Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

You wouldn't think bike lanes would be so divisive. Urban planners and cycling advocates make compelling arguments why every community should prioritize pedal-powered transportation. But still, we see outcry every time a Canadian city (like Edmonton or Calgary) invests in that type of infrastructure. What's missing from public debate? Is it possible to get everybody on the same page?  2:30 | No ma...

You've seen the signs at protests around the world: "Decolonize Palestine". What does that actually mean? What are the implications? What is the right way to pursue peace in the region? When can violence be justified, if ever, and what role should the international community play in the Israel-Hamas war?  1:52 | Ghada Sasa is completing her PhD in Political Science at McMaster University, and sits...

“If you believe in fairness, common sense and the sanctity of the Canadian Constitution, today is a great day,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, after the Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the federal government's Impact Assessment Act was unconstitutional and intrusive. That's the angle you'd expect from a politician who's long argued the Feds overstep their boundaries into provincial jurisdiction...

For nearly a decade, Calgarians have seen arena talks gain momentum, then fall apart. Then, just a short time ago, a deal. Approved by council in a unanimous vote with no public debate, the city will front more than $830M - more than three times what it agreed to in 2019 - while the Flames will kick in $40M.  2:40 | So, what changed? What prompted the about face from formerly-critical councillors...

The death toll of Israelis and Palestinians - many of them innocent civilians - killed over the past ten days is staggering, and you get the sense this war is only just beginning. As everyday Canadians publicly declare their support for Palestine *or* Israel, it's easy to feel like society is painfully divided. Who really wants to pick a side when it comes to children and the elderly being killed...

Russ calls Ryan's interview with Alberta's finance minister "tepid tea" (buuuurn) in this week's edition of Trash Talk. Plus, Jon and Marie tell us how they're responding to the NHL's ban on Pride Tape. SEND US YOUR RANT: talk@ryanjespersen.com

Alberta's boom isn't limited to oil and gas. Its craft brewing scene is Canada's best. So, what's the secret? On this Real Talk Round Table, we crack a few cold ones with three of the province's most passionate beer evangelists.  2:12 | Polyrhythm Brewing's Chelsea Tessier, Bent Stick Brewing's Cole Boyd, and the Alberta Craft Beer Guide's Andrew Ironmonger bring their favourite brews to the Real...

Is Alberta really entitled to more than half the funds in the Canada Pension Plan? How serious is the government about trying to withdraw those funds and establish a provincial plan? What are the chances the whole thing could backfire?  0:20 | Alberta's Minister of Finance Nate Horner makes the case for an Alberta Pension Plan.  TAKE THE SURVEY: https://www.albertapensionplan.ca/ 32:00 | Two forme...

A violent attack by someone out on bail. Cops accused of excessive force. Homeless encampments cleared by police. Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Serious charges stayed for unreasonable delay. Deaths of imprisoned people from overdose or suicide. The headlines tell the story of a broken criminal justice system. In this episode of Real Talk, we find out if and how it can be fixed....

The world watched in horror as Hamas fighters inflicted the deadliest attack in Israel's history over the weekend. An unimaginable assault on innocent civilians, including babies and the elderly, leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that his country was “at a war”.  1:30 | Ryan opens the show with a few observations about what's happening in Israel in Gaza as well as here i...

Real Talkers sound off on Nazis in the House of Commons, political posturing, an Alberta Pension Plan, coal mining in the Rockies, and leaf blowers (!) in this week's edition of Trash Talk!  SUBMIT YOUR RANT: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

Canada's got an affordable housing crisis. Nobody can argue that. But is cracking down on short-term rentals like Airbnbs the right solution? The federal government is considering it as part of a bigger-picture plan. What ripple effects should homeowners and real estate investors expect?  11:15 | Ryan's not sure it's the right move. We take a look at what Real Talkers are saying in the YouTube liv...

We're talk mental health and addiction today...DON'T SCROLL PAST! We get it...it's uncomfortable subject matter. But we guarantee you'll learn something (and maybe even save yourself) by checking out this extended-length episode of Real Talk.  3:25 | But first...Ryan opens the show with a few thoughts about Wab Kinew and the NDP's big victory in Manitoba. How does it change the political dynamic a...

