Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

AHS Overhaul: Min. Adriana LaGrange & Dr. Paul Parks

It's happening: the Danielle Smith government is completely overhauling Alberta Health Services, starting from the top all the way down. While nobody can claim the current system is working flawlessly, there are a million different concerns around how the changes may affect frontline workers and the millions of patients that rely on the system every year. 
2:28 | Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange takes questions on expert policy consultation, recruiting and retaining healthcare workers, preserving system integration, service delivery beyond acute care, privatization, and political ideology influencing health policy. 
19:17 | Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Paul Parks tells us how Alberta doctors feel about the UCP's plan to overhaul healthcare delivery. 
CHECK OUT THE AMA ONLINE: https://www.albertadoctors.org/
45:27 | Is Alberta's renewables landscape really as "Wild West" as the province would have us believe? Is the moratorium on new wind and solar projects defensible, or is the regulator (AUC) already doing its job? Dr. Ian Urquhart takes us into his Alberta Views feature "Where to Put a Solar Farm". 
REAL TALKERS: KNOCK 50% OFF A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO ALBERTA VIEWS WITH THE PROMO CODE "AVRJ" -- https://albertaviews.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.

Bombs Away: Danielle Smith Blows Up AHS

Information leaked to the NDP put Albertans on notice: the province is overhauling Alberta Health Services in dramatic fashion. Hours later, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange confirmed the UCP is replacing executive leadership, redirecting oversight and accountability, and considering foundational changes across the board. 
0:25 | Ryan opens the show with his own thoughts on the UCP plan to blow up and rebuild AHS, and what it means for you.
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
UPDATE: Minister LaGrange joins Ryan on Thursday's show. Watch or listen live at 8:30am MT or later on demand. 
16:00 | Filmmaker Nisreen Baker tells us why she made "Arab Women Say What?!," and explains its relevance to the Israel-Hamas war. 
SEE THE FILM ON NOV. 9 IN EDMONTON: https://www.metrocinema.org/production/arab-women-say-what/
LEARN MORE: https://www.nfb.ca/film/arab-women-say-what/
41:30 | MLA David Shepherd, Opposition Critic for Health, tells us what troubles him most about the government's plan for AHS. 
1:00:50 | Jasper's Veterans Appreciation Event is underway, with events all the way through 'til November 12. We highlight the many different ways you can thank Canadian veterans in this week's #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper.
DETAILS & ITINERARY: https://www.jaspervetfest.com/
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FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj 
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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.

Do You Want Party Politics at City Hall?

ome voters love the fact there's no political party influence at the municipal level in Alberta. Other voters can't stand it - they'd prefer a bit more predictability. Amid rumblings the Alberta government's considering changing the rules to allow party influence at city halls, we investigate the pros and cons.
3:20 | Pollster Janet Brown and Alberta Municipalities president Tyler Gandam dig into the results of a new survey asking Albertans how they feel about political parties at the municipal level of government. 
DETAILED RESULTS: https://www.abmunis.ca/system/files/2023-09/Political%20Parties%20in%20Alberta%20Municipal%20Elections%20-%20Sep%202023.pdf
LEARN MORE ABOUT ALBERTA MUNICIPALITIES: https://www.abmunis.ca/
52:45 | Ryan and Johnny commiserate over the hapless Edmonton Oilers. 
56:12 | Real Talker "Garth," an immigrant from Jamaica, says he's hesitant to support EDI initiatives at work. Ryan reads his email, then he and Johnny share their own thoughts.
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
1:09:40 | Real Talk is proud to support the Flags for Juno 80 initiative through the Juno Beach Centre Association. Ryan explains how you can receive a Canadian flag that flew over the museum in Normandy, complete with a certificate of authenticity. 
DONATE TO THE JUNO BEACH CENTRE: https://www.junobeach.org/
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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.

Who’s Calling the Shots in the UCP?

In what's believed to be the largest political convention in Alberta history, nearly 4,000 people gathered in Calgary for the United Conservative Party AGM. By the end of the weekend, the David Parker-led Take Back Alberta had taken control of the UCP board, and the party's most ardent supporters had passed several controversial resolutions. 
3:05 | What does this all mean for Premier Danielle Smith and everyday Albertans? The Discourse co-hosts Erika Barootes and Cheryl Oates approach the story from very different angles.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISCOURSE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiscoursePod
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISCOURSE ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-discourse/id1713385479?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=podtail_podcasts
20:10 | Charles Adler explains why the UCP AGM was a "Social Conservative orgy," and how he expects federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to respond. 
48:40 | One week into fall session at the Alberta Legislature, what do the UCP government's priorities mean for small and medium-sized businesses? Alberta Chambers CEO Shauna Feth shines a spotlight on Alberta business.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ACC: https://www.abchamber.ca/
1:05:06 | What a survival story! We love this submission from Real Talker "Delaney," featured in this week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy.
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE: https://kubyenergy.ca/
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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.

The Flamethrower: Real Talkers Clap Back At Danielle Smith!

