Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Now that Connor and crew punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final, are the Edmonton Oilers officially Canada's Team?  2:45 | Everybody's talking about the Oilers around the water cooler - why would our weekly check-in with Charles Adler be any different? The guys also discuss MP Arnold Viersen's comments on abortion and gay marriage, Donald Trump's conviction, Robert Pickton's beating death,...

Cher can't fly her Canadian flag anymore, Tobias has no mercy, Garth calls out "Flip Flop Adler," Commish Daddy says there is no middle class, and Nathan's wondering if Peter Lougheed is rolling in his grave. 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, We...

Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. He can still run for President, and might very well win. Our Group Chat Round Table digs into the difference between legal strategy and public opinion strategy. Plus, is Pierre Poilievre unbeatable? Are abortion rights going to be a factor in the next election? And, do smartphones belong in classrooms or not?  2:10 | Jenny Adams, Katherine O'Neill, and Sarah...

Love him or hate him, you can't deny Pierre Poilievre's riding major momentum these days. The Conservative leader claims to have doubled the party's membership, and virtually every poll forecasts a convincing win the next time Canadians go to the polls. What is it about his message (or his strategy) that's attracting so many people, many of them previously disinterested in politics?  3:00 | Politi...

Three Lethbridge cops are off the hook for using police databases to improperly access a politician's personal information, despite Alberta's police watchdog recommending charges. Then-Energy Minister Shannon Phillips was first targeted when on-duty officers eavesdropped on a private conversation, then posted photos and the personal commentary on Facebook in 2017. But that's just the tip of the ic...

More than 70% of Canadians believe they're "middle class". Are you one of them? New polling shows most of us feel "less wealthy" than our fellow Canadians...but is that accurate? In this episode, we learn how our feelings and other factors contribute to our perception of financial security, and how that's changed in recent years.  5:20 | Margaret Chapman, COO at Narrative Research, takes us into t...

"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything," wrote George Bernard Shaw. This is one of the most honest episodes of Real Talk to date, as Charles Adler does a 180 on his previous comments about deporting Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the driver who caused the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Chuck, Ryan, and Johnny talk about PGA golfer Grayson Murray's death by suicide (17:55), filmmaker Ken B...

Rob's choked about being duped into signing a petition, Stephen and Robyn have spicy takes on fighting in hockey, and Deaner wants you to GET OUT OF THE PASSING LANE. Real Talkers fire up their Flamethrowers courtesy the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park. If you find yourself in need of a summer fix, look no further: The new Picnic Peach Cobbler Blizzard Treat is here to dazzle your tast...

It's one thing to have a million (or billion) dollar idea. It's another thing to turn that idea into a legitimate business. So, what's the secret to a successful startup? We talk inspiration, team building, problem solving, and growth strategies in a special Founders edition of the Real Talk Round Table.  2:31 | My Fertility Labs CEO Sarah Harper, Elev Homes co-founder Jean Bruce Koua, and Gummy N...

Full disclosure: Ryan feels strongly that fighting is an important part of hockey. But, there are several compelling arguments to ban fighting from the game. We know more about short- and long-term effects of repeated blows to the head. We've lost several former NHL heavyweights to suicide, while many more suffer long-term effects of CTE. Maybe it's not surprising a majority of Canadians polled (i...

Is the "Alberta Advantage" disappearing? For decades, the province has boasted higher wages, lower unemployment, and a lower cost of living than the rest of Canada. But the numbers show a troubling trend. We investigate what's behind it, and what the future could look like, in this episode of Real Talk.  3:03 | Why is Alberta's minimum wage the lowest in the country? Why aren't private sector work...

Is this strike three for House Speaker Greg Fergus? The Opposition Conservatives are crying foul after yet another partisan display from the Liberal MP serving in what's supposed to be a non-partisan role. Ryan and Charles Adler debate whether or not it's time for Fergus to go (13:30). But first... 3:30 | How bad are the optics around a political "youth mixer" aimed at 14-25 year olds? (Just kiddi...

