As my frequent readers are aware, my Aunt Polly is a big time lawyer who runs her own law firm. She has inspired me to do a little research into some of the lesser known laws of Canada. Since I got these laws from one page on the internet and I have made no effort to confirm them through any other means, I can only assume that they are 100% true and accurate.
One that I came across recently just happens to be something that a friend of mine told me about many years ago. The law in Alberta is; if you are released from prison, it is required that they give you a handgun with bullets and a horse, so you can ride out of town. This seems like it would be especially good in modern times. I suspect that not very many of our released criminals are very skilled horse riders. So put them on top of a horse as soon as they get out, slap it on the butt and watch the fun (note that the law doesn’t say anything about a saddle or bridle). The released criminal would probably fall pretty soon after take off. He might just hit his head hard enough to cause a change in his personality (it happens all the time on t.v.). Even if it didn’t, it would probably be such a harrowing experience that he would never want to go to prison again for fear of having to ride a horse upon his release.
On the other hand, for the very few prisoners who were skilled riders, the law also does not say that the bullets have to fit the gun, nor does the gun actually have to work. So if he tries to use the gun to commit another crime it could misfire, the bullet might lodge in his brain and instead of being killed it could cause a personality change (again I’ve seen it on t.v., so it must be possible) and he would stop being a criminal.
And if some stranger came into town on horseback, you would automatically know he would be either a released prisoner or a cowboy. Either way the police could prevent that kind of scum from entering the town and they would have to go get a job, along with the other dregs of society, with a rodeo.
In Alberta, a prisoner is given a gun when they leave the prison? Very odd!