When these officers are looking at an application they are looking at a composite picture of risk. They are weighing a whole variety of different factors. There are the admissibility issues that they deal with, which are reasonably straightforward, but then there is a question of intent. That becomes extraordinarily difficult to assess. They are going to be looking at a variety of factors to try to determine intent. Will this person leave Canada at the end of their intended visit? They are trying to balance a whole range of different factors.
First of all, almost no two applications are the same. There are always some different factors that weigh into it, so it's very difficult to compare them. In any case, an officer, for very good and valid grounds—and the Federal Court respects this and acknowledges this—can look at the same series of factors and come to a different conclusion when they balance it all together. It's not a matter of lack of professionalism or lack of will to try to facilitate travel, but when you balance everything together it is possible to come to different conclusions.