KP says police were right to break up campus demonstrations, Jeff says Charles Adler's out to lunch on Jerry Seinfeld, Dave calls out Jespo for "slimy old tricks," Todd has a message for The Discourse host Erika Barootes, Ron says the Liberals have themselves to blame for poor polling, and Rene says Pierre Poilievre and Gil McGowan have something in common. It's The Flamethrower presented by the D...

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Griffiths visit the Real Talk studio for a candid conversation about the present and future of Alberta's capital city.  3:07 | The State of the City: we talk about Edmonton's population growth (100,000 new residents over the past two years!), the housing crunch, strains on social services, a 9% property tax hike, challenges in the downt...

Premier Doug Ford's government is prepared to wage war on the City of Toronto if it proceeds with plans to decriminalize minor possession of hard drugs. This, as Premier David Eby's government in British Columbia is all but trashing its plan to do the exact same thing. What's the right move, amid an opioid crisis that's killed 43,000 Canadians since 2016? We get into it (36:25) in this episode, in...

Star actor Nathan Fillion shone a spotlight on his hometown of Edmonton the other day, posting a video of the brand new Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion on historic Whyte Avenue. The "parklet" is just one of many placemaking initiatives, part of a strategic effort toward density and walkability. Cities around the world are reimagining public spaces. How different will our communities look ten, twe...

Have the federal Liberals taken over the Alberta NDP? Could a Naheed Nenshi leadership win spell the end of the so-called "worker's party"? Hours after pulling out of the Alberta NDP leadership race, labour leader Gil McGowan joins Ryan in studio for a campaign post-mortem. Later in the episode, photojournalist Amber Bracken tells us why she's choked at the state of journalism, and why the general...

Have you seen the video of baton-wielding police officers clearing a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Alberta? Current and former students and professors are speaking out, ripping the U of A for calling in the cops. Meantime, University president Bill Flanagan is doubling down, saying it's his job to "take all reasonable measures to prevent harm." What's the right call here? How do de...

Gerald things Jerry Seinfeld needs to "grow a pair," Alison says we need to get serious about rail options for rural Albertans, and Peter says the government is "caving to the delusional demands of the far-right fringe". 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 When you visi...

Do not despair! Human life on Earth may not be doomed, after all. We connect with five Planet Protectors in this edition of The Best of Real Talk. We talk about our plastic problem, the future of wildfires, and our most precious natural resource: water. EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch...

We get it: not everybody has time to catch every single episode of Real Talk. That's why we've put together The Best of Real Talk: Politics Edition. These are the key moments from our highest-profile political interviews of 2024, including a few that made national news. Enjoy the highlight reel from our recent conversations with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Danielle Smith, Minister Randy...

Ottawa has approved the B.C. government's request to recriminalize the use of illicit drugs in public spaces. This, about a year and a half after the province introduced a pilot project allowing adults to carry up to 2.5 grams of drugs for personal use without facing criminal charges. The move comes amid growing concerns around "hard" drug use in public, including playgrounds and hospitals.  3:55...

This episode is about the WHY. Why is it newsworthy (or not) that senior officials were pressured to support Alberta's wind and solar moratorium? Why might the government be walking back its controversial Bill 20? Why might Premier Danielle Smith be considering changes to Alberta's auto insurance industry? Why could an ethical quagmire mean the end of a federal cabinet minister's career? And why o...

Political correctness is killing comedy. So says one of the all-time greats, Jerry Seinfeld, in an interview with The New Yorker. Is he right? We ask Charles Adler and our live audience (24:07). Later in the episode, Jason Leslie of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce has his Eye on Alberta Business - taxes and electricity costs in particular. 5:30 | Presented by Tice Automotive Consulting, Charles A...

Colin's wondering where all the money's going, LD's fed up with UCP suck-ups, Gabriel just can't take a certain Real Talk panel seriously, and James says Liberal corruption is making him sick. 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 When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao,...