Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet is making waves—not just at home, but around the world. From military spending signals to the careful choreography with Washington, New Delhi, and Beijing, these picks aren’t just about portfolios—they’re about priorities. In this episode, we dig into what Carney's picks tell us about Canada’s place on the world stage.

3:45 | But first...we take a look at new polling on the "Wexit" movement ...

This special episode peels back the curtain on a chapter of life that impacts every woman but still too often gets ignored or misunderstood. Menopause advocate Jesse Schewchuk joins us (2:50) to talk about the raw, real, and often isolating experience of perimenopause and menopause—and why breaking the silence could be life-changing. This conversation is about more than hot flashes and hormone shifts—it’s about dignity, identity, a...

For decades, the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa has been...adversarial. Can't we all just get along? Could both levels of government cooperate, with shared perspective and priorities, to benefit everybody? What might that look like?  

4:00 | Energy and climate journalist Markham Hislop maps out a path to partnership between the Alberta and federal governments. 

READ MORE: https://energi.media/

57:00 | It's official: Real T...

HOT TAKE ALERT. Patty's got a years-old axe to grind with Jespo. Real Talkers Blahsheep, Ontario James, Pedro, KP, Jake, Cactus Sheriff, and Darian sound off on Danielle Smith, separation talk, and Liberal voters. 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...

Your car insurance is about to get a whole lot more expensive. With no mandate to do so, Alberta's government plans to transition to a no-fault auto insurance system by January 2027. The change aims to shift the focus from litigation to providing care and support for those injured in vehicle collisions, with benefits payable regardless of who is at fault. But here's the thing...nobody believes that's going to happen. 

5:30 | We get...

2:00 | Is toying with separation talk the biggest political risk Danielle Smith's ever taken? We ask her in an exclusive interview in the Real Talk studio.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

24:00 | Jespo and Johnny debrief, get into the Real Talk Live Chat powered by Park Power, and check our email inbox.

SAVE on ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS, and INTERNET: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/

47:00 | It's Opening Day at Northwe...

Is everything going to be okay after all? Donald Trump and Mark Carney play nice in their first Oval Office meeting following the Liberals' election victory, giving hope Canada-U.S. tensions will soon ease. In this episode, we present a cross-border conversation on our shared economic future.

9:00 | NAIOP CEO Marc Selvitelli and Eric Schmutz, both Washington, D.C. residents, join Edmonton's Alex Thomson in the Real Talk studio to t...

Premier Danielle Smith says her Canada includes Alberta...but she'll trigger a referendum question on separation if enough Albertans petition her to do so. This, just days after her UCP government made it (much) easier to do exactly that. Meantime, as Alberta sovereigntists grow louder after Mark Carney's election win, First Nations leaders are pushing back with a reminder about treaty agreements. Advocates fighting poverty, inequa...

It's been ten years to the day since Rachel Notley's NDP ended a 40+ year Conservative dynasty at the Alberta Legislature. In this episode, the province's 17th premier reflects on how that win changed politics on the prairies forever. 

3:30 | But first...does separating from the federal NDP help the Alberta NDP's chances next election? Could Alberta ever separate from Canada? How would an NDP provincial government address Alberta's...

Kenny's not sold on Mark Carney, Other Ken feels differently, Darian's seeing doom and gloom on the horizon, David wants Danielle to call a by-election, Steve calls Jespo out re: a recent interview, and Jenny wants you to join the Alberta Resistance. 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, Newcas...

All but burned to the ground on Election Night, the NDP faces an existential crisis. Is Canada a two-party system moving forward, or does our democracy need the NDP? 

6:30 | Shannon Phillips and Ken Boessenkool disagree on the future of politics in Canada. Who do you agree with? Leave a comment below! Note: this episode was recorded one hour before Pierre Poilievre announced he'll seek a seat in Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot cons...

It sure looks like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is trying to make life easier for Alberta separatists. Her UCP government's removing barriers to trigger a referendum (on Alberta sovereignty, obviously) at the same time she's rattling her sabre at Prime Minister Mark Carney. Folks grounded in reality know Alberta's not going anywhere...so why would Smith stick her neck out there? 

4:30 | The Discourse co-hosts Cheryl Oates and Eri...

Stephen Carter doesn't do podcasts to make new friends. That's obvious early in his appearance here, which proves to be one of the most entertaining episodes we've ever released. A veteran campaign strategist, Carter tells us what each party did wrong (and what they should have done instead) leading up to the 2025 federal election. 

3:20 | But first...POLITICO's Mickey Djuric and Nick Taylor-Vaisey recap their 2025 election experie...

How did Mark Carney erase a 20-point deficit in the polls and lead the Liberals to victory? Why did Pierre Poilievre's momentum hit a wall at the very worst time for Conservatives? Who should be the next leader of the NDP? Will the election results actually fuel separation sentiments in Alberta? 

2:30 | Our Real Talk Group Chat Round Table - YWCA CEO Katherine O'Neill, comms strategist Jenny Adams, Edmonton city councillor Sarah Ha...

Freedom is a garden planted by sacrifice, watered with courage, and kept alive by participation. It's Election Day in Canada. 

4:00 | What will a Conservative or Liberal win mean for Canadians? Supriya Dwivedi breaks it down.

58:00 | How will history remember Election 2025? Senator Charles Adler presents some Canadian common sense. 

1:30:20 | Did you see Johnny's cameo on Hockey Night in Canada? The boys debrief after an incredible...

The Brantford Boomer story's being overblown, says GK. Jagmeet Singh didn't exactly win over Ross and Darian with his Real Talk interview. Heather's wondering where Ryan's head is at. Gerald says Mark Carney's not who they say he is. And Jennifer's calling out, well, EVERYBODY. 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 D...

Take it to the bank: Mark Carney's Liberals will form the next federal government. So say both the left- and right-leaning experts joining us on this pre-Election Day edition of Real Talk. 

4:30 | Shannon Phillips and Ken Boessenkool analyze the party leaders' tour stops, Pierre Poilievre's beef with Nova Scotia's premier, Jagmeet Singh "putting Canada ahead of his party," and the "Brantford Boomer" story. 

MAKE BETTER POLICY: http...

A real estate bubble that never bursts. Orwellian internet laws. Controversial MAiD policies. Complex identity politics. Tristin Hopper says Canada has become a global cautionary tale. We connect with the author of "Don't Be Canada" in this episode of Real Talk. But first...

3:15 | What prompted the "Brantford Boomer" to bust out the double bird to a camera operator outside a Liberal campaign event? We go to the source of the viral...

His NDP is languishing in the polls, his leadership's being questioned, but Jagmeet Singh's still throwing punches and pounding the pavement with just days to go until the election. What does he say to critics who hold him responsible for propping up Justin Trudeau's minority government for too long? What's his message to progressive voters inclined to "loan" their vote to the Liberals? 

2:20 | Jagmeet joins Jespo in the Real Talk ...