Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

There's no question racist language, signage, and symbolism was on full display at an "anti-lockdown" rally in Edmonton over the weekend. Senator Paula Simons and former federal cabinet minister Amarjeet Sohi clearly agree it needs to be addressed, but have different thoughts on how. They join Ryan for a great back-and-forth out of the gates. Alberta's upcoming provincial budget promises to be a t...

With their pastor still sitting in jail for defying public health orders, congregants at GraceLife Church west of Edmonton packed the house to capacity yet again Sunday morning. Ryan reviews some of the messaging from the pulpit, and reads emails describing how Real Talkers would respond to the situation. Now-former talk show host Danielle Smith walked away from a prominent radio gig on Friday, an...

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com . Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste .

The world watched as NASA's Perseverance rover touched down on Mars. World-renowned theoretical astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack, author of The End of Everything, joins us for a wonderfully-captivating conversation about this huge accomplishment. We observe and discuss Black History Month with conservative strategist Semhar Tekeste, photographer Eric Domond, and educator Andrew Parker. You won't want...

As Portland police officers guarded dumpsters full of food outside the Fred Meyer grocery store, Dr. Juniper Simonis was there documenting it. They join us out of the gates to talk about policing, community activism, social supports, and food waste. Real Talk viewer Darren, a grain farmer, took issue with viewer Jared's Trash Talk email on Friday (which essentially called "sustainable beef" an oxy...

Are provincial and federal whistleblower protections really "toothless and useless"? David Hutton, Ian Bron, and James Turk from Ryerson University's Centre for Free Expression lay out their message to the Alberta government, and explain why they're so concerned about the legislative review currently underway. How do we demonstrate "moral courage in messy times"? New York Times best-selling author...

For several years, Irene Deschenes suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest. She joins us along with her lawyer Loretta Merritt to explain how their recent Supreme Court victory paves the way for true justice to be served. The public school board in Red Deer, Alberta will not observe Pride Week; instead, they'll promote a "Diversity Week" this year. We talk to longtime Red Deer scho...

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com . Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste .

With an eventful week on the guest front, and so many Real Talkers taking the time to email talk@ryanjespersen.com, Ryan opens the show by diving into the Real Talk inbox. Multiple Guinness World Record-holder Dr. Brent Saik, founder of the World's Longest Hockey Game, checks in rinkside to describe the challenges of playing outdoors for ten straight days in -30C temperatures, and update us on the...

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) David Redman developed Alberta's Pandemic Plan back in 2004, as head of the province's Emergency Management Agency. He explains why he believes both provincial and federal governments have mishandled COVID-19, including controversial opinions on lockdowns and masks. Maclean's editor at large Scott Gilmore explains why he believes it's time for Prime Minister Justin Trudea...

A group of conservative politicians is banding together under the "End the Lockdown Caucus". UCP MLA Drew Barnes explains why he's taking a stand against his own government's policies, and respond to criticism the group is pushing dangerous, anti-science rhetoric. It's going to cost tens of billions of dollars to clean up Alberta's abandoned and orphaned oil wells. Who's going to pay for it, and w...

Mayors across Canada are lobbying Ottawa ahead of the next federal budget. Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, chair of the Big City Mayors' Caucus, joins to talk transit, homelessness, and other top municipal priorities. Audric Moses (and his wife Marni, who makes a cameo!) built a NetZero home in a northern climate. How is it performing with limited daylight hours, plenty of snow, and frigid outside temp...

Who should be Canada's next Governor General, and how should they be selected? Professor Emmett Macfarlane joins from the University of Waterloo to take us through the process. Mayors and Fire Chiefs are back on Real Talk after warning about changes to Alberta's 9-1-1 dispatch a few weeks back. This time, they've got proof they were right to sound the alarm. Is extremism an issue within the Conser...

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com. Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste.

What do we actually know about what influenced Abdulahi Sharif to attempt to murder multiple people in Edmonton, Alberta on September 30, 2017? Justice reporter Jonny Wakefield takes us into his long-form feature in the Edmonton Journal. Sprawl Calgary editor-in-chief Jeremy Klaszus tells us why he's so turned off by the "Disappearing Headlines" campaign launched by Canada's major newspapers. The...

Having escaped extremism himself, Mubin Shaikh went on to serve as a CSIS operative and undercover agent for the RCMP. He joins Ryan to shed light on Proud Boys, one of the most recent additions to Canada's terrorist watch list. The most prominent newspapers in Canada, including the Toronto Star, went "blank" on their front pages Thursday morning to send a clear message to the federal government....

Our Real Talk Question of the Week is a bit different this time around, implementing a playoff-style bracket to determine who you think should be named Canada's next Governor General. Y Station's chief strategist Chris Henderson shares some interesting insights midway through the process. Former Husky Energy CEO Art Price shares his take on the death of the Keystone XL pipeline (of note: "Not a bi...

Senator Doug Black explains why he's frustrated with the federal government's vaccine procurement, and gets into the pipeline file. After the interview, Ryan shares his own thoughts on some of the Senator's more controversial assertions. Registered psychologist Ashley Wanamaker, photographer Shannon Smith, and activist Adora Nwofor get personal in our Body Image Round Table, commemorating Eating D...

Is there actually a foreign-funded conspiracy against Alberta oil? Journalist, lawyer, and former Crown prosecutor Sandy Garossino takes us through her ongoing coverage for the National Observer. It's the first-ever "Meet in the Middle Monday" with NDP MLA Janis Irwin and former Wildrose Party strategist Vitor Marciano. From very different political perspectives, Janis and Vitor explain why they a...

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com . Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste .

Andrew Phung, star of Kim's Convenience, takes us behind the curtain of TV production and parenting through a pandemic (and shows off his incredible shoe collection). Andrew talks politics, too, including how he approaches public commentary as a celebrity. Statistics show young people are leaving Alberta for greener pastures in other provinces. Kaelin Koufogiannakis, 22, Ahdithya Visweswaran, 20,...

Where is intellectual courage in the age of Twitter? Best-selling author Tom Rachman joins us from London to get into his editorial for the Globe & Mail. Our first-ever Agriculture Real Talk Round Table features Sirius XM host Shaun Haney, crop scientist Brittany Hennig, and Lakeside Farmstead's Jeff Nonay. Ryan gets into the Real Talk inbox, and reads some of your emails sent to talk@ryanjesperse...

Who will Prime Minister Justin Trudeau select as Canada's next Governor General? Journalist Max Fawcett gets into his recent piece - naming former PM Joe Clark - for the National Observer. Ryan's wife, lifestylist Kari Skelton, chimes in with all the latest rumours around The Bachelorette touching down at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. We get into some Real Talk on mental health with addictions s...

With tens of thousands of social media accounts being deplatformed, Dr. Amarnath Amarasingam joins to explain if this is actually a good move, or if it could increase the risk of radicalization. For more than twenty years, Derek Brower has covered the international energy beat. The Financial Times US energy editor checks in from England with a look at the energy relationship between Canada and a B...

As health officials attempt to educate the public around the COVID-19 vaccine, scientists including Prof. Tim Caulfield have launched @ScienceUpFirst. He takes us to the front lines of the war on misinformation. Dr. Ross McKenzie spent nearly 40 years studying soil and crops in Alberta. He tell us why he's so concerned about sweeping cuts to agricultural research on the prairies. Former Premier Ra...