The rule applies to all. What I mean is that not everyone has extended family who they can ask to be a reference or guarantor. What if someone is a former refugee who lost all relatives in war? What if someone is like American writer Salinger J. D., who disliked socializing with people (for very valid reasons) and lived half of his life in total (self imposed) seclusion? What if it's just someone who has no extended family (the sole kid of parents who had no siblings, passed away grandparents), and with no so called "friend" in Canada, no one who was willing to vouch for them? I have read some stories in this forum about fake friends, who were supposedly friends but refused to be a reference or guarantor for the Canadian citizenship applicants. I mean, if you are an adult individual with some life experience you know there are many possibilities out there. The world is not made of people just like yourself, who have the same options/resources/connections that you have. It's naïve to imagine everyone on Earth like other versions of yourself and your personal circumstances.
And the passport is something that allows you to travel freely. As such, it's an instrument that you are entitled to (under human rights charter). It should not be conditioned or denied because you can't meet certain arbitrary condition imposed on you.
