Tcook, I am sorry to read this. I have used a couple of different TAs' over the last two years to book various different trips and fate types. None have double dipped. Prior to my discovering FT, I used to pay a TA $50 a ticket to book my award travel, that way they could stay on hold with AP.

TAs' charging fees to clients is not a problem IMO, as long as it is agreed upon up front, and the charges are fair.

I think it is very short sighted of AC to cut commissions, of course TAs' will book Westjet and other carriers that are happy to pay them.
Imagine if AC went to TAs' and offered a 9% commission on all etickets booked thru ac.com, and a fair commission for paper tickets, but a commission higher than the competitors, they would have much higher loads, and the cost would not be that much higher.