Episodes

Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
FIRED UP! Pierre Poilievre and Sean Fraser Lock Horns
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
The leader of Canada's Conservatives and the Liberal Housing Minister were at each other's throats in the House of Commons. Could it be a preview of party leader quarrels to come? In this episode, we dig into the Poilievre/Fraser slugfest, analyze growing dissent among Trudeau's team, and determine what it means for you.
Plus, Johnny's had an epiphany about the U.S. election (after that "floating garbage" Puerto Rico joke at Trump's MSG rally), and Jespo has a tough update (and an important reminder) re: a fan favourite guest that joined us back in June.
KATHLEEN McGEE ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/062024KathleenMcGee
Make sure you check out #MyJasper Memories for a couple amazing events coming up in the National Park over the next month, too!
"TOGETHER AGAIN" at the JPL: https://www.jasper-park-lodge.com/together-again/
REBUILD JASPER RUN: https://www.jasper.travel/events/runforjasper/
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
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The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Premiers Moe and Eby Survive. Higgs Doesn't. Will Danielle Smith?
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Scott Moe loses...but wins in Saskatchewan. Same with David Eby in BC. Blaine Higgs loses in New Brunswick, period. What's in store for Danielle Smith in Alberta and Tim Houston in Nova Scotia? We zero in on the top political stories in Canada on this episode of Real Talk.
3:15 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, breaks down the Saskatchewan election result, a wild week or two in B.C. (9:00), Nova Scotia's early election (15:45), the problem with election truthers (21:15), Danielle Smith's leadership review (32:45), Alberta's fight against Ottawa's proposed emissions cap (41:30), and the upcoming U.S. election (58:30).
READ MAX'S WORK: https://www.nationalobserver.com/
MIN. JONATHAN WILKINSON ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/101724Wilkinson
1:10:50 | Did you check out Donald Trump on The Joe Rogan Experience? Jespo and Johnny talk about the moments that jumped out at them.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Monday Oct 28, 2024
What's the Deal with the UCP's "Jordan Peterson Law"?
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
It may not be among the Top 100 Most Important Issues Facing Albertans, but the UCP's so-called "Jordan Peterson Law" will steal more than its fair share of attention and analysis this fall, both in Alberta and across the country.
2:45 | Ryan takes a look at the implications of Premier Danielle Smith's pledge to protect the rights of professionals who express controversial personal views. We lay out the issues (and legislation) likely to define Fall Session at the Alberta Legislature.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
22:45 | Ready or not, the global energy transition is happening. With it comes threats to Alberta's "bread and butter" oil and gas industry, along with significant opportunities for investment in renewables. We get into the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook for 2024 with Chris Severson-Baker, executive director at the Pembina Institute.
MORE: https://www.pembina.org/
1:13:00 | First responders in Ukraine are working in a war zone every day, rescuing civilians in life-threatening scenarios following Russian attacks on hospitals and residential buildings. In this edition of Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy, we're proud to highlight amazing, life-saving work being done in Ukraine by volunteers from Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
SUPPORT FIREFIGHTER AID UKRAINE: https://www.firefighteraidukraine.com/
SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/c/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Saturday Oct 26, 2024
"Time For Trudeau To Go!"
Saturday Oct 26, 2024
Saturday Oct 26, 2024
Real Talkers Colin, KP, and Michelle chime in on our Calgary arena debate, Tom says his MP is trying to cut his family's income, and Ron says Trudeau's time is up. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, be sure to tell 'em Real Talk sent you!
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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Friday Oct 25, 2024
Trump and Harris Deadlocked Down to the Wire
Friday Oct 25, 2024
Friday Oct 25, 2024
With less than two weeks to go 'til November 5, a New York Times poll has Donald Trump and Kamala Harris dead even. Who stands a better chance of a late surge? Which numbers actually matter? What does the outcome mean for Canada? We get into it in this episode of Real Talk.
3:40 | Hillary Clinton compares a Trump rally to a Nazi rally during an appearance on CNN. Does she take a risk making the comparison? Real Talker Charlie invokes the 2016 "deplorables" incident in an email to the show. Do you agree or disagree with Charlie? Leave a comment!
20:05 | Real Talker Brandt figures Trump will will the US election and Poilievre is the next PM of Canada...and he's bracing for the impact that'll have on the Canadian economy.
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
28:04 | Did you see Conservative MP Michael Chong come to life the other day? We take a look at his rant in the House of Commons about security clearance, and Liberal Minister Marc Miller's response.
35:07 | Real Talker Gabriel had a lot to say about our interview with Reverend Michael Coren. What do you think about his take on "both sidesing" issues?
51:10 | Jespo and Johnny take a look at a rally outside the Alberta Legislature that drew an estimated 4,000 people rallying around education support workers.
57:40 | Real Talkers Colin, KP, and Michelle chime in on our Calgary arena debate, Tom says his MP is trying to cut his family's income, and Ron says Trudeau's time is up. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, be sure to tell 'em Real Talk sent you!
