Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

”A Ridiculous Argument” - Rachel Notley On Medical Clinic Memberships

A Calgary medical clinic is charging $5,000 for annual memberships. Sinead O'Connor's gone. Kevin Spacey's acquitted from all charges. PMJT's blown up his cabinet. People are still talking about Jonah Hill's texts to Sarah Brady. And alien-piloted UFOs might really be real. We cover a lot of ground in this episode of Real Talk! 
1:10 | Are you outraged or open-minded by the Marda Loop Medical Clinic's business plan? Ryan and Johnny take a look at the top story in Alberta right now. 
9:20 | We dig deeper into the private clinic model (with a twist). Have you heard about Harrison Healthcare? Are they operating in a grey area? 
16:00 | Irish music icon Sinead O'Connor is dead at 56. Ryan and Johnny take a look at her remarkable (and heartbreaking) legacy. 
25:00 | Kevin Spacey's a free man, after a London jury found him "not guilty" on nine sexual assault charges. But that doesn't mean he's innocent. Did this trial change your mind in any way? 
31:30 | Do we treat healthcare as too sacred of a cow to meaningfully find ways to fix it? Rachel Notley calls one of Ryan's questions "ridiculous" in an interview you won't want to miss. Plus, the Alberta NDP leader responds to a Real Talker who blames her for Alberta's orphan wells. 
42:15 | Do you believe in intelligent life outside Earth? Ryan and Johnny don't exactly see eye-to-eye. So, who's the believer?..
51:40 | The federal government is banking on a cabinet shuffle to improve its chances of an electoral victory next time around. Ryan shares his early thoughts on yesterday's massive cabinet shuffle. 
57:30 | What can we learn from the Sarah Brady/Jonah Hill saga? How can we start to heal relationships badly damaged through the pandemic? How does guilt affect our personal journey? And why do horses make such great therapy companions? Registered psychologist Kimberly Knull joins Ryan in studio.
CONNECT WITH KIM: https://www.kimberlyknull.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.

Up in Smoke: Why Canada’s Cannabis Industry is in Trouble

Why are so many Canadian cannabis growers and retailers closing up shop? Five years post-legalization, what's holding the industry back? Speaking of high-profile industries in Canada, new details are showing why Albertans are getting burned by oil and gas. We dig into both stories on this episode of Real Talk. But first...
6:00 | Kevin Spacey has been cleared by a London jury of all charges of sexual assault. Will any studio take a risk with the two-time Academy Award winner? Ryan and Johnny discuss. 
15:50 | Matt Lamers covers the business of cannabis for MJBizDaily. He takes us into the (shady?) story of Aleafia's insolvency, and explains why so many businesses are struggling. You'll be surprised to hear how cannabis stacks up to beer revenue-wise, and how Indigenous communities are being frozen out by the Cannabis Act. 
CHECK OUT MATT'S WORK: https://mjbizdaily.com/
57:45 | The Jasper Dark Sky Festival is one of the crown jewels when it comes to ways to explore Jasper National Park. We highlight a few new attractions in store for this year's festival, which promises to be out of this world! #MyJasper Memories is presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper. 
CHECK OUT THE JASPER DARK SKY FESTIVAL: https://www.jasperdarksky.travel/
1:00:40 | If orphan wells and other environmental liabilities are such bad news for Alberta, why doesn't the general public seem to care? Energi Media's Markham Hislop is back with part two of his investigative series Unethical Oil.
CHECK OUT MARKHAM'S WORK: https://energi.media/
1:27:20 | Real Talker "JC" has a solution for Canada's methane problem, as outlined in our Hidden Harm episode on July 20. Ryan reads his email to talk@ryanjespersen.com.
USE PROMO CODE "AVRJ" FOR 50% OFF A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO ALBERTA VIEWS: https://albertaviews.ca/
1:37:50 | Our hearts are broken for our dear friend Supriya Dwivedi, who lost her beloved husband Anoop earlier this week. Ryan shares a few thoughts. 
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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.

#cdnpoli Roundup: Another Rate Hike, Poilievre’s Winning Play, & PMJT Security Threats

