Danielle Smith's leadership review went so well at the UCP AGM, some of her loudest critics are invoking Russia and North Korea in their social media posts. After all, where else do leaders score higher than 90%? 3:40 | Ryan and Johnny discuss Smith's 91.5% approval rating from party members in Red Deer, and muse about what it means for Smith's cau…

Brendon and David have zero tolerance for Danielle Smith's "Jordan Peterson Law," Brent is sick and tired of "lazy Canadians and liberal media," and TheSco says Real Talk's pushing misinformation on Trump. Everybody's all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryan…

Conservative premiers may not lose many elections in Alberta, but more than a few have "met their maker" at party AGMs. Amid coordinated attacks from progressives and the right wing, will Danielle Smith emerge unscathed from the UCP's big bash in Red Deer? 2:00 | Erika Barootes joins us in studio before hitting the highway for the UCP AGM. Cheryl O…

How do you feel about trapping? Have you thought about it much at all? There's a long history of trapping across the country, including Indigenous traditions and traders. An apex predator conservation group is trying to stop a trapping contest targeting wolves in Alberta. We wrestle with a few important questions in this episode of Real Talk. 4:30 …

The leader of Canada's Conservatives and the Liberal Housing Minister were at each other's throats in the House of Commons. Could it be a preview of party leader quarrels to come? In this episode, we dig into the Poilievre/Fraser slugfest, analyze growing dissent among Trudeau's team, and determine what it means for you. Plus, Johnny's had an epiph…

Scott Moe loses...but wins in Saskatchewan. Same with David Eby in BC. Blaine Higgs loses in New Brunswick, period. What's in store for Danielle Smith in Alberta and Tim Houston in Nova Scotia? We zero in on the top political stories in Canada on this episode of Real Talk. 3:15 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, breaks dow…

It may not be among the Top 100 Most Important Issues Facing Albertans, but the UCP's so-called "Jordan Peterson Law" will steal more than its fair share of attention and analysis this fall, both in Alberta and across the country. 2:45 | Ryan takes a look at the implications of Premier Danielle Smith's pledge to protect the rights of professionals …

Real Talkers Colin, KP, and Michelle chime in on our Calgary arena debate, Tom says his MP is trying to cut his family's income, and Ron says Trudeau's time is up. 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, Newcastl…

With less than two weeks to go 'til November 5, a New York Times poll has Donald Trump and Kamala Harris dead even. Who stands a better chance of a late surge? Which numbers actually matter? What does the outcome mean for Canada? We get into it in this episode of Real Talk. 3:40 | Hillary Clinton compares a Trump rally to a Nazi rally during an app…

Jasper-based journalist Bob Covey fired up his Flamethrower after our October 16 episode with retired foresters Ken Hodges and Emil Begin. We figured an on-camera interview would be more enlightening than an email (no offence to your email, Bob), so here it is. 4:50 | Bob Covey tells us why he was pissed off after watching our October 16 episode. P…

Should public dollars go toward new arena districts that'll benefit billionaires? 2:35 | Calgary Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Deborah Yedlin and Project Calgary volunteer Peter Oliver debate public funding for Calgary's new arena (and what we can learn from the Edmonton deal). ALBERTA VIEWS DIALOGUE FEATURE: https://albertaviews.ca/should-…

Are the CBC's days numbered? Its outgoing CEO is arguing with MPs over millions of dollars in bonuses paid to more than a thousand staff, while its incoming CEO will be tasked with retaining (or restoring) public trust an in institution under attack by federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. 2:10 | Jespo and Johnny dig into the argument to "d…

id David Eby's NDP win and lose the B.C. election at the same time? You could make the argument, with an outcome as tight as it gets. What does such a narrow margin say about the state of that province, and federal politics for that matter? Meantime, the crisis in Lebanon is so bad that Syrian refugees who fled there are actually returning home. Hu…

Daintre insists Pierre Poilievre gets his security clearance, Garth calls Justin Trudeau derelict in duty, Rod wants Danielle Smith to quit wasting his money, and Bob's got words for the loggers we talked to about the Jasper wildfire. Real Talkers are all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FI…

We tackle Canada's top news stories in this supercharged episode of Real Talk. Bryan Baeumler tells us about his brand new TV show, but not before Dana Larsen and our Group Chat Round Table sound off on what's leading the headlines. 2:00 | Dana Larsen tells us about the police raid on his Vancouver mushroom dispensary, and why he thinks he's being …

Danielle Smith says if Justin Trudeau's so confident in his energy policy, he should call an election. Alberta's Premier dared the Prime Minister to do exactly that just hours before our interview with federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. We get into the next chapter of Alberta's longstanding feud with Ottawa over emissions caps, renewables,…

