Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

The Mayor and Councillors in Slave Lake, Alberta have called for the resignation of their absentee elected provincial representative, MLA Pat Rehn, who's refused to step down. Mayor Tyler Warman and Deputy Mayor Shawn Gramlich explain what led to their unprecedented (unanimous) demand. Grade Six teacher Alison Palmer and her student Zoe Cogger tell us how they landed the Prime Minister for a private Zoom call with their class, and what they talked about with Justin Trudeau. Black Lives Matter Edmonton organizer Shima Robinson addresses the troubling story of an Edmonton man celebrating the death of a Calgary police officer, and reports the man is connected to BLM in an official capacity. Activist Leah McRorie takes Ryan to task for something he said in a previous episode of Real Talk, as we tackle "ableist" language. And DJ Johnny Infamous takes us behind the curtain and tells a few stories about working in the bubble of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and the World Junior Hockey Championship.

Political science professors Dr. Lisa Young and Dr. Laurie Adkin dig into the story leading national headlines this week - the scandal plaguing Alberta's UCP government, after more than ten MLAs and staffers travelled to the tropics over the holidays. Were yesterday's minor role reassignments and the Cabinet resignation of MLA Tracey Allard enough to satisfy an outraged public? Kristian Basaraba, an Edmonton-area teacher, takes us into his Governor General's Award-winning assignment that combines skateboarding, visual art, and Reconciliation. Former brothel owner Andrea Heinz gets personal, and explains how her personal journey led her toward her current activism around sex trade abolishment.

Albertans are furious at the tone-deaf, elite, entitled arrogance displayed by Premier Jason Kenney, at least one of his Ministers multiple MLAs, and political staffers who travelled to exotic holiday destinations in the midst of a pandemic. Ryan channels public opinion in an unprecedented nearly-hour-long opening statement. We hear from former Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, former PC Minister Richard Starke, and former PC MLA Jacquie Fenske (now interim Alberta Party leader) to fact check Premier Kenney's more dubious claims (most notably, that he didn't know Minister Tracey Allard and chief of staff Jamie Huckabay left Canada over the Christmas break). Psychiatrist Dr. Peter Silverstone and registered psychologist Kim Knull bring great advice around dealing with anger, and starting fresh in 2021.

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.

Journalist Andrew Nikiforuk lays out civilian concerns around coal strip mining in the Rockies. Conservationist and author Kevin Van Tighem, former superintendent of Banff National Park, helps us understand what's really going on with the UCP and ownership of Alberta's parks. Award-winning journalist Brandi Morin revisits Canada's top Indigenous news stories of 2020. Former Oilers captain and Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ference explains why he was so ticked off at an Edmonton outdoor rink, and what he's expecting with the upcoming, shortened NHL season.

Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen describes how the mountain town has weathered COVID-19, and its post-pandemic economic recovery plan. Famed Canadian entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson has a message for small business owners making a game plan for 2021. Harm reduction advocate Guy Felicella shares his survival story, and outlines what meaningful and effective response to Canada's opioid crisis needs to look like.

The Archdiocese of Edmonton has pulled a priest from duty after a “credible accusation of sexual assault of a minor” in Los Angeles. Sexual abuse survivor Irene Deschenes takes us into the Catholic church’s long history of protecting predators. Reverend Anna Greenwood-Lee joins us to explain why she takes issue with Alberta’s UCP government quoting scripture on Christmas Day.

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.

Cara Moffat has two very important jobs. She's a respiratory therapist helping COVID-19 patients at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital. She's also one of Santa's helpers. She tell us what it's been like in Santa's mailroom this year, and how messages from kids are different in 2020. Mohammad Hussain is celebrating his very first Christmas, after years and years of ignoring the holiday. He takes us into the experience, including what it was like to hear from Prime Minister Trudeau himself. And Brandon Rudics, a Real Talk audience member, recalls his very first Christmas after leaving his Jehovah's Witness faith community. Merry Christmas, friends!

What were the top food stories in Canada in 2020? What food trends should we be focusing on for 2021? Professor Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Mayors Cathy Heron, Alanna Hnatiw, and Tara Veer join from St. Albert, Sturgeon County, and Red Deer. We get into the year that was, the impact of COVID-19 on their communities, where the biggest economic opportunities exist in the year to come, and whether or not women approach politics differently than men.