Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Violence is escalating again in the Gaza Strip, as Israel airstrikes target the militant Islamic Jihad group. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned civilian loss of life, saying the deaths of the women and children were “unacceptable and must stop immediately”. 7:30 | Mousa Qasqas has been advocating for peace in the Middle East his entire adult life. The Palestinian Canadian organizer s...

Sources inside the United Conservative Party say a faction's already organizing against Danielle Smith. Rumour has it if the UCP doesn't win big on May 29, she could be ousted as party leader.  3:00 | Are the rumblings valid or not? Veteran political columnist Graham Thomson tells us what he's hearing and what his gut's telling him. What does Graham make of Take Back Alberta founder David Parker's...

Another day, another apology from Danielle Smith. The UCP leader is facing fire for comments in November of 2021 comparing vaccinated people with followers of Adolf Hitler. Even if her party weathers these storms and wins the election, what're the chances Danielle Smith stays on as leader?  3:40 | Talking about the Holocaust is personal for Charles Adler. The Emmy Award-winning broadcaster explain...

Alberta's on fire. More than 100 wildfires are burning, more than 30 of them out of control. We look at the front-line and long-term storylines, as well as the political implications, in this episode of Real Talk. 6:40 | Why are wildfires so much worse these days? Dr. Mike Flannigan's been in the field for more than 40 years. The Research Chair for Predictive Services, Emergency Management, and Fi...

With the UCP and NDP polling neck and neck, and the Alberta election less than four weeks away, it's no surprise this week's Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services is 100% politics!  KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

Is our personal information at risk of being stolen? (Probably.) Do we truly understand the barriers people using wheelchairs encounter every day? (Probably not.) Is it possible for divorce proceedings to be a little less nasty? (Here's hoping!) This episode of Real Talk celebrates The Art of Innovation, as highlighted in the May issue of Edify. But first...  5:30 | When's the last time you went t...

May the 4th be with you! (Don't worry, even if you're not a Star Wars geek like Ryan, you'll still find plenty of value in this episode.) What can we learn from Star Wars about chaos, change, dictators and democracy, fear, hope, and redemption? On this "Star Wars Day" edition of Real Talk,  4:45 | We're living in a time of unprecedented and rapid change. An age of chaos. Democracies are in decline...

1:25 | He's had his life threatened, but Corb Lund ain't backing down. The award-winning singer-songwriter is on a mission to stop coal mining in the Rocky Mountains. As election campaigns dominate headlines across Alberta, Lund tells us why he's so motivated to have the eastern slopes on everybody's radar.  36:50 | This year marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's Triple Crown. It's also been...

Senior campaign advisors Erika Barootes (UCP) and Cheryl Oates (NDP) aren't messing around on today's show. The senior campaign advisors come out punching in what proves to be a must-watch episode of Real Talk. But first... 1:30 | Canadians lost a legend - "our poet laureate" - when Gordon Lightfoot passed away Monday night at 84 years of age. Ryan and Johnny begin the show with a look at Lightfoo...

Election season is officially underway in Alberta. Real Talk has you covered with comprehensive analysis of key storylines on Day One of the campaigns.  2:35 | Democracy itself is on the ballot this time around, argues Dr. Jared Wesley. The U of A political scientist leads off our Alberta politics super episode in studio with an examination of exactly what's at stake, and why he (and prominent con...

Quick Dick McDick and Brett Kissel are used to big reactions. Quick Dick's YouTube videos see six-figure views on a regular basis, and Kissel's Juno Award-winning country music career speaks for itself. In this episode of The Best of Real Talk, we learn about QDM's rapid rise as one of Canada's most-watched conservative commentators, and the thinking behind Brett Kissel's controversial lockdown-th...

Ashley Wanamaker never thought millions of people would check out her TikTok videos about mental health. The self-described "accidental TikTok therapist" explains how counselling's evolved over the past couple of years in this episode of The Best of Real Talk. We loved our time in the Real Talk studio with filmmaker Trevor Anderson and photographer Fish Griwkowsky, discussing their newest project...

