Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Nenshi Launches Alberta NDP Leadership Bid with a BANG!

"Incompetent, immoral, and dangerous." There's no room for misinterpreting how Naheed Nenshi feels about Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her UCP government. The former Calgary mayor launched his Alberta NDP leadership campaign with an indictment of Smith's performance (and integrity) - will NDP supporters see him as the best bet to win the next election? 
2:40 | Charles Adler tells us why he thinks Nenshi's candidacy is "the most fascinating political story in Canada."
35:40 | (The bilingual) Naheed Nenshi tells us why he thinks the NDP lost the election in May 2023, whether the party needs a rebrand, what he makes of "damaged goods" criticism in Calgary, how he'd win over rural voters, and what he'd do for small business. 
CHECK OUT HIS CAMPAIGN: https://nenshi.ca/
1:04:42 | We laughed out loud when Stephen sent us this video of a black bear taking a soak! It's a perfect fit for Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy. 
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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.

FORCED Into Involuntary Drug Treatment?!

Gerald's arguing for safe supply, police officer Anton sees a role for "involuntary" drug treatment, Ben says Big Oil's not pulling its weight, and Kat says Alberta needs to get serious about health supports: it's The Flamethrower presented by the Dairy Queens of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
Fire up your Flamethrower: talk@ryanjespersen.com

International Women's Day: Calls To Action

ACTION! Our International Women's Day Real Talk Round Table looks at the past, present, and future of women in the workforce and society at large. Where are we seeing progress? Where are we spinning our tires? What issues are girls and young women facing today, and how does that compare to generations previous? 
1:50 | Jana Pruden, Margo Long, and Julie Savard-Shaw tell us where their focus is on International Women's Day 2024. 
JANA'S IWD FEATURE: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-meet-the-queens-of-the-gilded-age-who-pioneered-womens-journalism-in/
CANADIAN PROSPERITY PROJECT: https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/
YESS: https://yess.org/
59:16 | Gerald's arguing for safe supply, police officer Anton sees a role for "involuntary" drug treatment, Ben says Big Oil's not pulling its weight, and Kat says Alberta needs to get serious about health supports: it's The Flamethrower presented by the Dairy Queens 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, 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.

How "Woke" is the Average Canadian?

Are you "woke"? Do you describe people who think differently than you as "woke"? Would you characterize Canadian politics and society as "woke"? In this episode of Real Talk, we take a look at new research on the supercharged phrase that was once applied as a badge of honour - now, not so much - and where Canadians actually stand on so-called "culture war" issues.
4:25 | University of Buckingham politics professor Eric Kaufmann takes us into his research: "The Politics of Culture Wars in Contemporary Canada". 
READ MORE: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/politics-of-culture-wars-canada/
37:38 | The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is taking the Alberta Energy Regulator to court, after the AER failed to notify the First Nation about a toxic tailings pond leak for nearly a year. Chief Allan Adam tells us what led to the Statement of Claim, how Imperial Oil and the Alberta government fits into the story, and what other legal action he's considering.
CHIEF ADAM on REAL TALK April 2021: https://rtrj.info/042821Adam
CHIEF ADAM on REAL TALK March 2023: https://rtrj.info/030623Adam
1:15:10 | Real Talker Gillian says Calgary Pride banning all political parties from their parade is a win for The Right. 
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.

Does Alberta Need a National Pharmacare Plan?

Nobody will be surprised to learn Alberta and Ottawa are at odds again. This time, it's over the funding and management of Pharmacare. Alberta was the first province to publicly decline the federal government's proposal for a national program...but is that actually a good move for everyday Albertans? 
4:15 | Dr. Rupider Toor explains why she thinks Alberta should sign on to the national Pharmacare plan. 
DR. TOOR'S PREVIOUS REAL TALK INTERVIEW: rtrj.info/081723Toor 
PROJECT EMPOWHER: https://projectempowher.ca/
26:25 | Take Back Alberta founder David Parker says he's seen the light. He says, after speaking with Premier Danielle Smith, he's done with vicious online attacks against his political opponents. Do you buy it? Does it matter? 
37:15 | We had a big response to our March 6 episode about harm reduction with Euan Thomson and Anthony Furey. Ryan and Johnny discuss. 
42:00 | Real Talker Emily gives us the goods re: how she feels about a national Pharmacare plan. 
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
44:30 | It's DUMPING snow in Jasper right now! We show off a few photos of the brand new Knob Quad Chair at Marmot Basin and tee up the spring social schedule on the mountain in #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper.
LEARN MORE: https://www.skimarmot.com/
47:30 | Johnny's been riding the bus to work for a while now, and says it's not the experience he was expecting. His comments lead to a bigger conversation about social supports, and a reference tto our interview with Guy Felicella and Dr. Andrea Sereda.
GUY FELICELLA ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/051723Felicella
1:03:30 | We've got an update to the story of that tailings pond leak contaminating the land and water near the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. 
1:05:15 | We remember Kyle Dube.
WATCH OUR DUBE INTERVIEW: https://rtrj.info/040623Dube
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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.