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: / ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Thursday Oct 24, 2024
The Politics of Natural Disasters
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Jasper-based journalist Bob Covey fired up his Flamethrower after our October 16 episode with retired foresters Ken Hodges and Emil Begin. We figured an on-camera interview would be more enlightening than an email (no offence to your email, Bob), so here it is.
4:50 | Bob Covey tells us why he was pissed off after watching our October 16 episode. Plus, we get an up-to-the-minute account of Jasper's recovery, and hear more about that CN story some are saying could devastate the town's economy.
MORE: https://www.jasperlocal.com/2024/10/11/recipe-for-disaster-misinformation-and-wildfire/
53:00 | Did you notice support staffers are on strike? Real Talker Gillian, a junior high teacher, checks in from the front line...
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
57:35 | Tucker Carlson says "Dad's home, and he's pissed". Jespo and Johnny take a look at the right wing provocateur's rant at the Turning Point Action rally in Georgia.
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: / ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
Should the Public Pay for New Arenas?
Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
Should public dollars go toward new arena districts that'll benefit billionaires?
2:35 | Calgary Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Deborah Yedlin and Project Calgary volunteer Peter Oliver debate public funding for Calgary's new arena (and what we can learn from the Edmonton deal).
ALBERTA VIEWS DIALOGUE FEATURE: https://albertaviews.ca/should-the-public-pay-for-calgarys-new-arena/
Knock 50% off a one-year subscription to Alberta Views with the promo code AVRJ!
PROJECT CALGARY: https://www.projectcalgary.org/
CALGARY CHAMBER of COMMERCE: https://www.calgarychamber.com/
35:00 | Did you know #Jasper is the largest accessible Dark Sky Preserve IN THE WORLD? This weekend is the perfect time to head to the mountains for the Jasper Dark Sky Festival! #MyJasper Memories is presented weekly on Real Talk by Tourism Jasper.
JASPER DARK SKY FESTIVAL: https://www.jasperdarksky.travel/events
38:00 | Jespo and Johnny check out what Real Talkers are saying about public arena funds (and other political headlines) in the YouTube live chat.
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: / ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
The CBC's Reputation Problem // Rev. Michael Coren
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Are the CBC's days numbered? Its outgoing CEO is arguing with MPs over millions of dollars in bonuses paid to more than a thousand staff, while its incoming CEO will be tasked with retaining (or restoring) public trust an in institution under attack by federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
2:10 | Jespo and Johnny dig into the argument to "defund" the CBC, and share their personal and professional experiences.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
23:50 | Rev. Michael Coren gives us the goods on the CBC story, Twitter's dramatic evolution, and his new book "Heaping Coals".
CHECK OUT THE BOOK: https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459752597-heaping-coals
1:09:00 | How significantly will the UCP's Bill 20 impact politics in Alberta? We discuss, less than a week ahead of fall session at the Legislature.
SUSAN'S BLOG POST: https://susanonthesoapbox.com/2024/10/20/bill-20-another-bill-no-one-asked-for/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: / ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Monday Oct 21, 2024
B.C.'s Wild Election // Crisis in Lebanon // Man Builds Bear Door
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
id David Eby's NDP win and lose the B.C. election at the same time? You could make the argument, with an outcome as tight as it gets. What does such a narrow margin say about the state of that province, and federal politics for that matter? Meantime, the crisis in Lebanon is so bad that Syrian refugees who fled there are actually returning home. Humanitarian groups are doing what they can to provide the bare essentials to more than a million people impacted by Israeli airstrikes, but it's not enough. Why is the international community ignoring it, for the most part? We dig into these top stories - and highlight one of the most entertaining "good news" stories we've ever seen - in this episode of Real Talk.
2:30 | Political commentator Rob Shaw takes us into the B.C. election results, including why it was so close, and what could change over the days to come.
READ ROB'S WORK: https://www.theorca.ca/commentary/rob-shaw-david-eby-lost-this-election-even-though-the-bc-ndp-won-9684933
18:50 | Oxfam Canada executive director Lauren Ravon describes the situation on the ground in Lebanon, and tells us why she thinks international donations are way down.
DONATE TODAY: https://donate.humanitariancoalition.ca/ui/tg241en/donations/start
36:45 | Real Talker Debbie takes issue with our October 15 episode on alcoholism. Ryan reads her email to talk@ryanjespersen.com.
WATCH THAT EPISODE: https://rtrj.info/101524Soberish
48:30 | Curt Scheewe was sick of bears blowing through his fence in North Vancouver, so he built a "bear door". But he never thought the local bears would actually use it! You've got to see the footage his security cameras picked up in this episode of Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy.
SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
REAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: / ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Saturday Oct 19, 2024
"How Can Canadians Trust This Guy?"
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Daintre insists Pierre Poilievre gets his security clearance, Garth calls Justin Trudeau derelict in duty, Rod wants Danielle Smith to quit wasting his money, and Bob's got words for the loggers we talked to about the Jasper wildfire. Real Talkers are all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, make sure you tell 'em Real Talk sent you!
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrjREAL TALK MUGS, SNAPBACKS, and TEES: https://ryanjespersen.com/merchRECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/c/ryanjespersen