Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

America Should Be Declared A Pariah State

People throw the word "fascist" around a lot these days, but does it actually fit U.S. President Donald Trump? An internationally-respected Canadian scholar says yes. 
2:35 | Dr. Andy Knight, professor of political science at the University of Alberta, tells us why he thinks the US should be declared a pariah state. We hear firsthand how USAID cuts are impacting critical programs in the Caribbean. Dr. Knight tells us what he thinks about the U of A dumping its DEI initiative, and takes us into his report for the Department of National Defence on white supremacy in the Canadian Forces.
FOLLOW ANDY ON BLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/knight54.bsky.social
1:02:00 | Jespo and Johnny catch up on developments over the weekend, including the ICChange Gala and Rory's big win at The Masters. 
1:08:00 | Turns out politicians exaggerate. Do you care about revelations both the Conservatives and Liberals are stretching the truth about the number of people at their rallies?
1:20:00 | Real Talkers Morgan and Tisha respond to comments they've seen in the Real Talk Live Chat, including use of the word "Libtard". 
1:30:00 | Real Talker Sheryl tells us about her sweet lab Sidney, who survived a near-drowning in the North Saskatchewan River. Positive Reflections is presented weekly on Real Talk by our friends at Solar by Kuby.
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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.

"We'd Be the Masters of Our Destiny!"

Nesen says Pierre better get serious about policy, AJ says Jespo's out to lunch on "grey areas," Ms. B has a hot take on The Great One, Cam has an axe to grind with Max Fawcett, and Brandon paints a picture of a sovereign Alberta. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
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When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, be sure to tell 'em Real Talk sent you!
 
 

Who Killed the Carbon Tax?

Pretty much everybody agrees: the consumer carbon tax is dead in Canada. Mark Carney's getting credit for it in the polls, which has to drive Pierre Poilievre crazy. After all, he's the one who's promised to "Axe the Tax" for the past two years. In this episode, two of Canada's most credible voices on the matter debate: Who ultimately killed the carbon tax? 
3:30 | Shannon Phillips and Ken Boessenkool dig into the carbon tax, the UCP "CorruptCare" scandal, low oil prices and the Alberta budget, Mark Carney and China, Pierre Poilievre and crowd sizes, and the inevitable fate of the federal NDP. 
MAKE BETTER POLICY: https://mbpolicy.com/
1:12:20 | Jespo tells us about the time then-MP Kerry Diotte blew him up on Twitter at 3am. 
1:22:00 | Nesen says Pierre better get serious about policy, AJ says Jespo's out to lunch on "grey areas," Ms. B has a hot take on The Great One, Cam has an axe to grind with Max Fawcett, and Brandon paints a picture of a sovereign Alberta. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs 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, be sure to tell 'em Real Talk sent you! 
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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.

Ag and the Election // Market Manipulation

Everybody eats. But how many of us actually pay attention to what's going on in the Agriculture sector? There's something for everybody in this episode, from the city slickers to farmers and ranchers across Canada. Stick around for the second half of the show, where we take a look at wild swings in the market with massive wealth implications. 
6:00 | Shaun Haney, founder of RealAgriculture and host of RealAg Radio on SiriusXM, talks Trump, tariffs, federal election implications, and the future of Ag. 
READ SHAUN'S WORK: https://www.realagriculture.com/
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
42:00 | What's the best cereal on planet Earth? 
56:00 | Did Donald Trump manipulate the markets to benefit his wealthy friends? 
1:10:00 | Does crowd size matter?
1:32:15 | Real Talker Lorne, a retired fire chief, responds to our April 9 episode with Ryan's wife Kari about their dog Monroe's near-death experience on the river.
WATCH THAT INTERVIEW: https://rtrj.info/040925rescue
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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.

Jespo Family’s River Scare // Battleground Alberta

Jespo's family dodged a bullet just hours before this episode, nearly losing their beloved black lab Monroe in the icy, frigid North Saskatchewan River. It's the most dangerous time of year to be around water, says Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, and one of the most dangerous calls their firefighters respond to. 
2:40 | Ryan's wife Kari, their dog Monroe, and Edmonton Fire Rescue District Chief Brian Williams tell us all about what happened, and what the general public needs to know. 
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
29:00 | Pierre Poilievre packs a Nisku warehouse full of supporters. Mark Carney rallies Calgary Liberals (yes, there's such a thing) days later. Nick Taylor-Vaisey's watching it all for POLITICO, and joins Ryan in studio. Catch Team POLITICO on Real Talk every Wednesday through the federal election campaign, and read Ryan's View From Alberta every Thursday in POLITICO's Ottawa Playbook.
CHECK IT OUT: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/ottawa-playbook
57:00 | The snow starts to melt, local wildlife welcomes newborns, and the sun stays up later in the day - there's nothing quite like Spring in Jasper! Ryan reflects on a few favourite family memories in this week's #MyJasper Memories presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper. 
SPRING IN JASPER: https://www.jasper.travel/spring/
FAIRMONT JPL PROMOTION: https://www.jasper.travel/current-deals/spring-into-summer/
1:08:00 | Real Talker Matthew's open to the idea of a national home building authority of some sort. Thoughts? 
1:15:00 | Turns out Mark Carney's not the only one rubbing shoulders with global elites. Martin Lukacs shares a story about Pierre Poilievre and the Billionaire Class. (Does any of this matter?)
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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.

Are We Headed Toward The Great Recession?