What have we learned from the Jasper wildfire, and the devastating fires before that? Could Banff, Lake Louise, or Whistler burn next? 3:15 | Retired foresters Ken Hodges and Emile Begin wrote letters to the federal government in late 2017 warning of a devastating fire in Jasper National Park. We talk to them on the heels of Ken's testimony before …

Is "Sober October" a non-starter for you or someone you love? Are you thinking about cutting back on drinking, but not cutting it out entirely? Mike Pond is a harm reduction psychotherapist who was living on the streets 15 years ago. He and his partner, award-winning journalist Maureen Palmer, say quitting cold turkey and living sober isn't for eve…

Ronnie's not a fan of Justin Trudeau OR Pierre Poilievre, Wendy wants less talk about war, Andrew's not a fan of how we handled the October 7th anniversary, and Coreen's all fired up over ignorant comments about educators. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespers…

He's one of the most feared hitters in hockey history. Jordin Tootoo - or "The Tootoo Train" - endeared himself to fans around the world through his fearless play. But the first Inuk player in NHL history battled demons born from childhood trauma to the point of nearly losing his life. Tootoo talks to us about his brother's suicide, his battles wit…

About 90% of startups fail. What's the secret for those that don't? We talk to the leaders behind three success stories in this special episode of Real Talk presented by Edmonton Unlimited. 2:40 | Areto Labs founder Kasey Machin, vrCAVE founder Dr. Nathaniel Rossol, and Drivewyze VP Doug Johnson tell us about taking an idea to startup phase, the ar…

Nothing's guaranteed, but it sure looks like Pierre Poilievre is Canada's next Prime Minister. In this episode of Real Talk, Stephen Harper's former comms boss tells us why Poilievre better pay attention to what's happening in the UK right now if he wants to last longer than a single term (or less) as PM. 4:00 | Andrew MacDougall served as Prime Mi…

Tiffany Hansen's four year old daughter has already been expelled from SEVEN different childcare centres. Her family is far from alone. There's an epidemic of early childhood expulsion across North America, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Young learners requiring special supports are falling through the cracks from kindergarten all the way …

It's been a year since Hamas fighters attacked civilian targets in Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and kidnapping 200+ more. Israel's large-scale military response has killed at least 41,870 Palestinians including 16,756 children. The conflict has spread regionally, with Hezbollah engaging Israeli forces along its northern border with Lebano…

Harry and Russ chime in on Danielle Smith's chemtrails comments, and Michael calls Alberta's Energy Regulator to the carpet. 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, let 'e…

Pierre Poilievre says he'll "axe" the carbon tax...but then what? Canadians are waiting for details on how the Conservative leader will approach the climate file if he's elected Prime Minister. In this episode, we speak with two Conservative policy wonks (a compliment, not an insult) who say it's time for Poilievre and premiers like Danielle Smith …

The nation's best rodeo competitors are in Edmonton for the 50th edition of Canadian Finals Rodeo. In this special episode, we hang out with three of the highest achievers in Western sports - on horseback, in front of the bulls, and behind the mic. 2:00 | CFR defending barrel racing champion Lynette Brodoway, bullfighter Brett Monea, and 13-time Ca…

A young mom accepts a ride into the city from a stranger, and is never seen again. Two years later, her body is discovered south of Edmonton. Seven years after that, the RCMP apologizes for bungling the investigation. To this day, there's been no arrest, no charges, and no peace for her family. 3:00 | Investigative journalist Jana Pruden takes us i…

Brent's heard enough from the teachers, and Lynette sounds the alarm on underfunding education. Stick around for Jespo's rant after a night at the theatre in this edition of 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, New…

Ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we connect with two people blending Indigenous and Western knowledge to make a big difference in their communities. Later in the episode, we hear from a Real Talk subscriber in grade 12 re: Jason Schilling's "education in crisis" comments on our September 26 episode. 1:50 | Linea Xaysana and T…

Alberta's set to spend nearly $9 billion on new schools, but teachers say it won't fix a system in crisis. Meantime, voters in B.C. are deadlocked leading up to one of the most bizarre elections the province has ever seen. We try to make sense of it all in this episode of Real Talk. 2:35 | Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling exp…

G-Money says Jagmeet Singh stole a page right outta the WWE playbook. RMC has a message for the "American right wing wannabes" in Ottawa. First Class Teacher calls Premier Danielle Smith to the carpet. Jackson's furious about vandalism on September 11 at a firefighter memorial. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sh…

Not everybody nerds out on politics as much as we do. This episode is for those folks (and the nerds like us). We talk "real life" angles on the US presidential election, Jagmeet Singh confronting a heckler, Justin Trudeau's Liberal leadership journey, and the chopping waters around the B.C. election. 2:30 | Beyond A Ballot hosts Amanda Alvaro and …

