Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

6:25 | Orange Shirt Day founder Phyllis Webstad shares about starting the grass-roots commemoration day, the first-ever National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, 2021) and what needs to be done to further reconciliation.  49:047 | McGill University's Dr. Katrin Tinn unpacks where Canada is at on establishing a digital currency and what tradeoffs there will be for Canadians' privacy.  1:28:34 | #MyJasper Memories | Ryan gazes at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival (October 15-24, 2021) including the SkyTram Star Sessions, Symphony under the Stars and Drone Light Show events.  Presented by Tourism Jasper. 1:32:24 | The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking executive director Julia Drydyk and former sex worker Andrea Heinz analyze what R&B singer R. Kelly's case can tell us about human trafficking across Canada and what impact social media is having on the illegal activity.

4:02 | Bitcoin Well CEO Adam O’Brien on digital currency in Canada and abroad. 16:06 | Calgary-based physician Dr. Stephanie Cooper shares her experience treating patients during the #COVID19AB fourth wave, using social media to source life-saving equipment, and the call for a firebreak in the province. 1:16:43 | Roy's Place owner/chef Kieth Carlson explains how his restaurant in Claresholm, AB is experiencing in-person and online harassment as the establishment does its best to keep-up with and uphold the pandemic health restrictions.  1:36:26 | China Institute's Director Emeritus Gordon Houlden explores if "hostage diplomacy" is behind the release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from Chinese prison following Huawei CFO Meng Wanzho's safe return to China.  1:52:32 | A light note to start off our broadcast week with... it's #PositiveReflections, presented by Kuby Energy.

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com. Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste.

8:15 | #Elxn44 Winners' Circle Ryan is joined by newcomer NDP Blake Desjarlais, who flipped the riding of Edmonton-Griesbach, six-time election victor Conservative Mike Lake from Wetaskiwin-Edmonton, and Edmonton-Centre's Liberal MP-elect Randy Boissonnault. 46:30 | The #RealTalkRoundTable compares electric vehicles against synthetic fuels (aka e-fuels) with Top Gear magazine's Paul Horrell, University of Windsor's Dr. Nick Eaves, and Electric Vehicle Association in Alberta's Andrew Bell. 1:42:52 | #EatYourWords | Ryan invites conservative pundit Rona Ambrose to rethink her defence of Alberta premier Jason Kenney's pandemic response, during Monday's election night coverage. Presented by Prairie Catering 2:01:09 | Real Talkers blow off some steam with #TrashTalk. Presented by Local Waste

1:27 | Ryan explores the reasons for and reactions to the "cabinet shuffle" in the provincial government where the Alberta’s health minister Tyler Shandro with labour and immigration minister Jason Copping swapped roles. 36:03 | #MyJasper Memories | Ryan shares Real Talkers' photos and experiences from the national park. Presented by Tourism Jasper  41:32 | Guelph University Professor Emeritus Michael Keefer unpacks his essay “Knowing and Not Knowing: Canada, Indigenous Peoples, Israel and Palestine” being included in the forthcoming book "Advocating for Palestine in Canada". 1:09:33 | The award-winning feature writer and columnist for Maclean’s magazine, Jason Markusoff discusses the Alberta government cabinet shuffle, its underpinnings and the ultimate fate of the premier, Jason Kenney. 1:35:20 | Princeton University data researcher Amy Winecoff and legal expert on artificial intelligence Ryan Calo analyze the United Nations' call for an AI moratorium and what concerns are overblown and which are justified.

Federal Election 2021Analysis 6:40 | Political analyst Supriya Dwivedi gives an overview of the results in the 2021 Canadian election. 37:08 | National Observer columnist Max Fawcett and political analyst Ken Boessenkool square off from different spots on the political spectrum to debate the big wins and losses in the election and where parties need to go next. 1:21:30 | Ryan reviews Real Talkers responses to our Question of the Week around return to school during the second pandemic autumn and fourth wave of COVID.  Presented in collaboration with our strategic partner Y Station. 1:38:05 | Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt and western Canadian public policy expert Melissa Caouette explore the implications for the prairies and municipal governments, following the federal election.

4:48 | Ryan runs down Alberta's flawed Restrictions Exemption Program documentation, which can be easily altered to create fake vaccine passports. 37:20 | Comedians Adrienne Fish, Howie Miller, and Derek Seguin riff on today's federal election. 1:41:38 | Giller Prize-winning author, Ian Williams, shares about penning his new book, Disorientation. The collection of essays, released on September 21, 2021, explores his own experience as a Black man moving through the world.  2:11:40 | We look at the lighter side of life with Positive Reflections, presented by Kuby Energy.

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com. Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste.

1:05 | Ryan honours the memory and celebrates the life of Julie Rohr. The beloved Edmontonian passed away on September 16, 2021 after her brave battle with leiomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer. 17:54 | Economist Dr. Lindsay Tedds unpacks the federal parties' plans on childcare. She's one of the 50 prominent Canadian women who signed an open letter calling for affordable childcare to be prioritized. 32:41 | The Strategists podcast team, Stephen Carter, Corey Hogan, and Zain Velji, hash out the possible outcomes in Monday's federal election, where the party campaigns have faltered, and how mayoral races are shaping up in Alberta's major cities.  1:35:59 | Real Talkers share what's pissing them off on #TrashTalk, presented by Local Waste

5:39 | Sculptor Slavo Cech shares about raising $15,000 for the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship Fund in one day, with the help of three generous art fans.  17:44 | Earnscliffe Strategy Group's Shakir Chambers examines the final days of the federal election and what's left for the parties to try.  51:46 | Epidemiologist Dr. Raywat Deonandan explains the implications of the COVID-19 variants, including Mu. 1:05:31 | #EatYourWords | Earlier in the summer, Alberta's premier balked at predictions of a COVID fourth wave and now he's admitting the pandemic is a health crisis.  1:08:52 | Epidemiologist Dr. Kirsten Fiest clarifies what triage in Alberta hospitals means during the pandemic's fourth wave and how vaccination status will inform life or death decisions.  1:35:42 | Canada’s former deputy prime minister and minister of finance, Chrystia Freeland talks us through the Liberal's federal election plans, anticipated outcomes and what the party hopes to accomplish afterward.