I've never had problems getting Canadian Airlines to send a request for an award seat through either (except with Inter-Canadian, which was an awful airline and whom they had to call and verbally request that a seat be released). On the other hand, since about last August it's been almost impossible to get that request granted.

Of course, last time I travelled myself, there was such confusion (errors in information, confirmed business award that magically turned into an economy award, they forgot to put me on a standby list for a business class award, etc, etc) that I wound up being operationally upgraded (at the very strong request from the YHZ lounge staff) all the way down and all the way back. And got miles!