Episodes

Monday Jan 08, 2024
Should Canada Leave the UN?
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Dr. Leslyn Lewis can't be serious. The high-profile Conservative MP is backing a petition calling for Canada to walk away from the United Nations. Dr. Lewis' critics (like Liberal MP Rob Oliphant) are calling on opposition leader Pierre Poilievre to speak out against Lewis' endorsement, wondering aloud if Conservative foreign policy would be to “abandon our international obligations on human rights, women’s rights, children and so much more".
6:07 | Does Canada need the UN? Does the UN need Canada? What might be the consequences of leaving the UN? Do questions like this even deserve our valuable time and attention? Charles Adler chimes in.
35:30 | Premier Danielle Smith isn't ruling out changes to Alberta's liquor retail regulations which would pave the way for supermarkets and convenience stores to enter the booze business. What's the ripple effect for entrepreneurs, including liquor store owners? The CEBA repayment deadline is looming. How many businesses will be able to meet their obligations...and what if they can't? Alberta Chambers of Commerce President and CEO Shauna Feth has her Eye on Alberta Business.
CHECK OUT ALBERTA CHAMBERS: https://www.abchamber.ca/
1:06:50 | We love this Positive Reflection submitted by Real Talker Justin about an orphaned cat that found a home amongst capybaras at a Malaysian zoo!
SEND US YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
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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.

Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Get Your Head Out Of Your Exhaust Pipe!
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Real Talker Gerald's demanding details from Ryan, and Real Talkers Stephen and Cameron have strong words for people pooh-poohing renewables. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com

Friday Jan 05, 2024
Solving the World’s Problems with Steele and Vance
Friday Jan 05, 2024
Friday Jan 05, 2024
What's the right move with homeless encampments and open drug use? Should Canada ban cigarettes for good? Is it really that outrageous to suggest certain clothing brands aren't for everybody? Veteran broadcasters Lynda Steele and Jody Vance tackle these hot button questions and more in our first Real Talk Round Table of 2024.
0:15 | But first...got plans on Saturday, February 3?
SIGN UP TO PLAY, VOLUNTEER, OR SPONSOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC (FEB 3): https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
2:45 | Jody Vance and Lynda Steele talk Alzheimer's, drug use in playgrounds, tent cities, Surrey's policing debacle, political parties at the municipal level, Health Canada's proposed cigarette ban, and billionaire Chip Wilson's controversial comments about Lululemon's marketing.
CHECK OUT STEELE AND VANCE: https://www.cheknews.ca/shows/steele-and-vance/
1:07:55 | Real Talker Gerald's demanding details from Ryan, and Real Talkers Stephen and Cameron have strong words for people pooh-poohing renewables. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
SIGN UP FOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC: https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Jan 04, 2024
Conservatives and Climate Change
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Andrew MacDougall held the highest-profile communications job in Canada, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's director of comms. His boss is generally remembered as tight-lipped around media and hostile toward scientific researchers.
5:13 | Now a director at Trafalgar Strategy in the UK, MacDougall tells us about the evolution of his position on the politics of climate action, how the Harper era compares to the Trudeau (and Poilievre) era, the UK's renewables boon, and the future of Canada's energy industry.
WATCH OUR JUNE 20 INTERVIEW WITH "FIRE WEATHER" AUTHOR JOHN VAILLANT: rtrj.info/062023Vaillant
40:03 | Real Talker Garth says the oil and gas industry is being treated unfairly. Real Talker Gabe says Canadians need to give their heads a shake re: emissions. Ryan reads their emails to talk@ryanjespersen.com.
51:00 | Real Talker Carolyn says Charles Adler deserves a spanking. Ryan reads her email about Chuck's call to deport the driver responsible for the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
1:01:38 | Real Talker Gillian is "finally" able to enjoy hockey again! Ryan reads her email about the PWHL.
SIGN UP TO PLAY, VOLUNTEER, OR SPONSOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC (FEB 3): https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
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SIGN UP FOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC: https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Jan 03, 2024
Innovation, Disruption, and You: What To Expect in 2024
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
What is the next great disruption? Which new innovation will be most transformative? Exactly how will AI continue to change the game? What are the updated secrets to success in 2024?
2:00 | Innovation strategist and best-selling author Shawn Kanungo tells us how this year will be most different from the year previous. He explains why strategy is energy, predicts The Death of Superstars, and tells us how to best position ourselves in a dynamic, competitive job market.
CHECK OUT SHAWN'S BOOK: https://shawnkanungo.com/
43:55 | It's a magical time of year to visit Jasper! Ryan lays out the perfect weekend itinerary in #MyJasper Memories presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper.
LEARN MORE ABOUT JASPER IN JANUARY: https://www.jasper.travel/january/
1:08:50 | A Mom keeps her son's memory alive by shipping his vinyl collection around the world: it's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy.
SEND US YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Dec 23, 2023
BEST YEAR END RANTS!
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
We're shaking things up in the final Flamethrower of 2023, presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! Jenny, Sarah, KO, Johnny, and Jespo give us their own personal rants. (Ryan really turns up the temperature at the end!)
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, tell 'em Real Talk send you!

