Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Ryan's longtime friend Kathleen McGee joins (2:00) for REAL Talk about living with cancer. You'll laugh, you might cry, and we guarantee you'll be inspired.  FOLLOW KATHLEEN ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/kathleen_mcgee DONATE TO HER GOFUNDME: https://www.gofundme.com/f/june-dresses-for-the-alberta-cancer-foundation?member=34764567&sharetype=teams&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&utm_me...

Is Justin Trudeau done in the next two months? Paul Wells, one of Canada's best political writers, takes us into his new book "Trudeau on the Ropes: Governing in Troubled Times".  2:50 | We get Paul's opinion on the Canadian warship in Cuba, Justin Trudeau's future with the Liberal Party, Pierre Poilievre's human side, the opioid crisis in Alberta, and the Canadian Future Party. PAUL'S SUBSTACK: h...

Anybody who's ever been to Calgary knows there's no way the Stampede's getting cancelled, water shortage or not. We look at how that major water main break's been impacting communities (and neighbourly relations) in this episode (18:40). Ahead of that, we hear "the other side" of the story of the HMCS Margaret Brooke docking in Cuba alongside a Russian nuclear sub (5:23). Make sure you stick aroun...

Why is a Canadian warship docked beside Russian vessels in Cuba? And why didn't Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly even know about it, when asked over the weekend? Defence Minister Bill Blair says it's a "smart" move, while the opposition Conservatives are calling it "reckless, radical, and dangerous." Who's right?  2:15 | Charles Adler dishes Canadian common sense on the Cuba story. But first,...

Real Talker Sierra delivers a eulogy for the Canadian Energy Centre - aka The War Room - in 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, make sure you tell 'em Real Talk sent you!

Fact or fiction? We task two of Alberta's most experienced journalists with scrutinizing our recent interview with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. 3:30 | Veteran commentators Graham Thomson and Markham Hislop dig into our June 12 interview with Premier Smith, including her eyebrow-raising comment about former premier Alison Redford, her thoughts on the future of carbon capture, her take on MLA Sha...

The stars of Spittin' Chiclets - the biggest hockey podcast in the world - join Jespo and Johnny in studio for a special Stanley Cup Final edition of Real Talk. Paul "BizNasty" Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney, Rear Admiral, and Mike Grinnell talk about the Oilers' decade of darkness, today's team (including a Leon Draisaitl contract extension), and whether or not Connor McDavid needs to hire somebody fo...

Why did Premier Danielle Smith appoint her one-time nemesis Alison Redford to the board of Invest Alberta? How is Calgary's water main disaster impacting how she'll approach the province's infrastructure deficit? Is Alberta even ready for a population boom...and if not, why not? Why is Premier Smith allowing her party to host a post-pandemic anti-vax event? And what's her response to MLA Shannon P...

Does your family have rules for phones and tablets? Does your kid's school (or even your own workplace) try to cut back on distraction by limiting access to tech? As Ontario and Quebec take the lead on banning phones in class, and Alberta looks to do the same, we get three different perspectives on tech literacy and brain and social development from Wyatt Sharpe, Gillian Essien, and Alison Service...

There's nothing funny about alleged corruption and shady business deals involving elected officials. But that's not stopping Jespo, Johnny, and Charles Adler from having a chuckle over the "Other Randy" story. We get to that, millionaire conspiracy peddler Alex Jones liquidating his assets, and a troubling report implicating MPs and/or Senators in acts of treason in this episode of Real Talk. But...

Debra checks in from the States with strong words (!!!) for Donald Trump; Ray, Ed, and Jim take issue with our May 31 Group Chat Round Table's take on Pierre Poilievre, and Dr. Jennifer delivers an unofficial diagnosis of the federal Conservative Leader. It's a feisty federal politics edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWE...

From 1-10, where's your "climate anxiety" at? In this episode, we meet three "Climate Action Figures" who remind us it's never too late to take action.  5:10 | But first...it's another Real Talk scoop: Alberta will introduce policy on phones in schools as early as this summer. Ryan and Johnny take a look at what Ontario's doing, and what Alberta might do, ahead of our special episode on distractio...

This is the most personal and powerful episode of Real Talk we've ever released. Ryan shares his thoughts after the sudden and tragic death of his dear friend Loz (2:00), and we check in with grief educator Jeremy Allen (18:00). SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: CALL OR TEXT 9-8-8  CONNECT WITH JEREMY: https://www.deathed.ca/ EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com  FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTA...

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...