 Our inbox was SLAMMED after our interview with Premier Danielle Smith. Real Talkers bring the heat in this #ABLEG-inspired edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

The Secrets To Success: Edify’s Top 40 Under 40

How do great achievers get where they are? What drives them? What barriers did they bust down? Where do they see themselves going from here? We pick the brains of three of Edify Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40 in this episode of Real Talk. 
2:00 | Top 40s Sheliza Kluge, Sonny Sekhon, and Heather Thomson talk career/life balance, Gen Z in the workplace, post-pandemic economics, philanthropy, and more. 
CHECK OUT THE FULL TOP 40 UNDER 40 LIST: https://edifyedmonton.com/
GET TICKETS FOR NOV. 28 @ THE WINSPEAR: https://tickets.edifyedmonton.com/top-40-under-40-2023/
54:10 | Whatever happened to "earning your stripes"? Ryan and Johnny talk about evolving expectations in the workplace. 
1:03:30 | Our inbox was SLAMMED after our interview with Premier Danielle Smith. Real Talkers bring the heat in this #ABLEG-inspired edition of 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 
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.

Alberta’s Water Woes // Crisis in the West Bank

It's been said water is the new oil. If that's the case, why is the province (and most of its citizens) ignoring major threats to such a valuable natural resource? 
2:50 | Geophysicist Jenny Yeremiy explains why some Alberta communities are projected to run out of water as early as January 2024, and what can be done about it. The oil and gas reclamation expert brings us up to speed on coal exploration in the Eastern Slopes, a controversial logging project, and explains why she's confident Alberta can get to a Net Zero electricity grid by 2035. 
32:30 | Allegra Pacheco joins live from Bethlehem with a first-hand account of the humanitarian disaster that is the Israel-Hamas war. The longtime human rights attorney tells us about her work representing Palestinians in front of the Israeli Supreme and military courts, her work with the United Nations, and what she thinks the international community needs to do right now.
58:10 | Ryan and John reflect on our November 1 interview with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, including your comments on the Alberta Pension Plan and the possibility of fast tracking grade ten students into the trades. 
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.

Premier Danielle Smith in the Real Talk Studio

Cost of living is up - way up - for the average Albertan. What're Premier Danielle Smith's plans to make things like electricity and auto insurance more affordable? How's she planning on responding to Ottawa's carbon tax break for Atlantic Canadians? How far is she willing to stick out her neck on an Alberta Pension Plan? And will Edmonton be seeing $300M after Calgary got a bunch of cash for its new arena? 
2:00 | Premier Smith joins Ryan in studio for an exclusive half-hour interview, including details on why she was barred from attending the NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium.
38:00 | Ryan reads your responses to the Premier Smith sit-down, including a few questions submitted by Real Talkers that didn't make it into the interview. 
EMAIL US: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
54:50 | November's a perfect time to visit Jasper National Park! This week's #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper outlines the top five reasons to head out to the mountains this month. 
BOOK YOUR JASPER GETAWAY: https://www.jasper.travel/
CHECK OUT JASPER'S VETERANS APPRECIATION EVENT: https://www.jaspervetfest.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.

Bring It On: Danielle Smith’s Message to the Feds

Ottawa's going to be hearing a whole lot more from Alberta. The province and the feds aren't even close on the details around getting Alberta's electricity grid to Net Zero, including a 15 year discrepancy on the timeline. And that's not all. The October 30th Throne Speech gives us a reasonably good idea of how the Smith government plans to get Alberta well positioned to manage a forecasted population of 10 million people (double current numbers) by 2050. 
3:10 | Ryan runs through the Speech from the Throne, and hones in on what most jumped out at him.  
25:06 | Yaniv Yaakov's family's been missing since October 7, when his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and his two nephews were kidnapped from the Nir Oz kibbutz. He tells us how he's coping, and what he wants the world to know.
41:50 | What can Israel (and everybody else) learn from the American invasion of Iraq? How do those lessons apply to the fight against Hamas? "Bug-Eyed and Shameless" journalist Justin Ling takes us into his feature piece "You Can't Bomb Your Way To Safety."
SUBSCRIBE TO BUG-EYED AND SHAMELESS: https://www.bugeyedandshameless.com/p/israel-ground-war-gaza-hamas
EMAIL US: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON:  https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
FAIRMONT JPL FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION RATE: https://www.jasper-park-lodge.com/off...
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.

Game On! What To Expect From Alberta’s Fall Session.

Fall session at the Alberta Legislature kicks off today with the Speech from the Throne: what can we expect from Premier Danielle Smith's UCP government, and Rachel Notley's Official Opposition NDP? Does this Alberta Pension Plan idea actually have legs, or is it doomed to fail (and hurt the government along the way)? 
2:00 | Longtime senior staffers Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes are teaming up on a new political podcast called The Discourse. They tell us what sets their show apart, and what they're keeping an eye on this legislative session. 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISCOURSE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/LmjTJNdoAio?si=jUw5R5BidLBWsaul
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DISCOURSE ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aqzcOu4xsWlFUeytCpULw
Note: The Discourse will be available on Apple Podcasts later this week.
32:00 | Charles Adler talks Nickelback, the Heritage Classic, Matthew Perry, the Alberta Pension Plan, and the Israel-Hamas war in his weekly appearance on the show. 
59:10 | We're one day away from Halloween! This week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy features some of Ryan's favourite family costumes through the years, and a Dad who's set the highest Halloween bar we've ever seen! 
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE: https://kubyenergy.ca/
EMAIL US: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
FAIRMONT JPL FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION RATE: https://www.jasper-park-lodge.com/off...
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.