By CBC News

The CRTC has fined Bell Canada $1.3 million for making unwanted telemarketing calls to Canadians -- the biggest penalty ever imposed by the regulator for breaking the rules restricting such calls.

The regulator found that between January and October of this year, Bell Canada had directed that calls be improperly made to some of the more than seven million Canadians who have registered their numbers with the national do-not-call list or to others who were on Bell Canada's own internal do-not-call list.

The CRTC said Monday these calls came from independent telemarketers that Bell had hired to market its various services -- including television, telephone, wireless and internet services.

"All telemarketers must respect the wishes of Canadians who have registered their telephone number on the [do-not-call list] or requested that a telemarketer include their number on its internal do-not-call list," said Andrea Rosen, the CRTC's chief telecommunications enforcement officer, in a release.

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Has the do-not-call list worked for you? Have you registered, but are still receiving unwanted telemarketing calls? Share your experiences in the comments below or email us at yournews@cbc.ca.