Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

The University of Alberta fired the head of its campus sexual assault centre after she signed an open letter calling reports of sexual violence during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel an “unverified accusation.” What the hell was she thinking? Whatever happened to believing survivors? And what's with union leaders and Pride Centre execs signing on, too? Is anybody actually thinking this through?  3...

Shots fired! Lance from The Pas has thoughts on the APP, Gerald's not sold on private healthcare, Kyle wants hands off his TFSAs, and Judy just wants a wave!   THE FLAMETHROWER is presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park: Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road. Tell 'em Real Talk sent you!

Who can even afford to live anymore? Groceries are up. Utilities are up. Insurance is up. Mortgages are up. Rents are up. Tuition's up. What's NOT up? Disposable incomes. This episode of Real Talk is dedicated to finding solutions for Canadians just barely getting by.  3:00 | Yasmin Abraham, Cherise Burda, and Dr. Brendan Haley are taking action on affordability. The members of the IRPP's new Affo...

There's no "quick fix" for the issues leading the headlines. Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia is on the rise, news outlets are dying on the vine, and politics are infiltrating your pension plan. Senator Paula Simons and Tasha Kheiriddin share potential solutions in this thought-provoking episode of Real Talk.  3:00 | Senator Paula Simons explains why the Liberals' Online News Act is such a disaster,...

It's a horrific story: hockey player Adam Johnson dies after an opposing player's skate slashes his neck. Two weeks after the tragedy, British police arrest a man on suspicion of manslaughter. The hockey world (and society at large) is split: was a crime committed on the ice that night?  2:45 | Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur tells us why he doesn't think Matt Petgrave should face charges in A...

This episode of Real Talk includes updates on two people we've featured in past. One international, one closer to home - both are tough pills to swallow, but are important stories to be told. 3:20 | Ryan opens the Charles Adler interview with an update on Vivian Silver, who was believed to be taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. Later, Charles tells us why he was so put off by Piers Morgan's inter...

Calgary Chris is convinced privatized healthcare is coming to Alberta, Lisa is dead set against an APP, and Darrell's wondering where all the poppies are. We fire up The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com

Remembrance Day has evolved over the years. Canada's role in international peacekeeping missions, along with Afghanistan, Kosovo, Latvia, and other parts of the world has reminded a new generation of the sacrifices our military members and their families make every day. You'll hear three very different and powerful perspectives during this special episode as Real Talk Remembers. 1:04 | Real Talk i...

It's happening: the Danielle Smith government is completely overhauling Alberta Health Services, starting from the top all the way down. While nobody can claim the current system is working flawlessly, there are a million different concerns around how the changes may affect frontline workers and the millions of patients that rely on the system every year.  2:28 | Minister of Health Adriana LaGrang...

Information leaked to the NDP put Albertans on notice: the province is overhauling Alberta Health Services in dramatic fashion. Hours later, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange confirmed the UCP is replacing executive leadership, redirecting oversight and accountability, and considering foundational changes across the board.  0:25 | Ryan opens the show with his own thoughts on the UCP plan to blow up...

ome voters love the fact there's no political party influence at the municipal level in Alberta. Other voters can't stand it - they'd prefer a bit more predictability. Amid rumblings the Alberta government's considering changing the rules to allow party influence at city halls, we investigate the pros and cons. 3:20 | Pollster Janet Brown and Alberta Municipalities president Tyler Gandam dig into...

In what's believed to be the largest political convention in Alberta history, nearly 4,000 people gathered in Calgary for the United Conservative Party AGM. By the end of the weekend, the David Parker-led Take Back Alberta had taken control of the UCP board, and the party's most ardent supporters had passed several controversial resolutions.  3:05 | What does this all mean for Premier Danielle Smi...

