Telemarketers are the cockroaches of our society. No matter how much you try to avoid these pesky invaders, every so often, one gets through.

"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Mark Cripps," said the lady on the phone last week.

"Damn," I thought, after picking up the only phone in the house without a call display panel.

"Yes Mr. Cripps," said the lady with a heavy South Asian accent. "I'm calling about your mastercard. We are offering disability insurance..."

At that point I cut her off.

"Disability insurance?" I said. "I've got all the insurance I need."

"But Mr. Cripps, this insurance will cover your payments should you lose your job or become unable to work."

Why do I even bother answering the phone? No one calls me at home any way. I should know better.

"No thank you," I replied and hung up.

My home is my sanctuary. My home is the place where I can leave the rest of the world behind, and escape from the phone calls and emails and constant information that I am bombarded with every day.

During work hours, I expect the junk emails and crank calls. I'm paid to disseminate the good from the bad.

But when I step through the front door of my house, I like to shut the door on the rest of the world and enjoy some peace and quiet.

In my house, I will not tolerate invasions by anything or anyone. The mice, flies, or any other rodents have all learned the hard way what happens to intruders. When they dare invade my sanctuary, I hunt them down until they are dead. I've been known to chase a fly around the house for hours until I find it and kill it.

Telemarketers are like insects trying to infiltrate into the home through the telephone wire.

They only want one thing - your money. And they prey on the weak and innocent.

For years, when the phone rang, I would always check the number on call display and then decide whether to answer or not.

The majority of the time I would just let it ring.

Then I decided the best way to fight back was to actually answer the phone, and then hang up.

That way, at least they will be charged for the connection. It was my way of getting back.

Well it appears help is on the way for those of us who despise and detest telemarketing calls.

This week, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced that Canadians will be able to register on a "do not call" list to screen out pesky telemarketers starting September 30.

It's about bloody time. This service is already available in other developed countries. Why telemarketers have been allowed to prey on Canadians for so long is an interesting question.

According to the CRTC, the process will allow Canadians who do not want to be contacted by telemarketers to register their phone number.

Earlier this year, the federal regulator put out a call for a contractor that would investigate complaints under the list.

A similar system is already in place in the United States.

The list will have exceptions, including charities, political parties, pollsters and established business relationships.

Bell Canada was named last year as operator of the do not call list, under a five-year contract.

I understand the concerns of charities who use telemarketing as a main tool for raising money. I appreciate their intentions are legitimate, however, as I said earlier, I don't want to be contacted by anyone other than family and friends while I'm at home.

I can't believe they have excluded political parties from the 'do not call list'. I'd rather speak to the credit card lady from India than some political hack trying to sell me a membership.

I hate pollsters, mainly because I don't like how polls are used by politicians to develop strategy.

Of course, no matter who calls, I am free to say "no thanks", or to hang up. I just don't appreciate the hassle.

When I moved last year, I seriously considered not having a home phone at all. I have a cell phone, and the people who aren't looking to sucker me into some worthless scam know how to reach me.

However, if this 'do not call list' actually weeds out the cockroaches lurking in the fibre optic lines outside my house, then maybe, just maybe, I won't pull the plug on my home phone just yet.