Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

With their pastor still sitting in jail for defying public health orders, congregants at GraceLife Church west of Edmonton packed the house to capacity yet again Sunday morning. Ryan reviews some of the messaging from the pulpit, and reads emails describing how Real Talkers would respond to the situation. Now-former talk show host Danielle Smith walked away from a prominent radio gig on Friday, and joins Ryan for an exclusive one-on-one. She explains why she resigned, shares her assessment of public discourse these days, discusses some of her more controversial moments on the radio, and divulges whether or not she's considering a return to politics. A few days after NASA's Perseverance rover landed successfully on Mars, planetary biologist Emily Lakdawalla explains what we've learned out of the gates, and what she's most looking forward to seeing in the months and years to come. Plus, it's Monday, so we get our week started on the right foot with another inspiring edition of Positive Reflections, presented by Kuby Energy! 37:50 - Danielle Smith 1:38:25 - Emily Lakdawalla

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.

The world watched as NASA's Perseverance rover touched down on Mars. World-renowned theoretical astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack, author of The End of Everything, joins us for a wonderfully-captivating conversation about this huge accomplishment. We observe and discuss Black History Month with conservative strategist Semhar Tekeste, photographer Eric Domond, and educator Andrew Parker. You won't want to miss their unique perspectives on looking back and looking forward. Following our look at the Fred Meyer dumpster story out of Portland, we talk about mitigating food waste with Leftover Foundation's Garnet Borch. And, of course, it's Friday, so buckle up for another lively edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste! 6:04 - Dr. Katie Mack 37:42 - Black History Month Round Table 1:34:17 - Garnet Borch 2:08:21 - Trash Talk

As Portland police officers guarded dumpsters full of food outside the Fred Meyer grocery store, Dr. Juniper Simonis was there documenting it. They join us out of the gates to talk about policing, community activism, social supports, and food waste. Real Talk viewer Darren, a grain farmer, took issue with viewer Jared's Trash Talk email on Friday (which essentially called "sustainable beef" an oxymoron). Darren suggested we reach out to UC Davis researcher Dr. Frank Mitloehner, so we did. One of the world's foremost experts on animal science and GHG emissions joins for a great conversation on sustainable agriculture. It's no secret Calgary faces huge challenges. Global oil prices are in the tank, downtown office vacancy is right around 30%, and there are very fair questions about the city's future. A new PAC - Look Forward Calgary - launched this week, and offered to make Real Talk their first media stop. Board members Darby Lee Young, Shelley Kuipers, and Irfhan Rawji explain the point of the exercise, and what their version of a reinvented Calgary looks like. 13:55 - Dr. Juniper Simonis 1:05:05 - Dr. Frank Mitloehner 1:34:34 - Look Forward Calgary Panel

Are provincial and federal whistleblower protections really "toothless and useless"? David Hutton, Ian Bron, and James Turk from Ryerson University's Centre for Free Expression lay out their message to the Alberta government, and explain why they're so concerned about the legislative review currently underway. How do we demonstrate "moral courage in messy times"? New York Times best-selling author Irshad Manji explains why uncomfortable conversations are so important, leading up to her February 18th virtual event - epl.ca/speakers-series. After Edmonton Police officers booted houseless individuals from a heated transit centre into -30C cold, Blake Desjarlais tells us about his beloved cousin Pierre, and outlines what humane policy needs to look like in serving society's oft-marginalized population. 5:23 - Whistleblowers Panel 35:20 - Irshad manji 1:08:41 - Blake Desjarlais

