Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

"A more apt show title would be Real Propaganda!" Real Talkers sound off on the referendum, the separation movement, Jespo's bias, a new Real Talk drinking game, driving without headlights, and the beautiful town of Balzac. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmoton and Sherwood Park, featuring Ivan C, Chris, Michael, T.S., Kyle, Mr. T, Bev, Vicki from St. Albert, Michael, Alex, and Jason!

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Prime Minister Mark Carney talks to Ryan Jespersen about the looming Alberta referendum, Western alienation, foreign interference, the Pacific Link pipeline, trade talks with the U.S., and Canada's future with the EU. 

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: leave a comment here or email talk@ryanjespersen.com

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Keith Wilson and Tanya Clemens want Alberta to separate from Canada. The co-chairs of Let Alberta Decide join Ryan and political scientist Dr. Feo Snagovsky (28:00) for a deep dive into what an independent Alberta could look like, and what stands in the way, in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. Feo kicks off the show solo (7:00) with insights into how the referendum has divided Albertans. 

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Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi (5:30) says the first nine questions on Alberta's referendum ballot are more dangerous than the tenth question on national unity. Calgary Chamber of Commerce CEO Deborah Yedlin (59:00) says Alberta's economic voice is being heard, and the referendum risks silencing it. Both lay out their arguments in feature interviews presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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What happens if Alberta's referendum results are closer than expected? What happens if there's a blowout? Does the UCP go full separatist regardless of what hapens? Does Danielle Smith survive as premier into 2027? Zain Velji and Stephen Carter, co-hosts of The Strategists podcast, join us (3:00) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West just hours after their Strategists Live event.

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Less than a week out from the referendum, Premier Danielle Smith is urging Albertans to vote to stay in Canada...but does anybody believe her? Prime Minister Mark Carney releases a Thanksgiving video arguing the case for Alberta in Canada. Will it sway undecided voters? Amid threats including foreign interference and the leak of Alberta's voter list, Elon Musk inserts himself in the story. And Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is off to Michigan with a story to tell. We dig into it all with Supriya Dwivedi (4:00) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

THIS EPISODE I...

In episode 5 of The Worker Agenda, host Omar Mouallem joins AFL President Gil McGowan and Secretary-Treasurer Cori Longo for a look back at the May 29th Day of Protest and to examine the upcoming Alberta Referendum, explaining what’s at stake for working people. They discuss the risks separation could pose to jobs, wages, pensions and public services, challenge the referendum’s questions and process, and explain why they’re urging Albertans to vote, protest and organize to protect their future within Canada.

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"Thanks Boomers!" Real Talkers Tyler, David, Rob, Wayne, Robert, Chris, Scott, and Lorne give us their hottest takes on infill, Albertan "traitors" in D.C., the Oct. 19 referendum, and downtown crime. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Buckle up, Real Talkers. Premier Danielle Smith (3:30), Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack (34:30), and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas (52:00) talk infill, inter-governmental interference, crumbling infrastructure, Alberta's looming referendum, and more in this Mega Episode heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Who gets to decide how Edmonton grows? Danielle Smith's UCP is stepping into the city’s zoning fight, overriding municipal authority over how neighbourhoods are developed and reigniting a bigger question about where provincial power ends and local control begins. Jespo kicks off the show with his own thoughts ahead of our October 9 interview with Premier Smith presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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What does it mean to be Canadian when Quebec is debating sovereignty, Alberta is heading toward a referendum, and a trade war with the United States is forcing us to rethink our relationship with our biggest neighbour? Veteran journalist and author Carol Off (7:15) joins us to discuss her new book, True Patriot Love, and what decades of reporting on Canada, conflict, sovereignty, and the U.S. have taught her about the country we call home. Later in the show, Canada's best crime reporter, Jana Pruden, takes us into the shocking Regina Police story (1:02:15) that inspired the new season of...

Quebecers elect a separatist minority government - what does this mean for the rest of the country? We talk QC politics, renegade Alberta delegations to D.C., referendum impacts, and the Canada-U.S. trade war with former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan (4:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. Then, on the heels of former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel's scathing indictment of the state of the city, we talk downtown crime solutions with EPS chief Warren Driechel, police operations chief Devin Laforce, and Downtown Revitalization Coalition member Jenny Adams (46:45).

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An unelected, unappointed delegation of Alberta separatists offered up Alberta's oil royalties and fresh water in exchange for American support, per an explosive investigative report in The Globe and Mail. Jespo gets into it with Supriya Dwivedi (7:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. We look at what's at stake in Quebec's provincial election (32:00), the likelihood of the Pacific Link pipeline getting built (45:00), and B.C. NDP leader David Eby's plan to increase taxes paid by millionaires (59:00). 

