Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Let's be Real: many people don't feel safe in downtown Edmonton. Investment is stalled out, vacancy rates are unsustainable, and social issues dominate the narrative. Is downtown Edmonton dead, or is a revival on the horizon?  3:05 | Alex Hryciw, Heather Thomson, and Tim Shipton dig into the past, present, and potential future of Edmonton's downtown.  CHECK OUT THE PLAN: https://yegdowntown.ca/ WI...

Former Invest Alberta CEO David Knight Legg says Canada's trade situation is a "disaster," and the federal government is ill-equipped to work effectively with U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump.  3:45 | DKL tells us where the Trump campaign got it right, the Harris campaign got it wrong, and what Trump's return to the White House means for Canada.  36:20 | What's the real reason Alberta Premier Dan...

The rumour mill has former Prime Minister Stephen Harper taking over as the next chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). What does this say about Danielle Smith's goal of an Alberta Pension Plan, and what might it mean for your retirement income?  2:45 | Veteran political columnist Graham Thomson digs into the AIMCo story, including the Harper rumour. We get into the implic...

More than six million Canadians don't have a family doctor. Millions more are waitlisted to see specialists and surgeons. We've never spent so much on healthcare as a nation, yet access to care has never been worse. How do we begin to heal healthcare?  2:45 | Drs. Shazma Mithani and Sheila Wijayasinghe, hosts of The Doc Talk podcast, tell us how the average Canadian can better know their rights an...

At just 19 years old, Marty Jones stared down Nazi artillery the morning of June 6, 1944 as a gunner aboard the HMCS Prince Henry, one of the ships that led the assault at Juno Beach. Eighty years later, he tells us why he enlisted at 16, and how he navigated life after WWII. EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com SUPPORT THE JUNO BEACH CENTRE'S PROJECT CONCORDIA: https://www.junobeach.org/ FOLLOW...

It's an all-Presidential Election version of The Flamethrower, as Real Talkers share their hottest takes on Trump's return to the White House. The Flamethrower is presented weekly on Real Talk by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park. FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, be sure to let 'em k...

Ten years from now, when nearly every WWII veteran is gone, who will tell their stories? Does the average Canadian understand the sacrifices of those who fought in the First World War? Or Afghanistan, for that matter? In this special edition of the Real Talk Round Table, we explore the true meaning of Remembrance Day, and the importance of educating the next generation of Canadians.  1:08 | Are yo...

Kevin Van Tighem was portrayed by his political opponents as an "enemy" of Alberta when he ran to become an MLA in 2023. Now-Minister Jason Nixon pulled quotes from his book "Wild Roses Are Worth It: Reimagining the Alberta Advantage," and accused him of portraying Albertans as angry rednecks and resource exploiters. We talk to the former Superintendent of Banff National Park (26:20) about that ex...

So much for "too close to call". Donald Trump soundly defeats Kamala Harris, and will serve as the 47th President of the United States. What does the election result say about America today? What does it mean for Canada and the rest of the world?  2:38 | Mount Royal University Political Science professor Dr. Duane Bratt tells us why he thinks the Trump campaign was so successful, and what the Trum...

Feeling US Election anxiety? We recommend this candid, entertaining, insightful episode of Real Talk with one of Canada's most-watched YouTube commentators, Quick Dick McDick.  9:55 |  @QuickDickMcDick  talks tariffs and other US election impacts on Canadian producers. We get his take on Scott Moe's future as Premier of Saskatchewan, and the story of Orlan Peterson, a construction worker shot on t...

Danielle Smith's leadership review went so well at the UCP AGM, some of her loudest critics are invoking Russia and North Korea in their social media posts. After all, where else do leaders score higher than 90%?  3:40 | Ryan and Johnny discuss Smith's 91.5% approval rating from party members in Red Deer, and muse about what it means for Smith's caucus and criticsc, Naheed Nenshi's NDP and Alberta...

Brendon and David have zero tolerance for Danielle Smith's "Jordan Peterson Law," Brent is sick and tired of "lazy Canadians and liberal media," and TheSco says Real Talk's pushing misinformation on Trump. Everybody's all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com  When you visit the DQs in Palisade...

