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Government of Canada: Top 15 Weird Canadian Rules

Have you wondered does Canada have any weird rules?

Well.. Oh, yes, they do. The government of Canada has some of the peculiar and strangest rules or acts that you probably have never heard about.

We did a thorough search to make this list of peculiar acts by the government of Canada. Remember that some of these rules are past; they no longer exist. But you will still be amazed at each one of them.

And now you have access to them, so read aloud and enjoy. But first, let’s cover some ground about the form and standard of the Canadian government.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, and the body responsible for the federal administration is the government of Canada. 

The Government of Canada is the one that handles all the federal departments. Currently, the new government is run by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s<span data-preserver-spaces=”true”> liberals, as he recently won the minority government.

The government of Canada has a very similar structure to that of the British, and it has three different levels.

The levels of government in Canada

  1. The National-level Federal Government
  2. The Province-level-provincial Government
  3. The City-level Municipal Government

The country’s federal government is responsible for making laws and ensuring that they are expressed or implied. 

The provincial government is responsible for human settlements, social services, and economic functions. The members of the provincial legislature handle these requested services or programs.

You can learn more about the government on their official website or page. 

Here you will find all the necessary information, like the symbol of the government, tax credits, business & industry, travel & transportation, job information, health, and much more.

Let us know to check up on some key facts about the government of Canada:

Key Facts About Government of Canada

gornment of canada
Source: Depositphotos

Like other governments, even the government of Canada has its fair share of interesting, vital facts that you should know about. So, let’s check them out.

Canada is a federal state!

A federal state or federal government is the one where power is divided between local state governments and a central national government. 

The federal government of Canada has a different set of responsibilities. A national government should look into general and local governments for local purposes.

It is a constitutional monarch!

A constitutional monarchy is a system where a king or queen rules a country but whose powers are limited by a constitution.  Canada is a monarchy, meaning the king or queen has responsibilities, duties, and rights toward Canada.

It is a parliamentary democracy!

Being a parliamentary democracy means citizens (Canadians) can vote in democratic elections. 

In democratic elections, the representative who receives more than 50% of votes or support from the natives wins. In other words, the initiatives for forming the government are in the hands of the people.

Well, that will be enough information on the government of Canada; let’s set our priorities right and not veer from our main topic of interest, which is weird laws or rules by the government of Canada.

15 Weird Rules By the Government of Canada

1. You can not always pay in coins

Canada Coin
Source: Depositphotos

No one likes to have a lot of change, and we often try to eliminate them, including Canadians. 

They try using it to pay for chocolate bars at checkout counters. However, you cannot pay for purchases with too many coins; it is prohibited.

According to the government of Canada, one is only allowed to use one Canadian dollar coin and five coins of 25 cents each.

2. No “booze traveling” from one place to another

It’s illegal in Canada to transport alcohol from one province to another without permission from the province’s liquor control board.

Note: This particular law was relaxed for wine in 2012. Transporting any other liquor will still be illegal.

3. No purple in Kanata, Ontario.

purple door
Source: DepositPhotos

Well, if you ever visit the suburb of Ontario, Kanata, you will notice that no garage or home doors are painted purple. Do you know why? Because it is against the law to paint your exterior doors purple.

4. No dragging of dead horses

Can you believe dragging a dead horse along Yonge Street in Toronto is illegal? Well, believe it or not, it is true and has been confirmed by the regional police.

But do you know what’s more strange than this? It is only illegal on Sundays. So, if you are dragging a dead horse on other days, you are free to do so.

5. No “ice cream” Sundays

IceCream
Source: DepositPhotos

Who doesn’t love ice cream, right? And especially when you are abroad, you always want to try everything. 

It is illegal in Ottawa to eat ice cream on Sundays. But if you are ever in Ottawa, put your cravings on hold, especially on Bank Street.

So, don’t go against the law, and let your Sundays be ice cream-free.

6. NO rat pets in your homes

It is against the law in Alberta to pet rats. 