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: leave a comment here or email talk@ryanjespersen.com

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Real Talkers Squatch, FoxFacedAB, AlbertaFirst, and Kevin V have hot takes on the Pacific Link pipeline. GoodMama calls Jespo to the carpet re: Poilievre's AI dance video, and Carmen rewrites Danielle Smith's emotional address from a teacher's perspective. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Is "national interest" being confused with "approved"? Just because PM Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith announced the Pacific Link pipeline as Canada's first project designated in the national interest doesn't mean shovels are in the ground today. Would this project be where it is without a looming separation referendum in Alberta? Energy Minister Tim Hodgson lays out the feds' position in our feature interview (7:30) presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. Then, Jespo's got an exclusive with former Edmonton mayor, provincial health minister, and Alberta Party leader Stephen Mandel (50:30), who shares the story behind his "shithole" comment targeting the city's...

A proposed Alberta-to-West Coast pipeline is now a project of national interest, with Ottawa and Alberta planning to share ownership of the $35-44B Pacific Link project. The proposed line would carry up to one million barrels of oil a day to the coast, opening access to more international markets. The next step is a federal review focused on ownership, Indigenous rights, and environmental protections, with construction targeted for 2032. Jespo opens the show with a look at what we know at this point, and what it means for Alberta and the rest of Canada. This episode's opening remarks are...

What does reconciliation actually look like in Canada today? On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Ryan is joined by podcasters Jessica Vandenberghe, George Lee, and Michelle Robinson for an honest conversation (11:15) about Indigenous identity, history, racism, treaties, and the distance between acknowledging the past and changing the present. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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David Eby's early election may not work out as he planned. Ryan and Supriya check in with Mo Amir, host of This is VANCOLOUR, on the heels of a tough first week on the campaign trail for B.C.'s premier (15:00). We lead off with a look at a white nationalist rally on the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc reserve, just east of Kamloops (4:30). Plus, what happens if interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson wins the election - does he still need to officially win the party leadership (34:00)? How are B.C.'s parallel municipal and provincial elections influencing each ot...

Real Talkers are FIRED UP over the Alberta government's $4M ad spend leading up to the referendum and Premier Danielle Smith's emotional speech about oil and gas. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Guest host Rob Breakenridge cues up conversation about the political stories shaping Western Canada as they come to a head in late October.

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Former Alberta Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk joins Rob to chat about Forever Candian becoming a thrid party advertsiser ahjead of the Oct. 19 referendum, the separatist support shift, and...

The mayors of Alberta's two biggest cities join Ryan as the Alberta Municipalities Convention continues in Edmonton. We get the inside scoop from Calgary mayor Jeromy Farkas and Edmonton mayor Andrew Knack (2:00) on potential changes to the Municipal Government Act, provincial oversight (overreach?) on roads (bike lanes), libraries under threat, cities taking a stand against separation, and councillors leaking confidential budget information. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

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Alberta's less than a month away from a referendum with ten questions that could have major consequences for the province’s future (and reputation). Before You Vote co-founders Doug Stollery, Sheila Greckol, Marie Gordon, and Peggy Garrity (5:45) apply decades of experience in law, public policy, and communications to examine what Albertans are actually being asked, what could happen next, and what you need to know before you cast your ballot. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Young men are being radicalized online: pulled into communities built around grievance, misogyny, loneliness, and “toxic masculinity.” Figures like Andrew Tate have turned the so-called manosphere into a powerful cultural and political force, raising difficult questions about why these messages resonate with so many young men...and where they lead. Award-winning novelist Todd Babiak joins us (2:45) to discuss his new book, What Gentlemen Do, and how it relates to the Alberta separation movement. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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"Does this country actually want us?" Everybody's talking about Alberta premier Danielle Smith's emotional speech at the Alberta and the West Assembly hosted by Preston Manning and former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell. We get into it with Supriya Dwivedi (4:20) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West, before discussing Kerry-Lynne Findlay's resignation as B.C. Conservative leader (24:00), Canada's great airport sale...ish (38:30), right to strike under threat (57:30), Parliament resuming (1:01:45), and Canada's proposed EU associate membership (1:06:15). 

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Pink Pirate, Chad, and Kyle say Mark Carney's on the wrong track; Bradley and ForECanadian have strong words for Danielle Smith; RavenRuled and Jessica have thoughts on the Ed Sheeran-Macklemore debacle, and Tyler calls out Jespo's take on AI. It's The Flamethrower proudly presented by our amazing friends at the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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What happens when you spend seven months travelling Alberta and talking to people who want out of Canada? Dani Paradis and Tim Querengesser take us inside their new podcast, Separation Anxiety, sharing what they heard from separatists (4:00) about their frustrations, their hopes for Alberta, and why they believe independence is the answer. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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What would Alberta separation from Canada ACTUALLY look like: legally, economically, re: Indigenous treaty rights, trade, workers, travellers, and everyday Albertans? We dig into the Canada West Foundation’s new Alberta in Confederation report (4:45) with Gary Mar, Dr. Ted Morton, Dr. Audrey Doerr, Dr. Greg Anderson and Dr. Herb Emery in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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The president of the European Commission all but endorsed Canada as an "associate member" of the EU two days after Canadian PM Mark Carney downplayed a Wall Street Journal report on the possibility...so what's the truth? Politico's Ottawa bureau chief Nick Taylor-Vaisey tells us what he's hearing (4:00) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West, including the possibility of Carney calling an election. We recap the first Canada Investment Summit, including former PM Stephen Harper's participation (34:45), and dig into MP Jamil Jivani's future with the Conservative Party (48:00). 