What's the secret to living well in the face of adversity? How can we manage mental illness, disease, and other factors standing in the way of healthy relationships with family and friends? YouTube phenom Lauren Kennedy West and author/broadcaster Justin Bourne get intensely personal in this episode of The Best of Real Talk. WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalk...

We feature three forces of nature in this episode of The Best of Real Talk. It's impossible not to be inspired by Shawn Kanungo, Bean Gill, and Brian McPherson! WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING...

Tens of millions of people have watched Johann Hari’s TED Talks about our collective addiction to technology. The evidence is all around us. In this episode of The Best of Real Talk, the author of “Stolen Focus” explains what’s been taken from us, and how to get it back. Are you on the ChatGPT train? More and more people are using artificial intelligence to replace "human powered" writers and othe...

Michael's choked about our conversation this week about hydrogen, and Avery's antagonized by our 4/20 episode. Both Real Talkers sound off in a "clap back" edition of Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services! KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

Are you overwhelmed by stories of the eventual demise of human life on Planet Earth? Could you use a little encouragement, or even evidence that our grandchildren's grandchildren might still be able to survive here? Don't miss this episode's Real Talk Round Table ahead of Earth Day on April 22. But first... 0:30 | Did you lose your blue checkmark on Twitter this week? Did you pay to keep yours, or...

Happy 4/20! Whether you celebrate the annual "Weed Day" or not, you're guaranteed to learn something in this special episode of Real Talk.  5:30 | Chances are somebody you know is using  CBD for something. The market's flooded with oils, extracts, tinctures, lotions and potions promising some sort of health benefit. But what does the evidence say? Does CBD actually have healing powers? Health myth...

Is it even possible to succeed in politics without being nasty? Thomas Lukaszuk and Brian Mason locked horns at the Alberta Legislature for years. In one well-publicized exchange, after Mason described the PC deputy premier as a "decorative hood ornament" in Premier Alison Redford's government, Lukaszuk suggested the NDP leader was more like the "Legislature's tail pipe". Despite significant ideol...

150,000 public servants say they'll strike if they don't have a deal with the feds by tonight. The negotiations are highlighting what employees in Canada have come to expect: raises equal to (skyrocketing) inflation and flexible work from home policies. How much of an impact will an eventual agreement between PSAC and Ottawa have on other workplaces across the country?  6:50 | Vanmala Subramaniam...

Pierre Poilievre is promising to "defund the CBC" if his Conservative party forms government. The Opposition leader is emboldened after his campaign to have the national broadcaster's Twitter account labelled as "government funded media". This is a popular refrain for populist conservative leaders...but what might the actual consequences look like?  4:30 | "Pierre Poilievre is like that one kid in...

A trio of banger emails this week as Marilyn wonders who's on the health care chopping block, Donna's choked at Danielle Smith, Thom's predicting a "proper shitfit," and Alison's dedicating her vote to a specific Real Talk guest. Meet the headliners of this week's Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services! KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

What does the future of Canada's energy industry look like? Max Fawcett tees up the good, bad, and ugly of Alberta oil and gas, then Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot and Janetta McKenzie debate whether or not Alberta oil is "ethical" in this Canadian energy super episode of Real Talk! 4:00 | We heard from a TON of you after Ryan's interview with longtime opinion columnist Licia Corbella on April 12. That i...

You know an iconic image the second you see it. Captured by photographer Jason Franson, the shot of a healthcare worker appearing to extend her middle finger to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has everybody talking. Healthcare will be a major theme in campaigns leading up to the election expected on May 29. Will Albertans trust Danielle Smith with one of their most important public services, or wil...

5:13 | "This might be political suicide," said UCP candidate Chelsae Petrovic before suggesting some heart attack victims should take more personal accountability. The mayor of Claresholm and candidate for the riding of Livingstone/Macleod is refusing to apologize for her statement during a podcast interview, suggesting critics are taking her remarks out of context. Charles Adler tells us how he s...