How are the Hollywood strikes impacting Canadians? When can we expect a break on interest rates? Is Pierre Poilievre right or wrong about the Bank of Canada? Are angry protesters getting too close to Justin Trudeau? We dig into the country's top stories in this episode of Real Talk. 
5:20 | Stephanie Hughes is covering the Hollywood strikes and the Bank of Canada rate increase for Bloomberg. She tells us about the "Barbenheimer Effect," and what the strike means for Canadian film workers (and theatres). Plus, if inflation's back under 3%, why did the BoC just raise rates again?
READ STEPHANIE'S WORK: https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AWY-CR7s4tY/stephanie-hughes
26:40 | Is Pierre Poilievre onto something, threatening to fire Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, or could it blow up in the Conservative leader's face? Former CPC and UCP staffer Karamveer Lalh explains why he believes a commitment to "optimistic conservatism" could help the Conservatives form government next election. 
READ KARAMVEER'S PIECE IN THE HUB: https://thehub.ca/2023-07-11/karamveer-lalh-poilievre-is-right-about-canadas-problems-he-should-embrace-optimistic-conservatism-for-solutions/
41:25 | Chris Hayden says an angry mob in Belleville got "way too close" to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The longtime police officer, now working in VIP protection, takes us through the video and explains why the PM's security detail did what they did. (Stick around for his stories about driving Wayne Gretzky and Ice Cube around town!)
CHECK OUT HAYWORK DRIVING: https://hayworkdriving.net/
1:09:20 | Where do you spend your hard-earned dollars on news and entertainment? Ryan and Johnny review our latest unofficial, unscientific Twitter poll. 
POLL RESULTS: https://twitter.com/ryanjespersen/status/1683514547657920512?s=20
1:21:20 | Oops! We missed Positive Reflections on Monday's show (what can we say...we were distracted)! You won't want to miss this remarkable young man's message delivered via doorbell cam. Positive Reflections is 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.

Twitter X, The Brutes of Belleville, & Bill C-18

This episode is perfect for road trips, bike rides, and dog walks. We check in with talented storytellers Charles Adler and Matt Cundill to get up to speed on Canada's top headlines.
6:00 | What does ketchup have to do with Twitt...er, X? Charles Adler explains, in analyzing Elon Musk's rebrand. Why do we allow the general public to get so close to our politicians? Chuck chimes in on the Prime Minister being mobbed by the "brutes in Belleville". And, does anybody trust the process as gas station owners set their prices at the pump? 
37:55 | Did Ottawa blow it in its fight against Big Tech? Podcast professional Matt Cundill gives us the good, bad, and ugly details of Bill C-18 - the Online News Act. 
CHECK OUT MATT'S PODCAST: https://www.soundoffpodcast.com/
1:15:55 | Did you check out the Barbie movie this weekend? Johnny gives us his review, while Ryan takes a look at what a few cheeky monkeys are doing to respond to the film's loudest critics. Hilarious! 
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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.

Real Talker Rips Trump’s Plans for 2024

Wayne's choked at Charles Adler and wants Ryan to put his money where his mouth's at in this week's Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services.
KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

Battle of the Billionaires & Other Social Media Storylines

Who'll be left standing in the Battle of the Billionaires - Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg? Will Zuck's Threads app ultimately take down Musk's Twitter? Bigger picture, what does the future of social media look like? Does Real Talk need to be streaming on Twitch? Are "Chinese surveillance" concerns around TikTok legitimate? What percentage of online angst actually manifests in real life? Professional social media strategists Kathleen "Kikki" Smith, Beverley Theresa, and Karly Watson join this week's Real Talk Round Table. 
5:10 | It was the first thing Ryan saw trending when he woke up: legendary crooner Tony Bennett dead at 96. We take a minute to reflect on his incredible career.
7:00 | Do businesses need to be on Twitch? How do you decide which social media platforms are the best fit? 
8:30 | She's got nearly 50,000 followers and co-hosts a podcast, meaning she's got every reason to participate on Twitter. So why did Kathleen Smith walk away from her account? 
CHECK OUT THE WOMEN OF ABPOLI PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/women-of-abpoli/id1463058002
15:10 | Is Elon Musk boosting Twitter's reputation or running it into the ground? We see how well Beverley's comments on Musk's Twitter takeover aged 15 months after her last Real Talk appearance.
20:30 | Is Threads the real deal? Will it ultimately take down Twitter? 
26:00 | Have concerns about Chinese surveillance on TikTok subsided? And, how did Karly get 30 MILLION VIEWS of a video of her dog digging in the dirt? 
38:10 | Is it a brilliant or bone-headed move for Premier Danielle Smith's most senior staffer to tweet his admiration for RFK Jr? 
55:10 | Online anger translated into a troubling real life situation involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday. Our panelists analyze the video out of Belleville, Ontario.
1:04:15 | A donair costume is making international news as its online auction tops $10,000. You knew we were going to hit on this story! 
1:10:00 | Wayne's choked at Charles Adler and wants Ryan to put his money where his mouth's at in this week's Trash Talk presented by Local Environmental Services.
KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/
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GRAND DOG REAL TALK SPECIAL: for the month of July, enjoy $10 off pork raw pet food 40 lb. boxes using discount code JULY2023 at checkout - https://granddog.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.