Why do we allow politicians to drive wedges between us? Why do we listen when they try to convince us cities are the enemy of rural communities, and vice versa? It's a divisive-yet-effective political strategy in countries like Canada and the USA. Is this the new normal? 2:20 | Dr. Kathy Cramer is an internationally-renowned expert on the urban-rur…

agmeet Singh goes toe-to-toe with a protestor outside Parliament, after being called a "corrupted bastatrd". Was it the right move, or could the federal NDP leader pay a political price? 2:20 | Shannon Phillips, Ken Boosenkool, and Tyler Meredith get into the top political stories in Canada, including Justin Trudeau's future, Pierre Poilievre's "Ax…

Lindsey's got a hot take on Trump at the debate, Concerned Citizen's not sold on the UCP hospital plan, and Jo-Jo and Debra are all fired up about the Green Line LRT project. 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, Nama…

The way music is made, distributed, monetized, and enjoyed is dramatically different than even five years ago. We get Real with CCMA nominees JJ Shiplett, Hailey Benedict, and Dan Clapson ahead of a big weekend in Edmonton. MORE ON JJ: https://www.jjshiplett.com/ MORE ON HAILEY: https://www.instagram.com/thatsmehaileyb/?hl=en MORE ON DAN: https://w…

You have to assume Andrew Knack has his next move planned out...but what is it? We sit down with the long-time Edmonton councillor just hours after his announcement he won't run again in Ward Nakota Isga. 4:00 | Is Knack considering running for Mayor? Is the rumour mill correct about him joining Naheed Nenshi's team with the Alberta NDP? We talk po…

Russia's paying Canadian influencers to sway public opinion. Danielle Smith's government just delivered a death blow to a multi-billion dollar transit project. Jagmeet Singh says he's ready for a fight...but is he? 3:00 | We put today's top political stories in front of Max Fawcett, lead columnist for Canada's National Observer. We talk Russian int…

KP hates Trudeau's Senate appointments, Lauren and Erin respond to our coverage of the Covid vaccine injury class action, Brenda's had it with horn honkers, and Travis wonders WTF is up with drivers crashing into trains. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen…

Buckle up: Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes are back to break down the top political stories across the country, including Justin Trudeau's Senate appointments (2:40), Jagmeet Singh's publicity stunt, Danielle Smith's war with AHS, the future of Calgary's Green Line LRT, and the upcoming Saskatchewan election. JOIN US SEPT. 7 at 5pm at the JASPER WI…

More than 13,000 Canadians chose Medical Assistance in Dying last year. That's up 30% from the year before. People don't tend to talk much about MAiD, and there's still a lot of misunderstanding around what it is, who is requesting and receiving it, and what the approval process looks like. We focus on the facts around MAiD on this episode (35:10).…

Is Dr. Kristopher Wells the most controversial Senate appointee in Canadian history? That's what his critics say. In fact, the loudest ones are calling him "atrocious," "radical," and "dangerous". We go one-on-one with the educator, Pride Tape founder, and longtime LGBTQ2S+ activist two weeks ahead of his swearing-in. 3:40 | Premier Danielle Smith …

Was our August 28 interview with Covid vaccine class action lawyers Eva Chipiuk and Jeff Rath a mistake? Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur explains why he thinks it was (19:50). But first, we talk about the outpouring of public sentiment around Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau's tragic deaths (3:10), and Leon Draisaitl's record-setting extension with …

Covid vaccine class action lawyer Jeff Rath lit a fire under a bunch of you during his August 28 appearance on the show, to say the least. Real Talkers Ron, Nat, Megan, Mike, MJ, and Gregory are all fired up in this week's edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanj…

The future is now. The way we grow, purchase, and eat food could be drastically different in just a few years. Experts say the food-ag transition will be bigger than the global energy transition. What does that mean for you? For the environment? For the economy? 2:20 | Isha Datar and Dr. Sean Yam join Ryan in studio for one of the most fascinating …

Alberta's got at least two disasters to manage, with the Jasper rebuild and an overburdened healthcare system dominating news headlines. We go straight to the source for updates from Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland and Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Paul Parks. 4:30 | Mayor Ireland talks to us about losing his home to wildfire, and the earl…

Do you know somebody who experienced a negative health side effect from the Covid vaccine? Alberta lawyers are suing the provincial and federal governments, alleging "unlawful, negligent, inadequate, improper, unfair, and deceptive practices...in relation to the warning, marketing, promotion, and distribution of the Covid Vaccines." 3:15 | Lawyers …

Alberta's rolling out controversial new Social Studies curriculum for K-6 students this fall. It's the culmination of a years-long journey to rewrite what and how students learn about the world around them. 2:40 | Dr. Carla Peck and Laurence Miall explain why teachers are calling out Alberta's new K-6 Social Studies curriculum en masse. SAVE 50% on…

Garth, Tobias, and Clay aren't exactly thrilled with PM Justin Trudeau's latest Senate appointment. It's an all-Adler edition of 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…