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
Real Talker Gordon is so fired up about the UCP's school library book ban that he wrote a song about it. For the first time ever, we present an original tune as this week's 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!
FOLLOW US ON...
She's Canadian punk royalty. A fearless, unapologetic icon. An activist. A survivor. And an incredible human being. We welcome Bif Naked and producer Adam Scorgie to the Real Talk studio (2:30) in the historic Mercer Warehouse ahead of the Edmonton Film Festival premiere of a new documentary chronicling her remarkable life.
GET TICKETS TO BIF NAKED at EIFF: https://2025eiff.eventive.org/films/689b7c33db2368453d0eebc5
1:06:00 | The...
Prominent firearms lawyer Ian Runkle says Prime Minister Mark Carney lied to us about the government's gun buyback program. In this episode, we welcome the host of the popular "Runkle of the Bailey" YouTube channel (39:00) to clarify where he says the PM isn't shooting straight.
5:00 | But first...new polling shows one horse pulling away from all the others in the race to be Calgary's next mayor. 338 Canada's Philippe Fournier lay...
Donald Trump will host a UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House in July (2:00). Canada will officially recognize the State of Palestine (6:00). Separatism sentiments are flaring up again in Quebec (19:00), and RCMP have intercepted another group trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border into that province (24:30). We get into all the top stories with Supriya Dwivedi in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton ...
Wayne has a word of warning for podcasters, Ross says Jimmy Kimmel deserves his fate, Robert has words of warning about a "both sides" approach, "29 Tilers," Edward, and Peter are pissed about Jespo's interview with the Prime Minister, and Kayne says it's time to put on your poppy.
It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com When you visit th...
Are Temporary Foreign Workers standing in the way of Canadians finding work? As premiers of different political stripes call for an overhaul to Canada's TFW program, former Notley NDP cabinet minister Shannon Phillips and Pierre Poilievre's former communications director Ben Woodfinden (2:40) hash it out on Real Talk in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
...Popular late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel is off the air after delivering a monologue on the Charlie Kirk murder suspect and MAGA. President Donald Trump is crowing, typical "cancel culture" critics are celebrating, and free speech defenders are sounding the alarm. Where is all this headed?
4:00 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, calls it how he sees it. We get into how Max thinks Canadians should respond t...
Polling tells part, but not all, of an election story. It's not entirely unusual for a perceived "underdog" to surprise on Election Day, having captured lightning in a bottle at exactly the right time and mobilized their supporters to get out and vote. In this episode, we connect with Edmonton mayoral candidate Dr. Omar Mohammed (1:30) and Brian Thiessen (41:45) to hear their visions for Alberta's two biggest cities.
OMAR'S YEG CA...
YOUCAN Youth Services is literally changing lives. In this special episode of Real Talk, we shine a light on this remarkable organization helping young people out of harm's way and onto a path of economic independence.
CONNECT WITH YOUCAN: https://youcan.ca/
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com
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With the consumer carbon tax gone and the EV mandate already paused, where will Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives hammer PM Mark Carney's Liberals as Parliament resumes? Supriya Dwivedi's got her eye on the top political storylines (2:00). Plus, we review new developments in the Charlie Kirk murder investigation, and discuss how the conservative organizer's assassination is influencing political discourse on both sides of the border...
Real Talkers Jake, "Tranquil Vibration," Cameron, KP, and Darren respond to the comments they've seen (including in our Live Chat) about Charlie Kirk's death. 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!
FOLLOW US ON TIKT...
Whaaaaat is going on. Alberta's (Conservative) Premier Danielle Smith says she and (Liberal) Prime Minister Mark Carney have found "unprecedented common ground," and that Ottawa is "finally listening to Alberta". In this episode, Premier Smith talks to Ryan about negotiations around a new pipeline, Charlie Kirk's murder, Ottawa's gun "confiscation scheme," international attention around Alberta's school library book ban, and a loom...
The political world was rocked on September 10th with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. As his killing is being investigated as a politically motivated act of violence, the tragedy raises urgent questions about the rise of political extremism, the safety of public discourse, and the consequences of toxic polarization in America. On today’s show, w...
Mark Carney's got his hands full. Canada's Prime Minister joins Ryan in the Real Talk studio to talk about pressing pause on the EV mandate (0:30), finding a balance between industry and environmental priorities (4:30), Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's list of nine demands (7:00), and negotiating a new deal with the U.S. (11:15). Carney tells us about "the coolest experience of (his) life" (13:15), his new Major Projects Office in ...
Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is facing criticism over its emissions reduction plan, after pausing Canada's EV mandate and appearing to waffle on meeting its obligation to the Paris agreement by 2030. Have the Carney Liberals gone soft on their climate commitment?
2:30 | Caroline Brouillette, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada, says Canada's climate commitment is a matter of sovereignty. She lays out wha...
Canada's first-ever Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Evan Solomon, says AI is the nation's "Gutenberg moment". How will the feds best equip and enable Canadian businesses to maximize its impact? How will legislation protect institutions like banking and healthcare from nefarious forces? What role will Alberta play in Canada's AI and digital innovation strategy? We get into it all with Minister Evan Solomon (1:00) in our feature...
Rural Resident Ryan has a hot take on dealing with rural crime, (Urban) Robert says "woke" city people don't deserve the heat, Wendy calls Danielle Smith to the carpet, and Matthew wants Jespo to be better on the "Blatchford boondoggle". 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, Westmoun...
Veteran news anchor Lynda Steele set off a firestorm when she called out Alberta conservatives in our September 4 episode. We lead with the loudest responses (3:10), before turning our attention to a wide-open mayoral race in Calgary. Later in the episode, crack a cold one with Jespo's basketball teammates who bring insights on craft beer, inter-provincial trade, and vibrant communities.
WATCH LYNDA on REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/...
Could Donald Trump's history with Jeffrey Epstein ultimately cost him the presidency? Are you paying too much for cable? Are municipal parties polluting Alberta's political landscape? Veteran broadcaster Lynda Steele (2:00) gets Real in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.
CHECK OUT LYNDA'S NEW PROJECT: https://killeenandsteele.ca/
MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/
56:00 | On top of its pr...
Premier Danielle Smith's UCP government presses pause on a Ministerial Order targeting school library books, as Edmonton Public Schools pull 200 titles from shelves, including works by Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, and Ayn Rand. Smith calls the move "vicious compliance," promising new, more specific rules to come. Is this anything but a losing battle for the UCP?
7:30 | Political scientist Dr. Duane Bratt assesses the UCP's pivot...
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