Thursday Dec 21, 2023
YEAR IN REVIEW: Group Chat Round Table!
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
It's our final episode of 2023! Enjoy what is arguably The Most Entertaining Real Talk Round Table of the Year.
2:30 | Jenny Adams, Sarah Hamilton, and Katherine O'Neill give us their top news stories - in Alberta, across the country, and around the world.
1:07:10 | We're shaking things up in the final Flamethrower of 2023, presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! Jenny, Sarah, KO, Johnny, and Jespo give us their own personal rants. (Ryan really turns up the temperature at the end!)
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
SIGN UP FOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC: https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Dec 20, 2023
Fact Check: How Clean (or Dirty) is Alberta Oil?
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
It's a recurring conversation in Canada, if not around the world: is Canadian oil more "ethical" than oil from elsewhere, is activity in Alberta's oil sands "clean" enough...and does any of this actually matter on the international stage? A couple of episodes ago, David Knight Legg argued the world needs more Alberta for three main reasons. In this episode, our guests fact check those three points.
CHECK OUT THAT EPISODE: https://rtrj.info/121823DKL
2:45 | Markham Hislop, publisher of Energi Media, takes issue with DKL's claim that Alberta's producing the cleanest barrels of oil in the world.
READ MARKHAM'S WORK: https://energi.media/
22:55 | Dr. Andrew Leach says he agrees with some of what DKL had to say, but not all. The author of "Between Doom & Denial: Facing Facts About Climate Change" lays it out.
ORDER ANDREW'S BOOK: https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/between-doom-and-denial/
48:35 | It's a magical time of year to visit Jasper! We highlight some of the most spectacular holiday culinary options in this week's #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper.
BOOK YOUR JASPER GETAWAY: https://www.jasper.travel/january/
51:00 | Would you choose to work 100% from home, 100% at the office, or a mix of both? Ryan reads comments after our December 19 Real Talk Round Table with Heather Thomson, Puneeta McBryan, and Cory Wosnack.
56:35 | An overwhelming majority of Real Talkers think Jaskirat Singh Sidhu should be allowed to stay in Canada. Ryan reviews the results of our unofficial, unscientific Twitter poll.
1:01:10 | Ryan reads one of the most powerful emails we've ever received, from Real Talker Brandon, a family member of killer Robert Svekla.
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
SIGN UP FOR THE REAL TALK POND HOCKEY CLASSIC: https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Dec 19, 2023
TRENDWATCH: Jobs, Retail, & Real Estate in 2024
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
What does the future look like for workers, job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs, and property owners? Is it really a doomsday scenario for downtowns? When will we see restored confidence in new business ventures? Will employers ever expect a full "return to work" scenario? We explore the most relevant and interesting trends in this episode of Real Talk.
1:45 | Heather Thomson, Puneeta McBryan, and Cory Wosnack look back at 2023, then ahead to 2024, through their expert lenses (and crystal balls).
EDMONTON DBA: https://www.edmontondowntown.com/
CENTRE FOR CITIES & COMMUNITIES: https://www.ualberta.ca/business/centres/cities-communities/index.html
AVISON YOUNG: https://www.avisonyoung.ca/web/edmonton
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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 Dec 18, 2023
Should the Man who Caused the Humboldt Crash Be Deported?
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu is responsible for one of the most horrific collisions in Canadian history. He was handed an eight-year sentence in 2019 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm in the April 6, 2018 crash that killed 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey club and injured 13 others. Now, he faces deportation to India. Is that justice served?
3:00 | But first, David Knight Legg, former principal advisor to Premier Jason Kenney, tells us why he thinks Canada blew a big opportunity at COP28.
READ DKL'S PIECE IN THE POST: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/david-knight-legg-if-guilbeault-actually-cared-about-coal-burning-hed-back-natural-gas
42:15 | Charles Adler doesn't need more than a minute to tell us how he feels about Jaskirat Singh Sidhu being deported: it's black and white for Chuck. Not so for Ryan.
TAKE OUR TWITTER POLL: https://twitter.com/ryanjespersen/status/1736786168170299434
1:26:30 | Ryan reads a feel-good email from Real Talker Stef, checking in from Nelson, BC.
1:28:00 | We love the Fresh Nets initiative, highlighted in this week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy.
CHECK IT OUT: https://freshnets.ca/
SEND US YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj
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.