Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Real Talk about news, politics, and pop culture. Hosted by Ryan Jespersen from Edmonton, Alberta. Live weekday mornings at 8:30am MT. #RealTalkRJ

Episodes

December 22, 2025 103 mins

Randy Boissonnault just endured "the worst year of (his) life". The embattled former Trudeau cabinet minister and Edmonton-Centre MP makes Real Talk his first stop on a redemption tour (3:15) following a court ruling in his favour in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Real Talkers Todd and Jenny are fired up over our December 9 interview with Premier Danielle Smith, Laura takes issue with Jespo's comments on private laundry services at hospitals, Michael's frustrated with "culture wars of the week," Marion supports Skate Canada's decision to boycott Alberta, Dwight sounds the alarm on orphan well clean-up, and Brian has thoughts on being forced to pay for the COVID vaccine. It's an "airing of gr...

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December 19, 2025 98 mins

Before he was a Senator, Charles Adler held court as one of Canada's most prominent talk radio hosts. In this episode, the longtime purveyor of "Canadian Common Sense" gives us his take on recent federal floor crossings (3:45), Pierre Poilievre's upcoming leadership review (10:00), rumblings around a Jason Kenney Conservative leadership run (18:20), and the differences between Liberal and Conservative platforms (aided by emails fro...

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Whatever Donald Trump's doing in Venezuela, it'll have a major effect on Alberta's bottom line. We break it down in a special year-end edition of the Real Talk Round Table (6:00) with Nathan Mison (Diplomat Consulting), Michaela Frey (Alberta Counsel), Jason Hatcher (Navigator), and Shauna Feth (President and CEO, Alberta Chambers of Commerce). 

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Minister of Justice Sean Fraser has "real concerns" about provinces using the Charter's Notwithstanding Clause to circumvent Canada's courts. He talks to us about that, gun regulation (and reflections on the Bondi Beach attack), and plans for an Alberta provincial police service (2:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Dr. Raj Sherman's been working in Emergency Rooms for more than 30 years. He's served as an MLA for two different parties, and he recently wrapped his term as chair of Health Quality Alberta. He explains why Alberta's making a big move in the wrong direction on healthcare reform in our feature interview (4:00) presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY. CHECK OUT THEIR SEASONAL LIMITED...

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At least 15 people are dead and dozens more injured after gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia's famed Bondi Beach. We talk to Supriya Dwivedi (3:00) about a rise in anti-Semitism, perceived connections to the Israel-Hamas war, and tightened gun laws in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Real Talkers Pedro, Margaret, Alison, and Les are all fired up over our Danielle Smith interview on December 9. 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, or BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!

FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj &...

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PM Mark Carney is one seat away from a majority government as Ontario MP Michael Ma crosses the floor to the Liberals. How badly does this hurt Pierre Poilievre (and the Conservatives) about six weeks out from his leadership review? We get into it with The Discourse co-hosts Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes (2:20) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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December 11, 2025 111 mins

"If there was an election today, we would win." You're about to hear from Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi (2:15), who's confident Alberta is ready for another political upheaval. We ask the Opposition Leader whether or not this is the wildest time in Alberta political history off the top, then cover debate stifled at the Legislature, his plan to recruit more doctors (without spending more), and what his NDP colleagues cross Canada...

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December 10, 2025 118 mins

He's a farmer, a stand-up comedian, and one of Canada's most-watched YouTube creators. We shoot the shit with Quick Dick McDick (live from his calving barn) on the Alberta-Ottawa Energy Agreement (17:15), Saskatchewan separation talks (is that a thing?), the real life impact of tariffs, and this year's harvest and hunting season in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RAPIDEX...

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December 9, 2025 111 mins

Booed at her party's AGM after signing an energy agreement with Ottawa, Premier Danielle Smith finds herself in a tough spot. Is the UCP now a "separatist party," like her political opponents say? Does she personally support Alberta remaining in Canada? That's where we begin our exclusive interview with Alberta's Premier (1:15) presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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December 8, 2025 89 mins

PM Mark Carney says he "wouldn't describe (Canada's) foreign policy as feminist foreign policy"...but what does that actually mean? Is it a move in the right direction, or not so much? 

3:20 | Supriya Dwivedi and Sharan Kaur debate the tone (and make-up) of PM Mark Carney's inner circle in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk @ryanjespersen  

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Trent and Erin have fightin' words for Quebec, Robert rips our interview with Minister Adriana LaGrange, and Kimm calls out journalists for backing down to Donald Trump. 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, or BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!

FOLLOW ...

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December 5, 2025 99 mins

Political parties are managing members like never before. Elected representatives toe the party line or face consequences. Floor crossings swing vote results. Public abuse toward dissenting politicians is at an all-time high. In this episode, political scientists Alex Marland and Jared Wesley (4:30) take us on a deep dive into how party loyalty factors into Canadian politics. 

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Who's the Best MLA in Alberta? How about the Best Cabinet Minister? Who's the Most Effective Opposition MLA or the Best Question Period Performer? We reveal the results of Daveberta's annual Best of Alberta Politics Survey (3:15) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RAPIDEX FINANCIAL, A PROUD MADE-IN-ALBERTA SOLUTION OFFERING CRYPTO YOUR WAY. FIRST-TIME USERS SAVE 50% WITH...

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Alberta is moving to a "dual-delivery" healthcare model, blending public and private delivery of select surgeries. Meantime, two former UCP MLAs are being sued by the party as they attempt to revive the "Progressive Conservative" brand. In this episode, we get the goods directly from Minister Adriana LaGrange (3:00) and MLAs Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair (45:30) in feature interviews presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

TH...

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December 2, 2025 86 mins

Did P.M. Mark Carney pull the wool over Premier Danielle Smith's eyes with the Ottawa-Alberta pipeline agreement? Max Fawcett thinks so. In this episode, the lead columnist for Canada's National Observer lays out the method to Mark Carney's madness (11:10). But first...

4:45 | It's Giving Tuesday. Jespo, Johnny, and Max share which charity they're proud to support on this day for "radical generosity". 

8:00 | Max comments on the fe...

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We've seen this play before. The right-wing flank of a Conservative party, feeling underrepresented and dissatisfied, breaks away from the "mainstream" movement to form its own entity. Will that be the case with separatist members of Alberta's United Conservative Party? 

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2:45 | On ...

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November 29, 2025 5 mins

Real Talkers Michael, Robert, Kurt, and Cal chime in on the pipeline deal, while Bryn has an important message about addiction. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

WHEN YOU VISIT THE DQs IN PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, AND BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!

FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen

JOIN US ON FACEB...

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