The history of the professions is the history of upgrade of qualifications. GPs used to do surgery. Not now. Primary teachers once only needed 2 years training. Not now. There were once no P plates. Not now. All that has changed. And more. Society demands higher standards now. And the Part 61 ATPL is a higher standard
As I have argued previously in this thread is the problem with your argument is that none of those professions have continual testing like aviation does. If there was no IR renewal or OPC your argument would be valid.
However in aviation before someone can actually exercise the priviledge of a ATPL they would have to passed numerous OPCs, line checks, endorsement, then the entire command upgrade program. Then after that they are tested regularly.
You'll be at a BBQ or two in the days ahead. Tell your friends that the nasty Commonwealth wants you to do a test for an ATPL and see how much sympathy you get.
Then tell them that regardless of the their pass in your beloved ATPL Flight test that they can still fail command training and be a career FO. To which then a reasonable person would ask, so what's the point of a ATPL flight test when the CAR 217 operator can deem you not suitable to exercise your license anyway?
Alternatively could also pass your ATPL flight test and then fail the endorsement!! What does that say about the ATPL flight test??