Does the Internet Need a Global Regulator?

President Barack Obama continues to urge Congress to approve the American Jobs Act, introduced in September, which contains a focus on tax relief for American workers and their families. The president's plan envisions putting more money in the pockets of every American worker and family:

Global internet regulator ICANN Friday approved a new multilingual address system which ends the exclusivity of Latin characters for internet addresses. Domain names will be the first to be affected by the change.

OTTAWA – A surprise announcement by the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations that he is taking temporary sick leave won’t stall the momentum of First Nations’ negotiations with the prime minister, the AFN said Monday – even as natives angry with the federal government prepared for a day of protest this week. National Chief Shawn Atleo announced he is taking some time off to recover from illness after being ordered to do so by his doctors.

OTTAWA — Two Alberta-based First Nations said Tuesday they are taking the Harper government to court over its budget legislation, adding another front in the actions aboriginals have taken across the country to protest Bill C-45 and C-38. The chief of one of the First Nations at the centre of the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Federal Court, said the legal action was a separate and distinct process from the Idle No More protest movement, Chief Theresa Spence’s ongoing hunger strike, and a meeting this week between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Assembly of First Nations.

Reuven Glick and Sylvain Leduc examine the effectiveness of monetary policy when the policy rate is at the zero bound (i.e. they look at the ability of unconventional policy to change the exchange rate -- this is a highly condensed version of their argument):

The Idle No More movement presents one face of Canada’s First Nations: combative, frustrated with government, impoverished, opposed to resource projects while claiming entitlement to revenue sharing. Aboriginal entrepreneurs such as Wilf Lalonde present the other face. He’s a Cree from northern Alberta who sees big opportunities to work in and profit from oil and gas and other resource projects, and strives to make First Nations self-sufficient.

A sprawling crowd of native protesters swirled outside the Prime Minister’s Office in the shadow of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill on Friday as a controversial meeting between First Nations leaders and Stephen Harper got underway. A crowd of about 3,000 people, according to police estimates, first gathered outside the sandstone building known as Langevin Block, chanting, drumming and waving makeshift banners. Some of those near one of the entrances even pounded on the doors in a futile attempt to either gain access or invite the prime minister outside.

OTTAWA — A meeting scheduled between First Nations leaders and Prime Minister Stephen Harper was mired in chaos and confusion this morning, amid conflicting demands and claims from chiefs and new threats of road and rail blockades. Shawn Atleo’s leadership as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations also appears to be on the line as chiefs demanded that he boycott the talks.