It's A Crime To Do These 14 Things In Canada, And Honestly, I Was Not Expecting 90% Of These

"Everyone who fraudulently pretends to exercise or to use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, or conjuration is guilty of an offense punishable on summary conviction."

We've all heard of a few strange laws here and there, but these particular Canadian rules are SO SPECIFIC, they feel fake to me. I could go on all day, but here's a roundup of a few of my faves:

1. Province-wide, Alberta: It is illegal to own a pet rat.

IFC

"A person shall not purchase, keep, or sell live rats unless the person holds a permit issued under subsection."

Fun fact: Alberta is the only region in the entire world free of Norwegian rats.

2. Nation-wide: It is illegal to pretend to practice witchcraft.

Walt Disney Pictures

The Criminal Code of Canada states, "Every one who fraudulently pretends to exercise or to use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, or conjuration is guilty of an offense punishable on summary conviction."

3. Toronto, Ontario: It is against the law to swear in a public park.

CBS

The Toronto bylaw states, "While in a park, no person shall indulge in riotous, boisterous, violent, threatening, or illegal conduct or use profane or abusive language."

4. Province-wide, Ontario: If you don't pay your hotel bill, they can sell your horse.

Giphy / Via giphy.com

That is if you brought a horse or other live animal with you.

The Ontario Innkeeper's Act states, "An innkeeper, livery-stable keeper, or boarding-stable keeper who has a lien upon a horse, other animal, or carriage for the value or price of any food or accommodation supplied, or for care or labour bestowed thereon, has, in addition to all other remedies provided by law, the right, in case the same remains unpaid for two weeks, to sell by public auction the horse, animal, or carriage on giving two weeks notice of the intended sale..."

5. Edmonton, Alberta: It is illegal for you to let your cat meow or howl outdoors.

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The Edmonton residential bylaw states, "No cat owner may allow his or her cat to 'cause a disturbance to a person by its meowing or howling.'"

6. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Taxi drivers are NOT allowed to wear T-shirts.

Warner Bros. Picture

The Halifax bylaw states, "Every driver while in control of a taxi or accessible taxi shall wear a shirt or military-type blouse with a collar and sleeves (no T-shirts), ankle-length trousers, or dress shorts..."

7. Bathurst, New Brunswick: You are NOT allowed to trick or treat if you're over 16 years old.

NFL

The municipal bylaw states, "No person(s) over the age of 16 years shall take part in door to door soliciting (trick or treating) in the City of Bathurst."

8. Fredericton, New Brunswick: It is against the law to wear a snake, or carry a pet lizard, in public.

PBS

This is in accordance with the Fredericton animal control bylaw. However, "A person may possess a snake or other reptile on a street or in a public place provided it is in a case, cage, or other container designed in such a fashion that it will completely confine such snake or reptile."

9. Province-wide, Alberta: It is against the law to paint a wooden ladder.

Amazon Prime

This is in accordance with Alberta's 2009 Occupational Health and Safety Code. The law was put into action to ensure you can tell the condition of such a ladder, since 'a wooden ladder may be preserved with a transparent protective coating.'"

10. Sudbury, Ontario: It is illegal to attach a siren to your bike.

Netflix

The Sudbury bylaw states, "The operation of any siren or other artificial noise device other than a bell or horn, attached to a bicycle shall be deemed unusual noise."

11. Oshawa, Ontario: It is against the law to climb a tree.

NBC

The Oshawa bylaw states, "No person shall interfere with a tree or part of a tree located on municipal property, including but not limited to attaching, affixing, or placing upon in any manner any object or thing to a tree or part of a tree, and climbing the tree."

12. Hay River, Northwest Territories: It is against the law to use a dog sled on a sidewalk.

National Geographic

This is in accordance with the Hay River bylaw.

13. Nation-wide: It is illegal to waterski after sunset.

X Games

The Criminal Code states, "Every one who operates a vessel while towing a person on any water skis, surf-board, water sled, or other object during the period from one hour after sunset to sunrise is guilty of an offense punishable on summary conviction."

And finally...

14. Nation-wide: It is illegal to challenge someone to a duel and/or accept an invitation to a duel.

20th Century Fox

The Criminal Code states, "Every one who challenges or attempts by any means to provoke another person to fight a duel, attempts to provoke a person to challenge another person to fight a duel, or accepts a challenge to fight a duel, is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years."

What's your favorite weird and wacky Canadian law? Comment below!