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Guest host Supriya Dwivedi and James McLeod of The Canadian Shield Institute dig into Canada’s digital sovereignty, examining who controls Canadians’ data, the influence of foreign tech companies and platforms, and why building data centres alone doesn’t necessarily give Canada control over its digital future. 

The conversation then shifts as UBC Political Scientist Stewart Prest details Mark Carney’s increasingly conservative approach to governing, exploring what his policies and political positioning mean for traditional Conservatives and the broader direction of Canadian politics.

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Mark Carney is making a massive pitch to global investors: Canada is open for business, rich in resources, talent and opportunity, and ready to attract a trillion dollars in investment. But is the prime minister actually solving the problems that have held Canadian investment and productivity back for years, or is he simply articulating Canada’s message better than anyone before him? We take a look at the first-ever Canada Investment Summit with Supriya Dwivedi (5:40) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. Oh, and is Canada seriously trying to join the EU? Supriya reads into Carney's response to...

Jamie says the Edmonton Oilers don't need to be a "desperate, last-chance stop on disgraced athletes' list of options," Scott's appalled by separatists supporting Russia amidst Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to Alberta, and Les tells us what flag he'll be flying when he votes on October 19. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Hard to believe it's been 25 years since the September 11 attacks. We reflect on "the day that everything changed" with Senator Paula Simons (5:40) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. Senator Simons takes us into her column for Alberta Views, where she calls out "The Noxious Nine" questions (41:40) in Alberta's "nasty" referendum. 

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Curtis Wright was born in Edmonton, built a life in Texas, and just spent nine months in ICE detention before being deported to Canada over a decades-old conviction from when he was 17. He joins us (3:30) to talk about what happened inside detention, the devastating impact of being separated from his children, and what his experience says about the human cost of America’s immigration crackdown. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum isn’t just about separation. There are 10 questions on the ballot, including five that target immigrants and raise serious questions about access to health care, education and social supports. We're joined by former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, former Edmonton mayor Don Iveson, former St. Albert mayor Cathy Heron, lawyer Avnish Nanda (4:25), and former Lethbridge mayor Chris Spearman (1:07:00) for Real Talk about what these questions are really about, and what they say about the politics shaping Alberta right now. Plus, Canada's Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne goes one-on-one with Ryan (43:30) in our feature interview presented by Me...

Canada’s trade war with the United States just escalated, with Ottawa imposing billions in new retaliatory tariffs as Donald Trump spends the weekend firing off increasingly wild attacks against Prime Minister Carney and Canada. Supriya Dwivedi joins us (4:00) to break down what Canada’s strategy is, how much leverage we actually have, and where this increasingly ugly fight goes from here. Then, Marshall McAlister and Cary Williams from North Road Investment Counsel (58:15) get into the market and investment implications of the trade war and Alberta referendum. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. THIS EPIS...

Tyler calls out former MLA Ian Donovan's tone re: AI data centres, T.S. says it's time to put politicians in the penalty box, and Harry finally hits send on something he's been stewing over since July. It's The Flamethrower presented by our amazing friends at the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

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Do unions still matter in 2026? Do they matter now more than ever? Against the backdrop of a tough August jobs report, rising youth unemployment, and growing anxiety about the future of work in Canada, we welcome labour leaders Chris Flett, Siobhan Vipond, and Patrick Campbell (4:00) to discuss the role of organized labour in a rapidly changing economy. We tackle union-busting governments, the impact of AI on "blue collar" jobs, and tackling stigma around the trades. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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Alberta’s population boom is putting pressure on just about every part of the province’s infrastructure, and schools are no exception. With more than 87,000 new students entering Alberta’s education system in just four years, we ask Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides (4:00) if the province is barely keeping up or actually getting ahead. Meantime, B.C.'s Conservative Party is crumbling, with nine MLAs leaving over the past month alone. Cheryl Oates gives us an insider's look (37:10) at the B.C. Legislature fresh off her contract as Premier David Eby's Chief of Staff. Feature interviews on Real Talk are pr...

Not everybody's seeing eye to eye in the southern Alberta community of Little Bow, just outside Vulcan. Some residents opposed to the project are taking their local government to court (see our August 6 episode), while others say it's an opportunity to create jobs, increase tax revenue, and repurpose less-than-ideal farmland. This is part of a bigger conversation about the future of Alberta's innovation economy, and the trade-offs that go with it. Former Wildrose MLA and farmer Ian Donovan tells us why he's backing the Little Bow AI Data Centre in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

What would Alberta separation actually cost...and who would pay the price? Economist Jim Stanford joins us (5:00) to break down the enormous economic risks of leaving Canada, from trade and debt to pensions, investment and the cost of building a new country. Plus, are Alberta’s workers getting a raw deal from an economy that generates enormous wealth without delivering comparable gains in wages and living standards? We get into it in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. 

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