Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Results Are In: Best of Alberta Politics // Referendum Details

Who's the Best MLA in Alberta? How about the Best Cabinet Minister? Who's the Most Effective Opposition MLA or the Best Question Period Performer? We reveal the results of Daveberta's annual Best of Alberta Politics Survey (3:15) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RAPIDEX FINANCIAL, A PROUD MADE-IN-ALBERTA SOLUTION OFFERING CRYPTO YOUR WAY. FIRST-TIME USERS SAVE 50% WITH THE EXCLUSIVE PROMO CODE RYAN50 ON THE ONLINE PORTAL AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/
READ DAVEBERTA: https://daveberta.substack.com/
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
39:00 | NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi reveals the secret to effective Opposition and QP performance. 
56:00 | Real Talkers Oriana and Allison Jade shine a light on Brickhouse Smokery in this edition of Alberta Wins presented by Play Alberta. Bravo! 
SCORE A $50 CASINO BONUS WITH A MINIMUM $50 DEPOSIT WITH THE PROMO CODE RYAN50 ON THE PLAY ALBERTA APP OR AT https://playalberta.ca/. Must be 18+ to play. If you gamble, please use your GameSense.
1:00:00 | Will Albertans see an independence referendum as early as Spring 2026? Forever Canadian founder and former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk checks in. 
FOREVER CANADIAN: https://www.forever-canadian.ca/
1:29:30 | Johnny's pup Priscilla is an internet celebrity! 
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRpUJb-Eenb/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
1:36:45 | Shout out to our friends at The Druid Irish Pub! We have an update on the iconic Irish pub's re-opening right below us in the historic Mercer Warehouse. 
1:38:30 | Real Talker Dr. Rick says the province's plan to improve healthcare delivery doesn't go nearly far enough. Jespo reads his email to 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.

Dual-Delivery Health Care // MLAs Sued by UCP

Alberta is moving to a "dual-delivery" healthcare model, blending public and private delivery of select surgeries. Meantime, two former UCP MLAs are being sued by the party as they attempt to revive the "Progressive Conservative" brand. In this episode, we get the goods directly from Minister Adriana LaGrange (3:00) and MLAs Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair (45:30) in feature interviews presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY'S NORTHERN EYES SEVEN YEAR WHISKY. ORDER YOUR LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE TODAY: https://hansendistillery.com/
3:00 | Hon. Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, says a dual-delivery model won't negatively impact healthcare access for Albertans who can't afford to "jump the queue". She talks checks, balances, and transparency. We discuss the MHCare procurement controversy and concerns from Alberta's privacy commissioner around health care numbers on drivers' licenses. 
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
28:30 | Jespo and Johnny debrief after the interview, and jump into the Real Talk Live Chat powered by Park Power.
SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/
45:30 | Former UCP MLAs Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair talk to us about being sued by their former party. We hear more about their plan to revive the Progressive Conservative brand, the Alberta separation movement, and Alberta's pipeline MOU with Ottawa. 
1:14:00 | There's a new glacial plunge and sauna experience in Jasper National Park! We've got details in this week's #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper.
1:17:00 | MLAs Guthrie and Sinclair have more to say.
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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.

The Method to Mark Carney’s Madness

Did P.M. Mark Carney pull the wool over Premier Danielle Smith's eyes with the Ottawa-Alberta pipeline agreement? Max Fawcett thinks so. In this episode, the lead columnist for Canada's National Observer lays out the method to Mark Carney's madness (11:10). But first...
4:45 | It's Giving Tuesday. Jespo, Johnny, and Max share which charity they're proud to support on this day for "radical generosity". 
8:00 | Max comments on the federal Cabinet shuffle before moving on to the pipeline MOU, a proposed new pipeline route (27:40), Conservative attacks on Carney's  potential conflict of interest with Brookfield (55:00), new details on the UCP's alleged healthcare procurement scandal involving MHCare (1:01:30), and Quebec's shocking expansion of secularism laws (1:09:00). 
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
READ MAX'S COLUMN: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/27/opinion/method-mark-carney-madness
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
22:40 | Registration is open for the Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Larry Olexiuk Field in St. Albert! 
REGISTER TO PLAY, VOLUNTEER, or SPONSOR: https://www.ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
1:15:00 | This Giving Tuesday, please consider the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation's Bridge Healing Campaign. We revisit our powerful November 28 Real Talk Round Table featuring ER Dr. Louis Francescutti, Jasper Place Wellness Centre's Taylor Soroka, advocate Glenda Sartore, and RAHF VP Lindsay Robertson.
SUPPORT BRIDGE HEALING: https://www.royalalex.org/causes/emergencycare/bridge-healing
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RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/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.

