Perhaps 50% of the time on my return segements during the past month, YYZ-YVR, and when I check in at the SE counter, the attendant has asked me for an upgrade cert (I've already done a telephone upgrade and am generally on a G or L fare) and didn't seem to care whether I presented a Special or regular cert

So naturally I present a regular cert. Have I just gotten lucky or is something happening these days behind the scenes that relates to a backing off on the ground rules for upgrades on cheap fares?