Investigating Alberta's Approach to the Opioid Crisis

What's wrong with rehab? After all, isn't getting people "clean" an obvious solution to Canada's opioid crisis? As the Alberta government heavily invests in drug treatment facilities (at the expense of Supervised Consumption Sites), we take a look at what's working and what's not in addressing a health crisis claiming 21 lives every day across the country. 
3:25 | Euan Thomson and Anthony Furey discuss Euan's feature in the March issue of Alberta Views and debate different approaches to the opioid crisis across Canada.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH REHAB: https://albertaviews.ca/whats-wrong-with-rehab/
SAVE 50% on a subscription to Alberta Views with the promo code AVRJ: https://albertaviews.ca/subscribe/
EACH AND EVERY: https://www.eachandevery.org/
35:00 | The Discourse co-hosts Erika Barootes and Cheryl Oates give us their take on Anthony and Euan's debate about the drug crisis. Plus, we get into Alberta Budget 2024, the national Pharmacare plan, the ArriveCAN debacle, and more. 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISCOURSE: https://www.youtube.com/@UC1WjKtBGH6U0S6HDePuLjkw 
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.

Is Charles Adler the next CEO of the CBC?

Have you seen the job posting on LinkedIn for president and CEO of the CBC? We can't help but wonder if it might be a perfect fit for our pal Charles Adler. We ask him about that - plus other, more serious subject matter - in this informative and elucidating episode of Real Talk. 
3:50 | Adler explains why he's wearing sunglasses inside, what he doesn't love about the Alberta budget, when he'll apply to be the next CEO of CBC, and what he'll be looking for in President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
48:30 | Business owners: what does the Alberta budget mean for you? Shauna Feth, CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, digs into the details. 
SKILL UP: https://www.abchamber.ca/talent-development-task-force/
POLITICAL ACTION DAY: https://www.abchamber.ca/event/2024-political-action-day-mla-dinner/
1:13:55 | 
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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.

WTF? "Ryan's Blind Support for Pierre Poilievre"?!?

Real Talkers are fired up about the Alberta budget, our Trudeau interview, our Black History Month Round Table, skilled labour shortages, and Ryan's "blind, biased support of Pierre Poilievre" (LOL). It's The Flamethrower presented by the Dairy Queens of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

What Does the Alberta Budget Mean For You?

Everybody's got their own interpretation of a provincial budget. There's a long list of communities, projects, and organizations deserving of big investments. And, inevitably, there's a long list of communities, projects, and organizations that won't wind up with the cash they say they need. In this episode, we lay out the implications of the 2024 Alberta Budget and attempt to answer one Real Talker's astute question posted in our live chat: "I'm confused...is Alberta rich or poor?" 
2:30 | Edmonton Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Griffiths and Edmonton Downtown Business Association CEO Puneeta McBryan dig into the budget, from the top headlines to the storylines flying under the radar. 
CHECK OUT THE CHAMBER: https://www.edmontonchamber.com/
CHECK OUT THE DBA: https://www.edmontondowntown.com/
16:29 | Alberta's Minister of Finance Nate Horner gives us the government's explanation for a delay in income tax cuts, minimal infrastructure funding for cities, a new EV tax, disparity in funding for Calgary vs. Edmonton, and public safety issues. 
56:50 | Real Talkers are fired up about the Alberta budget, our Trudeau interview, our Black History Month Round Table, skilled labour shortages, and Ryan's "blind, biased support of Pierre Poilievre" (LOL). It's The Flamethrower presented by the Dairy Queens of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! 
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
VISIT THE DQs in PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, and BASELINE ROAD! 
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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.

The Truth About Ukraine

Sarah Lawrynuik's coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine is personal. Her family's from there. She's been there multiple times over the past two years, covering the conflict as a freelance journalist. She can't ignore what she's seen since she last joined us in March of 2023. The country is battered, its people demoralized. The death toll - children included - is unimaginable. How much longer can Ukraine defend itself? 
2:04 | Sarah joins us live from London, days after returning from Ukraine.
SARAH'S AUDIO DOC: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16045850-the-next-war-sexual-violence-ukraine
SARAH'S FIRST REAL TALK INTERVIEW: https://rtrj.info/030323Sarah
35:30 | Real Talkers Gabriel, Kristie, Ronnie, and Gerald have a lot to say about our recent shows featuring Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, the Danger Cats comedy show cancellation, and oil sands innovator Kevin Krausert. 
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
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BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.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.