Separatists Dividing the United Conservatives

We've seen this play before. The right-wing flank of a Conservative party, feeling underrepresented and dissatisfied, breaks away from the "mainstream" movement to form its own entity. Will that be the case with separatist members of Alberta's United Conservative Party? 
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2:45 | On the heels of the party's AGM in Edmonton, UCP founding president Erika Barootes joins Ryan and Supriya Dwivedi to talk about Premier Danielle Smith getting booed over her pipeline deal with PM Mark Carney and other notable moments through the weekend. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
38:00 | Supriya and Ryan dig into the details of the pipeline MOU and discuss Steven Guilbeault's abrupt resignation from PM Carneys' Cabinet. Plus, did Pierre Poilievre start to turn the tide on public opinion by poking fun of himself at the Press Gallery dinner in Ottawa? 
1:15:00 | Jespo and Johnny jump into the Real Talk Live Chat powered by Park Power for your takes on the UCP AGM, the future of the Alberta separatism movement, and Poilievre's Press Gallery Dinner speech. 
SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk
2:02:00 | Remember that Real Talk contest a few years ago where we gave away a full solar system installation courtesy of Kuby Renewable Energy? Our friends at Kuby just released a wonderful feature on the winning organization - the Winnifred Stewart Society - perfect for this week's Positive Reflection. 
SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kuby.ca/
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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.

"A Pipeline is a Nation-Building Artery!"

Real Talkers Michael, Robert, Kurt, and Cal chime in on the pipeline deal, while Bryn has an important message about addiction. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
WHEN YOU VISIT THE DQs IN PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, AND BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!
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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.

Pipeline Deal Debated // Can We Solve Homelessness?

Ottawa and Alberta have signed off on an agreement to build a new pipeline to northwest B.C. How long 'til shovels are in the ground? Who will pay for it? Or, could pushback from Premier Eby's office or coastal First Nations stop the project from happening? 
3:30 | Dr. Tom Gunton, Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot, and Sharan Kaur give us their assessment of what's in the agreement (and what's not), the future of federal-provincial relations, and Canada's energy outlook over the next few decades.
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RAPIDEX FINANCIAL, A PROUD MADE-IN-ALBERTA SOLUTION OFFERING CRYPTO YOUR WAY. FIRST-TIME USERS SAVE 50% WITH THE EXCLUSIVE PROMO CODE RYAN50 ON THE ONLINE PORTAL AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/
28:00 | Jespo and Johnny see what Real Talkers have to say about the details of the pipeline deal in the our Live Chat powered by Park Power. 
SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/
42:15 | We shine a spotlight on Bridge Healing, an innovative approach to addressing (or even solving) addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. Dr. Louis Francescutti, Taylor Soroka, Lindsay Robertson, and Glenda Sartore join our Real Talk Round Table presented by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
HELP FUND BRIDGE HEALING: https://www.royalalex.org/
1:18:00 | Real Talkers Michael, Robert, Kurt, and Cal chime in on the pipeline deal, while Bryn has an important message about addiction. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! 
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, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen 
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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.

Pipeline Power Play // Food Insecurity

It's official: Alberta and Ottawa have jointly agreed on a path forward for a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast. In this episode, Politico's Ottawa bureau chief Nick Taylor-Vaisey (4:00) lays out what happens next, and what it means for B.C., First Nations, Alberta, and Mark Carney's Liberal government. 
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY'S NORTHERN EYES SEVEN YEAR WHISKY. GET YOUR LIMITED-EDITION BOTTLE TODAY: https://hansendistillery.com/
32:00 | Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends! Johnny, Real Talk's resident dual citizen, shares a few thoughts. 
35:00 | Real Talker Sorin takes an apolitical approach to the Alberta-Ottawa energy agreement in this week's edition of Alberta Wins presented by Play Alberta.
SCORE A $50 CASINO BONUS WITH A MINIMUM $50 DEPOSIT WITH THE PROMO CODE RYAN50 ON THE PLAY ALBERTA APP OR AT https://playalberta.ca/. Must be 18+ to play. If you gamble, please use your GameSense.
40:00 | Millions of Canadians experience food insecurity every day. Lori Nikkel was one of them. Now CEO of Second Harvest, she tells us how they rescued 87 million (!) pounds of perishable food in 2024, supporting 12,400 programs and reducing 288 million pounds of greenhouse gases. 
SECOND HARVEST: https://www.secondharvest.ca/
1:15:00 | A deep fake video portraying Dallas Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones duped Jespo for five seconds the other day. We have some fun with it, and talk about AI's proliferation into the workforce and everyday life. 
TELL US 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.