This episode is all about the bottom line. With headlines screaming "Market Mayhem," what's the average investor supposed to think, let alone do? Is now a good time to buy? Or is it time to sell before things get worse? And...whatever happened to election campaigns that were supposed to be all about AFFORDABILITY?
4:50 | We check in with Marshall McAlister, president at North Road Investment Counsel, for a steady perspective on the stock market responding to Donald Trump's tariffs. 
CHECK OUT NORTH ROAD INVESTMENT COUNSEL: https://www.northroadic.com/
24:15 | Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes a rare campaign appearance in Nisku, just south of Edmonton, endorsing Pierre Poilievre for PM. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith claps back at Mark Carney, saying she "will not shut up".
41:00 | Vicky Mochama takes a mortgage affordability test for everybody to witness, as we check in with the host of Canada's newest must-listen political podcast Party All The Time. Are the big campaigns hitting or missing the mark with housing policy? What's in it for renters? 
PARTY ALL THE TIME // EPISODE TWO: https://rtrj.info/040725PATT
1:20:00 | Some Edmonton renters just saw their rents triple overnight. Is rent control a possibility in Alberta? (The government says hell no.) Nurses have a big new deal. Jespo and Johnny take a look at stories making news. 
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: 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.

Canada's Conservatives Still Want to Bet on America

The Great One is taking more shots than any goalie he ever faced for his friendship with President Donald Trump. Pierre Poilievre's boasting about crowd sizes at his rallies, just like 47 does. Danielle Smith's spending more time in Florida than she is in Alberta. In the midst of a full-blown trade war, why do Canada's Conservatives still want to bet on America? 
11:00 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, talks Gretzky (and Ovechkin), Carney and Poilievre's messaging over the weekend, the potential for a new pipeline across Canada, the NDP's call for the Conservatives to drop a candidate over residential school comments, and the Jays signing Vlad Guerrero, Jr. to a half-billion dollar contract extension. 
READ MAX'S WORK: https://www.nationalobserver.com/
1:15:00 | Real Talker MJ was moved by our Real Talk Round Table highlighting Edmonton-based NGO Innovative Canadians for Change. It's a perfect Positive Reflection to kick off our week, proudly presented by Solar by Kuby. 
WATCH THE ICCHANGE ROUND TABLE: https://rtrj.info/040425ICC
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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.

Danielle Smith CALLED OUT!

"TheSco" says Danielle Smith's Breitbart interview is a "nothing burger," Lindsay's sick of hearing so much about The Donald, "G" wants to know who wants out (of Canada), Todd in Grande Prairie has a challenge for Alberta's premier, and Charlene's hoping you'll join her April 11 at the Alberta Legislature.
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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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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.

Federal Election Platforms: Who's Promising What?

Has the average Canadian learned anything about the major parties' election platforms, with talk of Trump and tariffs taking up so much space? In this episode, our Real Talk Round Table panelists highlight the most significant policy announcements to date - including Conservative and Liberal housing plans. 
3:45 | Shannon Phillips and Ken Boessenkool dig into Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre's proposals for affordable housing and Jagmeet Singh's Canada Victory Bonds. Plus, what does Ken (co-author of the well-known Firewall Letter) think about Danielle Smith's "national unity crisis" comment, and does Shannon think former mayor Chris Spearman can win for the Liberals in Lethbridge?
CHECK OUT MBPolicy: https://mbpolicy.com/
52:35 | We LOVE this Edmonton success story! Born and raised in Iraq, Dr. Abdullah Saleh emigrates to Edmonton, graduates from medical school, and founds an international NGO changing lives around the world. We shine a spotlight on Innovative Canadians for Change ahead of their April 12 gala "Clear Waters, Clear Futures". 
JOIN US APRIL 12: https://www.icchange.ca/2025gala
1:27:50 | The results are in: we take a look at Ryan's unofficial, unscientific Twitter poll on how you handle door knockers. Grande Prairie councillor Dylan Bressey writes in with his on thoughts on "being on the doors". 
1:53:00 | Johnny's opening for DJ Pauly D this weekend. Woooooooot!
1:56:10 | "TheSco" says Danielle Smith's Breitbart interview is a "nothing burger," Lindsay's sick of hearing so much about The Donald, "G" wants to know who wants out (of Canada), Todd in Grande Prairie has a challenge for Alberta's premier, and Charlene's hoping you'll join her April 11 at the Alberta Legislature.
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
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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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.

Trump's Total Trade War // Rachel Gilmore Cancelled

Trump's costing the global economy trillions of dollars. What does this trade war mean for you? We get into it from a bunch of different angles in this episode. Plus, she's one of Canada's most prominent independent journalists. For a brief moment, she had a plum election gig with a mainstream outlet...until political opponents pounced. We talk to Rachel Gilmore about being cancelled as CTV's fact checker. 
3:15 | Right out of the gates, Jespo and Johnny recap Trump's announcement and fallout on both sides of the border, including dissenting Republican Senators.
13:30 | Political strategist Sharan Kaur lays out Canada's best response to Trump's trade policy. Plus, will Mark Carney ACTUALLY deliver a new pipeline east of Alberta? 
30:45 | What are business owners, investors, and everyday Canadians supposed to think right now? We check in with Edmonton Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Griffiths. 
CHECK OUT THE CHAMBER: https://www.edmontonchamber.com/
40:30 | Rachel Gilmore talks to us about being targeted by trolls and cancelled by CTV. 
RACHEL'S BUBBLE POP: https://rachelgilmore.substack.com/
Subscribe to  @AtRachelGilmore  on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AtRachelGilmore
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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.