Conservative premiers may not lose many elections in Alberta, but more than a few have "met their maker" at party AGMs. Amid coordinated attacks from progressives and the right wing, will Danielle Smith emerge unscathed from the UCP's big bash in Red Deer?  2:00 | Erika Barootes joins us in studio before hitting the highway for the UCP AGM. Cheryl Oates is just back from Saskatchewan, where she qu...

How do you feel about trapping? Have you thought about it much at all? There's a long history of trapping across the country, including Indigenous traditions and traders. An apex predator conservation group is trying to stop a trapping contest targeting wolves in Alberta. We wrestle with a few important questions in this episode of Real Talk.  4:30 | Kim Odlan, co-founder of Exposed Wildlife Conse...

The leader of Canada's Conservatives and the Liberal Housing Minister were at each other's throats in the House of Commons. Could it be a preview of party leader quarrels to come? In this episode, we dig into the Poilievre/Fraser slugfest, analyze growing dissent among Trudeau's team, and determine what it means for you.  Plus, Johnny's had an epiphany about the U.S. election (after that "floating...

Scott Moe loses...but wins in Saskatchewan. Same with David Eby in BC. Blaine Higgs loses in New Brunswick, period. What's in store for Danielle Smith in Alberta and Tim Houston in Nova Scotia? We zero in on the top political stories in Canada on this episode of Real Talk.  3:15 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, breaks down the Saskatchewan election result, a wild week o...

It may not be among the Top 100 Most Important Issues Facing Albertans, but the UCP's so-called "Jordan Peterson Law" will steal more than its fair share of attention and analysis this fall, both in Alberta and across the country.  2:45 | Ryan takes a look at the implications of Premier Danielle Smith's pledge to protect the rights of professionals who express controversial personal views. We lay...

Real Talkers Colin, KP, and Michelle chime in on our Calgary arena debate, Tom says his MP is trying to cut his family's income, and Ron says Trudeau's time is up. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com  When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, be sure to tell...

With less than two weeks to go 'til November 5, a New York Times poll has Donald Trump and Kamala Harris dead even. Who stands a better chance of a late surge? Which numbers actually matter? What does the outcome mean for Canada? We get into it in this episode of Real Talk.  3:40 | Hillary Clinton compares a Trump rally to a Nazi rally during an appearance on CNN. Does she take a risk making the c...

Jasper-based journalist Bob Covey fired up his Flamethrower after our October 16 episode with retired foresters Ken Hodges and Emil Begin. We figured an on-camera interview would be more enlightening than an email (no offence to your email, Bob), so here it is. 4:50 | Bob Covey tells us why he was pissed off after watching our October 16 episode. Plus, we get an up-to-the-minute account of Jasper'...

Should public dollars go toward new arena districts that'll benefit billionaires?  2:35 | Calgary Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Deborah Yedlin and Project Calgary volunteer Peter Oliver debate public funding for Calgary's new arena (and what we can learn from the Edmonton deal).  ALBERTA VIEWS DIALOGUE FEATURE: https://albertaviews.ca/should-the-public-pay-for-calgarys-new-arena/ Knock 50%...

Are the CBC's days numbered? Its outgoing CEO is arguing with MPs over millions of dollars in bonuses paid to more than a thousand staff, while its incoming CEO will be tasked with retaining (or restoring) public trust an in institution under attack by federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.  2:10 | Jespo and Johnny dig into the argument to "defund" the CBC, and share their personal and prof...

id David Eby's NDP win and lose the B.C. election at the same time? You could make the argument, with an outcome as tight as it gets. What does such a narrow margin say about the state of that province, and federal politics for that matter? Meantime, the crisis in Lebanon is so bad that Syrian refugees who fled there are actually returning home. Humanitarian groups are doing what they can to provi...

Daintre insists Pierre Poilievre gets his security clearance, Garth calls Justin Trudeau derelict in duty, Rod wants Danielle Smith to quit wasting his money, and Bob's got words for the loggers we talked to about the Jasper wildfire. Real Talkers are all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com Wh...

We tackle Canada's top news stories in this supercharged episode of Real Talk. Bryan Baeumler tells us about his brand new TV show, but not before Dana Larsen and our Group Chat Round Table sound off on what's leading the headlines. 2:00 | Dana Larsen tells us about the police raid on his Vancouver mushroom dispensary, and why he thinks he's being targeted.  DANA'S BUSINESS: https://mushroomdispen...