Several laws have been passed regarding the prohibition of rodents as pets since the 1950s.

7. Seal your lips: no whistling during prime hours

Did you know it is illegal to whistle between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. in Petrolia, Ontario?  Well, no matter how weird this might sound, it is still true. This is a part of the “anti-noise bylaw.” 

So, no “shouting, yelling, whistling, or even singing” during the prime hours.

8. No t-shirts for taxi drivers in Halifax

Taxi
Source: DepositPhotos

Every driver in control of any taxi is forbidden from wearing t-shirts. 

The Halifax Regional Municipality has strict laws regarding taxi and limousine dress.

9. Now, petting cows at home.

Keeping a cow as a pet inside your home is illegal in Newfoundland. 

However, it is not unlawful to own a cow; you can keep your cows in the barn, just not inside the house.

10. No painting of wooden ladders

According to the Canadian government, painting your wooden ladders is illegal in Alberta. This rule is according to the Occupational Health and Safety Code of 2009

This unusual law ensures you can tell the condition of a wooden ladder by not painting it and making it look new.

11. No sirens for your bike

Source: DepositPhotos

If you do a website search on quirky Canadian rules, you will find that it is illegal in Sudbury, Ontario, to attach a siren to your bike.

Any artificial noise device other than a horn or bell is considered illegal. No support for the cool bikers there either. 

12. No climbing trees in Oshawa

Don't Climb
Source: DepositPhotos

This one might be by far the weirdest of all. In Oshawa, Ontario, it is against the law to climb any tree or even interfere with any part of a tree. But still true.

This law was set up to provide safety and prevent citizens from being the “friendly neighbourhood spiderman.”

This law’s expressed, or implied date can be dated back to 2008.

12. No selling of crime comics

It is illegal nationwide in Canada to sell, print, publish, distribute, or possess a crime comicThis is against the law according to the Criminal Code of Canada.

The reason Canadian publications don’t permits to collect of crime comics is due to science done in the country, which links media with violence.

13. Ask your parrot to keep it low.

Parrot Sceech
Source: DepositPhotos

In Okay, Bay, one can be fined $100 if their parrot is too loud. So, if you ever decide to live in Oak Bay and own a parrot, ask your parrot to keep it low. 

14. No Big Snowmen in the winters

Aren’t snowmen fun? But guess what? Someone might have some problems with the snow fun.  Because there is a law that says you can not build a snowman higher than 30 inches (0.76 m) tall. 

And if this seems weird enough, you should know that there was once a time when even throwing around snow was against the law. 

15. There’s a watermark for your tub

If the above laws weren’t strange enough for you, listen to this one.

There are many laws to provide business support to local enterprises, but Etobicoke, Ontario, has a local bylaw to ensure your bathtub’s safety.

The law states that no bathtub should be filled with more than three-and-a-half inches of water. The lawmakers of Etobicoke are all about safety.

Final Thoughts

Goverment of Canada
Source: DepositPhotos

So, what do you think of these strange rules? Are they freaking you out yet? Well, this is not just the end. These are just some of the peculiar regulations by the government of Canada, but there are more.

Canada is a beautiful place to travel to, but it does have some strange rules. You are all good to go if you can abide by these rules. 

Over the years, these rules have affected foreign policy and Canada’s response to travel health services, information, and other issues regarding the most requested services.

Just know that Canada strictly follows the rules and ensures everyone else does. And if you ever plan to visit Canada, check this article to learn more weird rules, just in case. 

Prepare a list and be ready to face Canada because there’s no easy escape.

Let us know your thoughts on this article. You can share your feedback by leaving a comment in the comment section.

Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty

Author

  • Kritika Hazarika

    Hola! This is Kritika. She is a part-time content writer, a full-time poet, and a Biotechnology graduate. She is the author of Dusk Till Dawn- her first poetry book which was published in 2018. To follow her writeups visit kritikahazarika.blogspot.com or check out her Instagram handle @ms.hazarika

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