Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
That's fine to do: whoever gets involved with resolving your Avios, it won't include Air Canada, so by all means rake in your Star Alliance airmiles - there is no problem at all about that.
Star Alliance miles, a direct flight as a substitute for a detour via LAX and, hopefully, my original TPs and Avios. Goodness me, it's win win win today...