Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Denise is appalled by the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, KP's thrilled to see the US in Venezuela, Don's bracing for WWIII, and Joe from Airdrie figures we should cap independence referendums, and Mr. Dad has a warning for Calgarians. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Former Poilievre comms director Ben Woodfinden and former Notley cabinet minister Shannon Phillips respond to our exclusive with former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos (4:30), share their thoughts on the fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota (22:15), give a Canadian perspective on the Venezuela "situation" (37:15), debate the merits of dropping tariffs on Chinese EVs (45:30), and predict whether or not we'll see another federal election in...

Athana Mentzelopoulos is the former President and CEO of Alberta Health Services. She was fired by the Alberta government exactly one year ago for what the province calls "alarming incompetence" and an inability to carry out the mandates she was given. She says that's not true. In a $1.7M wrongful-dismissal lawsuit, Mentzelopoulos alleges she was fired because she refused to shut down an internal investigation into procurement prac...

Did Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre put Canada in a tough spot by praising President Donald Trump's action in Venezuela? Sharan Kaur argues yes (3:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

A NOTE FROM RYAN: Thirty seconds after we wrapped this episode, I learned of Anna Murphy's passing. Just weeks ago - on November 19 - Anna joined us (with her heart on her sleeve), speaking passionately about me...

Donald Trump wants Greenland. European leaders are pushing back. What's Canada's best play, all things considered? National Post columnist Rahim Mohamed leads us off (7:00) with a look at comments from Stephen Miller and Bob Rae, and the biggest issue facing Mark Carney. 

Plus, could Alberta separatists actually face charges for meeting with US State Department officials (20:00)? Did Chrystia Freeland step in one (32:00) with her U...

As dictator Nicolás Maduro appears before a New York judge, the international community is debating American military intervention in Venezuela, and what it could mean for other countries including Canada. Former PMO senior advisor Supriya Dwivedi gives us her take (6:00) in our first feature interview of 2026, presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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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...

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...

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. 

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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

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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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"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...

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. 

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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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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. 

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