Poilievre & Alberta Separatists Push Back on Pipeline Deal

No wonder Pierre Poilievre is unhappy. Mark Carney took a page from Poilievre's playbook and axed the (carbon) tax, and now the Liberal Prime Minister's getting set for a pipeline announcement alongside Alberta's UCP Premier Danielle Smith. It's no wonder the federal Conservative leader is doing his best to discredit the deal. We open this episode with an exchange between Poilievre and Carney in the House of Commons, along with feckless chirps from prominent Alberta separatist Jeff Rath.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RAPIDEX FINANCIAL. Buy Bitcoin instantly with Interac e-Transfer. First-time users save 50% with the promo code RYAN50 at https://rapidexfinancial.com/
40:20 | Thousands of Canadians will be scammed on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and into 2026. In our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West, the Canadian Anti-Scam Coalition's Julie Matthews lays out the latest scam tactics and how to avoid being fleeced.
CDN. ANTI-SCAM COALITION: https://standagainstscams.ca/
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
54:30 | Marmot Basin is officially open! We've got a few ways you can save a ton of dough while skiing and snowboarding this season in #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper. 
CHECK OUT CURRENT CONDITIONS: https://www.skimarmot.com/
BOOK YOUR JASPER GETAWAY: https://www.jasper.travel/
59:30 | Is there a tax strategy driving your holiday donations? Ahead of Giving Tuesday, Marshall McAlister from North Road Investment Counsel explains how you can make the most of your contributions to your charities of choice. 
NORTH ROAD INVESTMENT COUNSEL: https://www.northroadic.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.

Poll: Conservatives Dissatisfied with Democracy

Just 52% of Conservatives polled believe democracy is working in Canada. That's down from nearly 90% just over a decade ago. Pollster Janet Brown and political scientist Dr. Duane Bratt dig into the downward trend in this episode (5:00), presented by our friends at Hansen Distillery.
CHECK OUT HANSEN'S HOLIDAY LIQUEURS: https://hansendistillery.com/
22:00 | In our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West, Janet and Duane tell us what they're watching for in an upcoming pipeline announcement from PM Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith. We get into what this means for Alberta separatists. Do you agree or disagree?
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
44:45 | Bridge Healing is helping change the story for people trapped in the cycle of addiction and homelessness. We share Nathan's story in a very moving edition of Echoes of the Alex presented by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. 
HELP CHANGE THE STORY: http://givetoroyalalex.org/
50:00 | Nine UCP MLAs are targeted in recall initiatives across Alberta. Duane and Janet discuss whether or not such action is "democratic". We revisit Alberta separation sentiments (1:07:30) as Janet shares insights on polling she's done. Our guests tell us what they think about Alberta's plan for a public-private "dual delivery" healthcare model (1:12:00). 
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen 
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen 
REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/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.

Supriya in Studio: Party, Pipeline, and Other Politics

Real Talk turns five! Our pal Supriya Dwivedi makes the trip from Toronto to hang out in our Edmonton studio for this special episode presented by our friends at RapidEx Financial.
In our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West, Supriya and Ryan get into drama at Real Talk's Fifth Birthday Bash, Mark Carney and Danielle Smith's pipeline deal, the PM's dismissive comments about trade talks with Donald Trump, Canada abandoning "feminist foreign policy," and right-wing podcasters jumping ship from SS Trump. 
Ryan wraps the episode with a Positive Reflection on Real Talk's fifth anniversary. Positive Reflections is presented weekly by our friends at Solar by Kuby.
SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE: https://kuby.ca/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen 
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen 
REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch
RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/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.