Door-to-door air quality 'survey' raises questions in Yellowknife

A door-to-door sales company whose sales tactics have drawn complaints in B.C. is now raising concerns in Yellowknife, N.W.T.

SeveralYellowknife residents have been visited by a salespersonfrom Healthtek, a B.C.-based company, asking to do a quick, three-question survey on air quality.

The residents describe a similar, suspicious-sounding process. After answering thesurvey questions, participants are entered into a draw to win a $20,000 prize and asked to give their phone numbers so they can be notified if they win.

"I just thought it was an air quality survey as a follow-up to last summer's smoky season," said Lisa Scott, a Yellowknife resident.

"They gave no indication they were a company at all. I just assumed they were on a contract with the government to do an air quality survey in town."

Though Scott hasn't received the call yet, others who gave their phone numbers have typically received calls a few days later, indicating Healthtek wants to give them a gift for doing the survey. All participants have to do is set up a time and date for someone with the company to drop it off.

Those participants are then visited by another salesperson who arrives with vacuum cleaners, air filtration systems and a determination to sell them.

Company is licensedto sell in the N.W.T.

The N.W.T.'s consumer affairs division says it hasn't received any complaints about Healthtek, which is licensed to sell door-to-door this year.

But Michael Gagnon, a policy advisor with the consumer affairs office, says door-to-door salespeople are supposed to clearly identify themselves as salespeople when they knock on your door.

"They are required to identify themselves as direct sellers for that vendor," says Gagnon.

"If they're a direct seller for company A, they should be identifying themselves as a direct seller for company A."

Healthtek president Darryn Murphy refused CBC's request for an interview.

The company's N.W.T.sales licence includes a cooling-off period for anyone who buys their products.

"In the N.W.T., you can cancel a sales contract you've purchased door-to-door for any reason for up to 10 days afterwards," says Gagnon.

If the company fails to deliver the product within 30 days, buyershave up to a year to cancel. Cancellations must be done in writing to the company.

If you have trouble finding the company's address, you can get it from the N.W.T.consumer affairs office by email at consumer_affairs@gov.nt.ca or by phone at (867) 873-7125.