clients, maintain existing relationships, pursue new opportunities, and respond more quickly to demands for goods and services. It is important to point out that, contrary to some commonly held beliefs, marketers do not build individual consumer files. This is not helpful for marketing purposes and is very cost-prohibitive. Our members are more interested in building a profile of a group for example, golf enthusiasts or dog owners than creating individual profiles.