I actually had Aeroplan waive a change fee recently for a much less serious issue.

I didn't even ask. I just said "an emergency came up at home and I need to go back on the next flight, please use my Super Elite priority rewards" (the original booking did not use IKK, and the new one needed it).

It might have helped that the multi-day trip became a partial-day trip, but he asked the situation, said it didn't technically qualify, but he'd waive it anyway.

But yeah, doesn't AC have an actual policy for this?