If I had to pick one ATC quirk that causes me the most grief is the instruction to land on a runway that is seldom, if ever used at an airport IRL. CYYJ is one that keeps annoying me every time. IRL I can not remember the last time I was directed to land on RWY 03. I have had numerous night arrivals in IMC where I was cleared to the 09 (6124ft rwy with full approach lighting) ILS circle to land RWY 03 (3622 ft with displaced runway and no approach lighting. No matter what approach I ask for they will happily approve the approach and finish the clearance with, “CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 03”!
This airport has a cautionary for only pilots familiar with the terrain should utilize YYJ at night and yet they want me to deviate from the safest approach from over water and a straight in landing to circle the airport over an unlighted hill on approach to an unlighted rwy in marginal VFR with poor visiblity below 1000ft.
I ignore them only to be berated for landing without clearance on runway 09. Ideally, my next step should be to taxi to the tower and drag the controller out onto the tarmac by his ankles.