Well, if the government really makes a significant compromise, it will look like its surrendering to violent tactics. Also, the government has gotten whatever standing in the polls by rebuffing the students.
I am not surprised to see the students keep on keeping on. First, there are three groups having representatives at the meeting, so that fact by itself suggests impasse. The more people who can say no (can veto the agreement), the harder it is to come to an agreement. It does not take a sharp game theorist/scholar of comparative politics to figure this out, but it does not hurt. Further, the student leaders have been getting heaps of attention from the media so why would they want this to end. Yes, I am suggesting that the interests of the leaders and the interests of the students might not be identical! Shocking? Of course not. The "costs" of not compromising are currently non-existent for the students since the threat of classes being cancelled is no longer operative (they got pushed to August). So, why give in? It would mean less media attention, less ego-stroking, and, also, why give in when only the other side seems to be pressured?
The student proposal seems to be a two year freeze where the lost tuition would be replaced by reductions in tax credits.
She and her fellow student leaders said their proposal would have avoided fee hikes for two years by instead reducing the income-tax credit on post-secondary tuitions — a move that would have been cost-neutral for the government, which was one of its parameters during bargaining.So, this would mean that the kids would not be paying more but parents might be? Now we have some generational conflict! Oh, and why would Charest do this? He would be giving a group that will not vote him, the students, what they want, and alienating a group that might vote for him (the parents). So, this really is a non-starter. Plus, would the agreement be: two year freeze and then the planned increase in tuition? If so, it is hard to see CLASSE supporting that.
Thus, we are left with continued unrest. Less violent than before, noisier, and little chance for progress. I really don't see how this ends. The government could submit to mediation, but will not submit to arbitration unless it games the results. The government simply cannot freeze tuition after all of this.
That's my take. What is yours?