Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

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,...

When's the last time a film really moved you? Documentaries in particular have a way of connecting with us and inspiring us to action. In this special edition of the Real Talk Round Table, we hang out with filmmakers whose work is featured at NorthwestFest, Canada's longest-running non-fiction film festival. We talk about where they get their inspiration, how they best connect with audiences, and...

Did Pierre Poilievre deserve to get kicked out of the House of Commons for calling Justin Trudeau a "wacko PM"? Should Greg Fergus resign as Speaker of the House? How much responsibility should the Prime Minister take for the tone of today's politics? We get into gamesmanship, theatre, and communication strategy in this episode of Real Talk.   8:35 | But first...was anybody surprised to see the Al...

Does shooting a puppy and writing about it in a book automatically kill South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's shot at the Vice Presidency? Does defunding a public transit program designed for low-income and senior Albertans make any sense - optically, politically, or otherwise - for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith?  4:50 | Emmy Award-winning talk radio legend Charles Adler chimes in on Noem, the UCP'...

For the first time in Alberta's history, political parties will be players in the October 2025 municipal elections. TAPYEG is the first party to introduce itself to voters in Edmonton. In this episode, we meet some of the people behind TAPYEG, and hear why they believe they can do a better job than the current mayor and council.  3:34 | TAPYEG board members Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson, Naseem Bashir, a...

Gabriel sounds off on 15 Minute Cities, James is nervous about the feds selling TMX, and Angela has a message for Alberta's duly-elected mayors and councillors. 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, tell 'em Real Talk s...

Another wild week in Alberta politics, as Premier Danielle Smith's government introduces sweeping changes to how city and town councils are elected, operate, and are held accountable. The UCP's Bill 20 opens the door for municipal political parties, restores union and corporate donations, and empowers the province to remove elected councillors (when it's "in the public interest"). Question is, are...

Are you better off with partisan politics at the local level? Will Alberta benefit from its provincial government inserting itself into funding agreements between municipalities and the feds? As Premier Danielle Smith's UCP government rolls out Bill 18 - the Provincial Priorities Act - and opens the door for municipal political parties, we ask, "What does it all mean for YOU?" 3:05 | Alberta Munic...

Claire Porter Robbins is just back from Jerusalem, where she's been covering the Israel-Hamas war for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Globe & Mail. Prior to that, she worked for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza.  2:15 | Claire tells us about the grim state of healthcare in Gaza, including reports of mass graves at the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals. She talks about the psychological impact...

All eyes are on Grande Prairie as the northern Alberta city bids adieu to the RCMP and welcomes its own municipal police service. "GP" becomes the first Alberta city since Camrose in 1956 to introduce a new police service, and both proponents and critics of Premier Danielle Smith's plan to establish a provincial police force will be paying close attention to how the transition plays out.  2:30 | M...

When you think of the state of Planet Earth, do you feel optimism or dread? We couldn't blame you for having a bit of a pit in your stomach, considering everything we see in the news. We humans are tough on our home planet. Is it possible to reverse the negative impacts we create, and preserve a healthy future for generations to come? In this special Earth Day episode of Real Talk, we hear about a...

Dwayne says Danielle Smith is a threat to medical research in Alberta, KP and Rene say Premier Smith's bang on with Bill 18, and Gabe has a bone to pick with Charles Adler. 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, tell '...

Kathleen Ganley's team is fed up with Jespo talking like their campaign's cooked. They say while the former Justice Minister might not be the favourite (or the biggest name) in the Alberta NDP leadership race, she's far from out of it. She argues her case - and tells us where she thinks the Hoffman and Nenshi campaigns are missing the mark - in a special episode of Real Talk.  2:50 | Team Ganley d...