Speaking as a guy who used to offer money to people for mineral/surface rights, it is a oftentimes a shame that people reject a generous offer because they believe they're the only option.

I'd say to each his own though... may the owner of the land pick his price. I'd agree with you though that if you make an error by thinking you're the only option when you're not, then it's not going to likely work out too well for you... but such is the nature of errors.

In an extreme case, in the US, we don't even need to pay for surface rights when we have mineral rights since they're subordinate, we just do it just to soothe potential hurt feelings.

And that to me isn't a very capitalistic approach that respects private property rights. I think America (and most other Western countries, Canada included) left that path a long time ago... today I find it legal in a lot of areas where you can trample over someone's property rights by arguing that what you want to do is "better for the common good" and thus we should turn a blind eye and make an exception to that one owner's rights.

We always offer to pay them, and when they reject us, we just shrug and do it anyway because we already owned the right to.

Interesting. The law is what it is, so I suppose it's generous you at least try and offer some money. Personally, if I could change that sort of law I would though... to me it sounds a bit odd that someone else could own the surface rights to something and you're allowed to go stand on their surface rights without their permission. I think you should be forced to come to a voluntary agreement with them such that you can get the access to the minerals you need.