For several years, Irene Deschenes suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest. She joins us along with her lawyer Loretta Merritt to explain how their recent Supreme Court victory paves the way for true justice to be served. The public school board in Red Deer, Alberta will not observe Pride Week; instead, they'll promote a "Diversity Week" this year. We talk to longtime Red Deer school trustee Dianne Macaulay and LGBTQ2S+ advocate Dr. Kristopher Wells about why specific Pride celebrations are important. Emergency department Dr. Shazma Mithani, infectious diseases Dr. Lynora Saxinger, and ICU Dr. Darren Markland provide fact checks following interviews with UCP MLA Drew Barnes and Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Redman last week about easing pandemic restrictions. Yale Law professor, New York Times magazine writer, and Slate Political Gabfest co-host Emily Bazelon checks in from Connecticut to make sense of post-January 6th America, Donald Trump's second impeachment acquittal, and the early stages of Joe Biden's presidency. mCloud Technologies CEO Russ McMeekin explains why they're moving corporate headquarters to Calgary, and where he finds reason for optimism in a strained economy. Plus, we get our week started off on the right foot with another edition of Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy! 3:02 - Irene Deschenes and Loretta Merritt 19:01 - Red Deer Public Schools Pride Panel 37:11 - Doctors' Fact Check Panel 1:18:43 - Emily Bazelon 1:38:00 - Russ McMeekin

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.

With an eventful week on the guest front, and so many Real Talkers taking the time to email talk@ryanjespersen.com, Ryan opens the show by diving into the Real Talk inbox. Multiple Guinness World Record-holder Dr. Brent Saik, founder of the World's Longest Hockey Game, checks in rinkside to describe the challenges of playing outdoors for ten straight days in -30C temperatures, and update us on their $1.5M fundraising goal. Zain Velji, Stephen Carter, and Corey Hogan, stars of the wildly-popular podcast The Strategists, join Ryan to talk municipal, provincial, and federal politics in this week's edition of the Real Talk Round Table. And, of course, it's Friday, which means another bomb-dropping edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste! 17:47 - Dr. Brent Saik 37:43 - The Strategists Round Table

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) David Redman developed Alberta's Pandemic Plan back in 2004, as head of the province's Emergency Management Agency. He explains why he believes both provincial and federal governments have mishandled COVID-19, including controversial opinions on lockdowns and masks. Maclean's editor at large Scott Gilmore explains why he believes it's time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop working from home and head back to the PMO. Scott also looks back at his 2015 editorial on poverty and racism in Canada, and tells us if he thinks anything's changed over the past six years. With Bitcoin surging after the GameStop debacle on Wall Street and Elon Musk's unofficial endorsement, Bitcoin Well founder and CEO Adam O'Brien shares his thoughts on the fluctuation and future of the world's most prominent cryptocurrency. Oh, and we play the "I'm not a cat" viral video three times through to wrap the show up right! 7:16 - Lieut. Col. (Ret.) David Redman 40:13 - Scott Gilmore 1:14:19 - Adam O'Brien

A group of conservative politicians is banding together under the "End the Lockdown Caucus". UCP MLA Drew Barnes explains why he's taking a stand against his own government's policies, and respond to criticism the group is pushing dangerous, anti-science rhetoric. It's going to cost tens of billions of dollars to clean up Alberta's abandoned and orphaned oil wells. Who's going to pay for it, and when? Mark Dorin and Regan Boychuk present the facts, and tell us why they founded the Polluter Pay Federation. After warning of serious risks around restructuring 9-1-1 dispatch, Fort McMurray's city council voted unanimously Tuesday night to defy the provincial government's plan, and manage their own dispatch instead. Mayor Don Scott and Fire Chief Jody Butz tell us why they took the remarkable step, and what they expect to happen from here. (Don't miss Mayor Scott daring the Premier to remove him from office - a remarkable Real Talk moment.) Many of the world's major auto manufacturers have put themselves on the clock, mapping out their transition to a fully-electric vehicle lineup by the mid-2030s. Canada's leading voice on EVs, Nino diCara, digs into what this means for consumers, the auto industry, and the environment. 5:45 - MLA Drew Barnes 52:34 - Regan Boychuk and Mark Dorin 1:16:49 - Mayor Don Scott and Fire Chief Jody Butz 1:38:17 - Nino diCara