[mynegation]

No, it is not just that, it is a cultural thing. I recently did a long trip through South America, and only had one-way ticket to Ecuador. Canadian check-in agent refused to give us boarding pass citing an _Ecuadorian_ rule that you have to have a ticket out of Ecuador to be admitted. I had to buy two fully-refundable tickets from Ecuador to Mexico (based on cheapest price and the fact that Mexico does not ask such things).

And of course, neither Ecuador nor any of the other South American countries with the same formal rule ever asked us for the return ticket. Why would they?! Most people travel on buses between countries anyway. But Canada does not care, it sticks to the rule.