Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

September 20, 2021 - Federal Election Comedy; Giller Prize-winning Author Ian Williams

4:48 | Ryan runs down Alberta's flawed Restrictions Exemption Program documentation, which can be easily altered to create fake vaccine passports.
37:20 | Comedians Adrienne Fish, Howie Miller, and Derek Seguin riff on today's federal election.
1:41:38 | Giller Prize-winning author, Ian Williams, shares about penning his new book, Disorientation. The collection of essays, released on September 21, 2021, explores his own experience as a Black man moving through the world. 
2:11:40 | We look at the lighter side of life with Positive Reflections, presented by Kuby Energy.

Trash Talk - September 17, 2021

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.

September 17, 2021 - Remembering Julie Rohr; Childcare & #Elxn44; The Strategists Round Table

1:05 | Ryan honours the memory and celebrates the life of Julie Rohr. The beloved Edmontonian passed away on September 16, 2021 after her brave battle with leiomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer.
17:54 | Economist Dr. Lindsay Tedds unpacks the federal parties' plans on childcare. She's one of the 50 prominent Canadian women who signed an open letter calling for affordable childcare to be prioritized.
32:41 | The Strategists podcast team, Stephen Carter, Corey Hogan, and Zain Velji, hash out the possible outcomes in Monday's federal election, where the party campaigns have faltered, and how mayoral races are shaping up in Alberta's major cities. 
1:35:59 | Real Talkers share what's pissing them off on #TrashTalk, presented by Local Waste

September 16, 2021 - Chrystia Freeland; Shakir Chambers; Mu Variant; AB Triage; Sculptor Slavo Cech

5:39 | Sculptor Slavo Cech shares about raising $15,000 for the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship Fund in one day, with the help of three generous art fans. 
17:44 | Earnscliffe Strategy Group's Shakir Chambers examines the final days of the federal election and what's left for the parties to try. 
51:46 | Epidemiologist Dr. Raywat Deonandan explains the implications of the COVID-19 variants, including Mu.
1:05:31 | #EatYourWords | Earlier in the summer, Alberta's premier balked at predictions of a COVID fourth wave and now he's admitting the pandemic is a health crisis. 
1:08:52 | Epidemiologist Dr. Kirsten Fiest clarifies what triage in Alberta hospitals means during the pandemic's fourth wave and how vaccination status will inform life or death decisions. 
1:35:42 | Canada’s former deputy prime minister and minister of finance, Chrystia Freeland talks us through the Liberal's federal election plans, anticipated outcomes and what the party hopes to accomplish afterward.

September 15, 2021 - Niigaan Sinclair on #Elxn44; Racism & PPC; Former CMOH Dr. James Talbot

16:58 | Winnipeg Free Press columnist Niigaan Sinclair analyzes the upcoming federal election and how Indigenous issues are being explored—more than ever before, but there's still a long way to go!
50:16 | University of Calgary political scientist Dr. Melanee Thomas on the dangerous trend of legitimizing political groups with racist views, following the Globe & Mail publishing an opinion piece on the far-right People's Party of Canada deserving representation. 
1:29:57 | #MyJasper Memories | Ryan shares about autumn in the national park with the season offering a stunning, rich palette of colours to visitors.Presented by Tourism Jasper
1:33:42 | Alberta's former Chief Medial Officer of Health Dr. James Talbot warns of a looming health system collapse due to the provincial government's pandemic response.

September 14, 2021 - #Elxn44 Tim Powers; Scott Gilmore Champions Afghan Escape; Sex, Porn & Parents

11:51 | Political strategist Tim Powers talks about the remaking of the Conservative Party and if it's proving successful amidst the federal election. 
48:54 | Former Canadian diplomat and editor-at-large for Maclean's Magazine, Scott Gilmore provides an update on the efforts of Canadian vets, journalists, and humanitarian workers to help vulnerable Afghans who were left behind when Canadian troops left the Gulf country. 
1:35:13 | University of Toronto sexuality researcher Nathan Leonhardt explains how porn impacts our sex lives and how sexual relationships change over time.

September 13, 2021 - #Elxn44 Alise Mills; Dr. Darren Markland on Death Threats; Caolan Robertson

7:54 | Political strategist Alise Mills discusses how the final week of the federal election campaign trail is shaping up.
38:12 | Edmonton-based ICU physician Dr. Darren Markland bravely shares about receiving a death threat over the weekend and how he continues to find compassion for every patient he treats.
56:42 | Former Rebel Media correspondent Caolan Robertson explains how he became "radicalized,” eventually exited the alt-right movement, and what he’s doing to help others do the same.
1:40:17 | We review the Question of the Week about the fourth wave of COVID-19 and the $100 gift cards that Alberta's premier is using to tempt the unvaccinated to get the jab.Presented with our strategic partner Y Station.
1:59:24 | Finding hope amidst lots of challenging news, it's #PositiveReflections. Courtesy of Kuby Energy.

Trash Talk - September 10, 2021

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.

September 10, 2021 - Election 44 Real Talk Round Table; Seth Radwell on 20 years since 9/11

40:14 | Dissecting the English-language federal leaders' debate and the campaign trail on the Real Talk Round Table with former Conservative staffer Karamveer Lalh, communication consultant Esmahan Razavi and public relations specialist Zahra Sultani. 
1:30:58 | Seth Radwell, the author of AMERICAN SCHISM reflects on the ripple effect of 9/11 and what it's done to the US political and foreign affairs landscape over the past 20 years. 
2:01:04 | Plus, Real Talkers blow off some steam with #TrashTalk presented by Local Waste.

September 9, 2021 - Review of Leaders‘ Debate; Bassem Youssef; Paralympian Katelyn Wright

7:30 | The Hill Times' managing editor Charelle Evelyn unpacks the French-language leaders debate in lead up to the federal election on September 20, 2021.
35:02 | #EatYourWords | The "group of individuals" at Rebel Media are given the microphone at the French-language election debate and then promptly given talking-to by Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. 
48:53 | Dubbed the "Jon Stewart of the Arab World", political satirist Bassem Youssef shares how he boldly criticizes ruling powers in the Middle East (even though it's got him arrested and facing death threats) and now how his comedy has changed since moving to the USA. 
1:16:12 | We review the results from our Question of the Week all about Real Talkers' perceptions and plans for the federal election. Presented with our strategic partner, Y Station. 
1:39:05 | Paralympian Katelyn Wright talks about competing in the Tokyo Games on Team Canada's women's sitting volleyball squad and why she wants to make the Paralympics "a household name".