Do you have a strong opinion on the proposed Alberta Pension Plan? It's leading national news headlines, as the Alberta government is asking citizens to chime in on the idea. In this episode of Real Talk, we get a couple different perspectives so you can make an informed decision.  3:40 | Canadians have come to trust Dr. Trevor Tombe's informed, non-partisan takes on economic matters. The Universi...

Our elected MPs gave a former Nazi SS soldier a standing ovation in the House of Commons. Alberta wants to pull out of the Canada Pension Plan. Manitoba's PC Party is making some mind-boggling moves just days before an election. We've got a lot to talk about in this episode of Real Talk!  2:55 | Who should be most embarrassed by 300 or so federal MPs standing to applaud a former Nazi SS soldier? W...

Everybody's talking about the "1 Million March 4 Children" that went down earlier this week, so it's no surprise you've got a LOT to get off your chest. In response to our inbox being absolutely slammed, it's an extended edition of Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services! EMAIL US: talk@ryanjespersen.com

People don't feel safe these days. Whether it's riding inner-city transit or living in a remote, rural location, Canadians are experiencing escalating rates of violent crime. What's the solution? Bail reform? Tougher sentences? More robust support services? 3:30 | The presidents of the Alberta Crown Attorneys' Office (Dallas Sopko) and the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association (Paul Moreau) join us f...

Thousands of Canadians participated in the 1 Million March 4 Children, organized to "free children from the bondage of indoctrination; breaking a system designed to sexualize our children". Thousands more showed up in counter-protest. At the end of it all, were you left with a pit in your stomach? 2:04 | Ryan reflects on the 1 Million March 4 Children, one day later. 24:40 | How do we fix our comm...

The eyes of the energy world are on Calgary, as Alberta hosts the World Petroleum Congress. It makes perfect sense for Premier Danielle Smith to greet the Saudi delegation at the airport...but does the photo op kill Canada's claim around "ethical oil"?  4:20 | Max Fawcett takes that question (and more)...but first, the lead columnist for Canada's National Observer shares his thoughts on the "1 Mil...

It's official: Canada says India's responsible for the cold-blooded killing of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, BC on June 18, 2023. Shortly after the Prime Minister made the bold statement in the House of Commons this week, Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat. India followed suit, sending a Canadian diplomat home. Federal politicians across party lines are calling for acc...

From Donald Trump's gaffe in an interview over the weekend to Congresswoman Lauren Boebert's caught-on-camera debacle at a Denver theatre...from the horrific E. coli outbreak at Alberta daycares to NHL coach Mike Babcock leaving Columbus before coaching a single game...get the informed, common sense insights you need to make sense of what's going on around you in this episode of Real Talk!  4:00 |...

Ronnie's sick of the politics of affordable housing. Michelle says trans rights aren't up for debate. And Morgan wonders what ever happened to real conversations about real issues with real people. It's Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services! KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

Canada's experiencing a full-blown housing crisis. Millions of people literally can't afford a place to live, and experts say we need to add more than three million units by 2030. How did we get here, and how do we begin to fix it? We focus on what pollsters say is the number one issue impacting Canadians in this episode of Real Talk.  4:40 | Marie-Josée Houle is Canada's first Federal Housing Adv...

Imagine what hundreds of parents in Calgary are going through right now. Their kids are terribly sick with a rare form of E. coli because the daycare they trusted served food from a cockroach-infested kitchen. At least twenty of those kids are in hospital, seven of them on dialysis. Meantime, the daycares are cleared to re-open: who'd want to send their kids back...but what options to many of thos...

What do you know about trans and non-binary health care? It seems like politicians are talking about it more than physicians themselves, and it's safe to say it's become one of the more polarizing topics in Canada in recent years (including at the Conservative Party Convention over the weekend). We talk to a physician and a CPC delegate in this enlightening episode of Real Talk. 3:50 | Dr. Kate Gr...