The Funniest (True!) News Headlines From Across the Country – Reader's Digest Canada
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From a thoughtful thief returning a stolen car (with a full tank of a gas) to a multi-million dollar maple syrup heist, here are a few hilarious headlines that could only have happened in the Great White North.
When RCMP officers in Saskatchewan got wind of an underage party north of Regina, they decided to give partygoers a heads-up in the most Canadian way possible, Global News reported in 2015. “Thanks for the invite to the underage frosh party in the Lumsden area on Saturday night,” read a cheeky post from the Mounties on the party’s Facebook page. “Lumsden RCMP will bring chips and salsa and a choice of possible charges.” Indeed, the officers made good on their promise, setting up a check stop at the venue’s entrance to make sure no teenagers were drinking and driving.
Looking for more funny headlines? Let’s dive in.
As Canada’s national police force, the RCMP is no stranger to odd complaints. Case in point: an autumn night in 2015 when officers were called to a Martensville, Saskatchewan, Tim Hortons to remove a goat that refused to leave, as reported by the National Post. “He was very unhappy with this so the members decided to take him home instead of to holding cells at detachment,” read a cheeky RCMP news release. Organizers of the University of Saskatchewan Rodeo later said that the goat escaped from their event the previous night.
Check out 10 fascinating Tim Hortons facts you probably didn’t know.
The subject of one of the most audacious heists in Canadian history was a true Canadian staple: maple syrup. Between 2011 and 2012, nearly 3,000 tonnes of the sweet stuff—valued at $18 million—were stolen from a storage facility in Quebec. The mastermind, Richard Vallieres, was given an eight-year sentence and a $9.4 million fine in 2017, according to the Toronto Star; two other men were each given two-year jail terms. Thankfully, the stolen amount comprised barely one-tenth of Quebec’s maple syrup reserves.
Check out 10 must-try Canadian foods—and the best places in the country to find them.
In 2018, a Nova Scotia woman returned from shopping to find her car had vanished from the parking lot. But what looked like a carjacking wasn’t one at all: it turns out a motorist driving an identical vehicle had parked in the spot next to her and accidentally drove off in the wrong car! (How his key fob managed to work, we’ll never know.) Upon realizing his error, the mistaken motorist tracked the woman down and returned her car—with a full tank of gas. In true Maritime fashion, she reimbursed him!
Here are more good news stories that’ll restore your faith in humanity.
When Jordan Cote of Sooke, B.C., found a black bear with two young cubs just metres away from his deck, he asked them to leave his property with customary Canadian politeness. “I need you guys to go,” Cote can be heard saying in a video of the incident he later posted to the “Meanwhile in Sooke” Facebook group. “I hope you enjoyed my yard. Have a good day.” In an interview with CTV News, Cote said he was shocked at how calm the mama bear remained.
Check out these funny Canadian animals captured on camera.
Much of Canada experienced extreme cold and snowstorms at the beginning of 2019—and Montreal was no exception. As reported by CTV News, snowfall in the city was particularly heavy over the third weekend of January as temperatures dipped to a bone-chilling -29°C. An annual winter festival that takes place in Montreal Park even had to be cancelled! The name of the event? The Festival of Snow. (Oh, the irony!)
Take a look back at the worst snowstorms in Canada’s history.
Beavers are fascinating animals: they’re capable of building giant dams, remain monogamous, and even have transparent “third eyelids” that act as underwater goggles. Another fun fact: they can act as herders! In 2017, Saskatchewan rancher Adrienne Ivey and her husband were surprised to see 150 of their heifers crowded together on their pasture. Upon closer investigation, they realized that the cattle were following a single beaver that had wandered onto their ranch. Of all the funny headlines to come out of Canada, this one is perhaps the most incredible.
Don’t miss this roundup of Canada’s quirkiest roadside attractions.
The Royal Canadian Geographic Society and its magazine, Canadian Geographic, ran a two-year National Bird Project, inviting the public to vote for their favourite winged wonders. In 2016, the verdict came in: the gray jay. As reported by CTV News, its selection ruffled some feathers, but the gray jay did have its defenders. “If you had to pick three characteristics of Canadians, they would be, I think, hardy, friendly and smart,” said David Bird, head of McGill University’s Avian Science and Conservation Centre. “And the gray jay epitomized all of those things.” The Government of Canada has yet to adopt any bird as a national symbol.
Discover the fascinating story of how the provincial flowers of Canada were chosen.
Most of these funny headlines are unbelievable, but this one is downright jaw-dropping. The one-word expression that came to define Canadian English—both within Canada and around the world—is disappearing, Sali Tagliamonte, a linguist at the University of Toronto, told the Toronto Star in 2013. The word that’s pushing “eh” out of the way? According to Tagliamonte, the word “right” has replaced “eh” among young Canadians.
Check out the best Canadian jokes of all time.
In January 2019, travellers found themselves waiting for Highway 40 near L’Assomption, Quebec, to re-open after a 50-car pileup. What’s notable is that they passed the time in the most Canadian way imaginable: they played an impromptu game of hockey on the road.
If you enjoyed these funny headlines, be sure to check out our roundup of the 50 funniest town names across Canada.
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