 Our inbox was SLAMMED after our interview with Premier Danielle Smith. Real Talkers bring the heat in this #ABLEG-inspired edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

How do great achievers get where they are? What drives them? What barriers did they bust down? Where do they see themselves going from here? We pick the brains of three of Edify Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40 in this episode of Real Talk.  2:00 | Top 40s Sheliza Kluge, Sonny Sekhon, and Heather Thomson talk career/life balance, Gen Z in the workplace, post-pandemic economics, philanthropy, and more. ...

It's been said water is the new oil. If that's the case, why is the province (and most of its citizens) ignoring major threats to such a valuable natural resource?  2:50 | Geophysicist Jenny Yeremiy explains why some Alberta communities are projected to run out of water as early as January 2024, and what can be done about it. The oil and gas reclamation expert brings us up to speed on coal explora...

Cost of living is up - way up - for the average Albertan. What're Premier Danielle Smith's plans to make things like electricity and auto insurance more affordable? How's she planning on responding to Ottawa's carbon tax break for Atlantic Canadians? How far is she willing to stick out her neck on an Alberta Pension Plan? And will Edmonton be seeing $300M after Calgary got a bunch of cash for its...

Ottawa's going to be hearing a whole lot more from Alberta. The province and the feds aren't even close on the details around getting Alberta's electricity grid to Net Zero, including a 15 year discrepancy on the timeline. And that's not all. The October 30th Throne Speech gives us a reasonably good idea of how the Smith government plans to get Alberta well positioned to manage a forecasted popula...

Fall session at the Alberta Legislature kicks off today with the Speech from the Throne: what can we expect from Premier Danielle Smith's UCP government, and Rachel Notley's Official Opposition NDP? Does this Alberta Pension Plan idea actually have legs, or is it doomed to fail (and hurt the government along the way)?  2:00 | Longtime senior staffers Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes are teaming up...

Danica's got a beef with the Edmonton Oilers, Lindsey's hot under the collar over Halloween, and Dan's sick of social justice initiatives on ice. We bust out The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  EMAIL US: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

Plans for an Alberta Pension Plan will dominate much of the focus as Alberta's MLAs return to the Legislature for fall session next week. If an APP truly is as unpopular as it appears to be, how much longer will Premier Danielle Smith ride that horse?  4:35 | Corey Hogan, Zain Velji, and Annalise Klingbeil talk Alberta Pension Plan, the federal Liberals' carbon tax adjustment for Atlantic Canada,...

Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden never thought he'd play in the NHL. It wasn't until the six-time Stanley Cup champion won his first exhibition game that he started to believe he might belong in The Show. Singer/songwriter Barney Bentall's raised more than $5M for charity, touring across Canada with his band The Caribou Express. What inspired these two men to reach their true potential? How have...

In times of turmoil, Fred Rogers' mom used to tell him to "look for the helpers". The legendary children's entertainer shared the story many times through his television career, most especially when the cruelty of real life felt like too much for his young (and older) audience to bear.  3:30 | Mark Cherrington is one of those helpers. The Edmonton man has dedicated his life to helping marginalized...

If Canadians were voting today, polling shows Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives would form a massive majority government, while Justin Trudeau's Liberals would see their seats cut in half. What's behind such a surge for the CPC? Is the solution to the Liberal Party's woes as simple as a leadership change? And how does Jagmeet Singh's NDP factor into all of this?  2:35 | Professional poll analyst Ph...

Chen Zeigen and his family are holding out hope his mother, Vivian Silver, is still alive. The longtime peace activist is believed to be among those taken hostage from a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip on October 7. In this episode of Real Talk, Chen tells us about Vivian's lifelong commitment to campaigning for peace in the region, and what he thinks she'd say about what's happening right now. 2:25 |...

Real Talkers have a lot to say about Ryan's October 19 interview with Ghada Sasa from Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East. Adam, Clay, Garth, Pam, Cam, and Catalina fire up The Flamethrower presented by our friends at the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  SEND US YOUR BEEF: talk@ryanjespersen.com