Hidden Harm: Alberta’s Methane Problem

Alberta has a significant and largely invisible methane measurement and management problem. Here's the thing: it doesn't have to be this way. There are a bunch of reasons why it makes sense to take methane emissions more seriously. As you'll learn in this episode of Real Talk, Canadians have every right to demand more from politicians and industry players. 
6:00 | Jeff Gailus is an author and journalist based in Missoula, Montana. As a former Albertan, much of his work focuses on environmental issues relating to the oil and gas industry. He joins us to dig into his Alberta Views feature "Hidden Harm". 
READ HIDDEN HARM: https://albertaviews.ca/hidden-harm/
Use the promo code AVRJ to receive 50% off a one-year subscription to Alberta Views: https://albertaviews.ca/subscribe/
1:11:30 | Are Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg seriously going to fight? Ryan and Johnny tee up our Friday Round Table with an update on the Battle of the Billionaires. 
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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 Future of Oil, Energy, and Journalism in Canada

You don't have to work in oil and gas or journalism to know big changes are coming. Whether you're talking about a net-zero plan including emissions caps in the oil sands or big tech killing media outlets, disruption is all around us. 
11:50 | Linda Solomon Wood is the founder and publisher of Canada's National Observer. She lays out how the media landscape has changed over the past 20 years, why Meta, Facebook, Google, and Twitter present such a threat, and what she thinks the feds should do to save journalism in Canada.
READ LINDA'S COLUMN ON BILL C-18: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/07/04/opinion/tragedy-commons-google-meta-and-canadas-online-news-act
33:50 | What's Hon. Steven Guilbeault's message for Premiers Danielle Smith and Scott Moe, who've attacked the federal government's net-zero plan? What would he say to Conservative MP Mike Lake, who ripped the plan on Tuesday's Real Talk? Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change joins us from Calgary just hours ahead of his meeting with Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz. 
57:55 | Are you an angler? There's an exciting new opportunity in Jasper! We're hooked on the idea of a day on the water with the guides at Jasper Park Fishing. Get details in this week's edition of #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper. 
CHECK OUT JASPER PARK FISHING: http://jasperparkfishing.ca/
1:06:40 | Got plans on Thursday, July 27? Why not join Ryan and a bunch of other golfers at Alberta Springs Golf Resort in support of CASA Mental Health? 
REGISTER FOR THE CASA CENTRAL AB GOLF TOURNEY: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/casagolfclassic2023-reddeer/event/reddeer/
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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.

Into The Eye Of The Didsbury Tornado With Storm Chaser Aaron Jayjack

It's hard to describe the power of an EF4 tornado, but Aaron Jayjack's videos speak for themselves. The professional storm chaser takes us into his wild world on this must-watch episode of Real Talk. 
3:45 | Aaron Jayjack knew Mother Nature had something brewing in central Alberta ahead of Canada Day 2023. He packed up his car and headed straight for what wound up being Canada's strongest twister since Edmonton's "Black Friday" more than 35 years ago. Don't miss his firsthand account of the 2023 Didsbury tornado, along with some of the other wild weather events he's covered. 
SUBSCRIBE TO AARON'S CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/aaronjayjack
38:20 | What would Canada's Conservatives do about climate change, the cost of living crisis, and skyrocketing crime rates across the country? Does the Conservative Party of Canada have an image problem? What's the secret to success next federal election? CPC MP Mike Lake joins Ryan in studio. 
1:16:10 | Legendary American burger chain In-N-Out recently issued an "unmask mandate," meaning employees won't be allowed to mask up on the job without a doctor's note as of August 14. Is it a reasonable or reckless decision? Will other employers soon follow suit? Ryan and Johnny discuss. 
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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.

”Leaders Lead”: Straight Pride, Climate Action, & Cost of Living

News is supposed to slow down in the summer, but lucky for us, that's not happening. Politicians are posing for controversial photos at the Calgary Stampede, Alberta's back to warring with Ottawa, and people are taking steps to stretch dollars further than ever before. We get into it all with Minister Randy Boissonnault and Charles Adler in our first episode back from summer vacation. 
3:55 | Randy Boissonnault takes Pride more seriously than most. The federal tourism minister, who happens to be gay, takes us behind the scenes of his Calgary Stampede pancake flipping tour alongside Premier Danielle Smith, and shares his thoughts on her (and Pierre Poilievre's) controversial photo with a man wearing a "Straight Pride" shirt. We tee up Wednesday's interview with environment minister Stephen Guilbeault, and hear why the Pathways Alliance oilsands consortium is key to advancing Canada's climate commitments. 
43:30 | Charles Adler's earned a few bucks over the course of his career, but that doesn't mean he's cool with paying $3.50 for a small pop. We get into the cost of living crunch with the legendary talk radio host, and learn whether or not he thinks the feds should have paused the carbon tax increase on July 1. 
1:27:35 | Who pranks a disabled eight-year-old kid?! This week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy starts off in a discouraging direction, but finds its way to a happy ending! 
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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.