Planet Protectors: It's Not Too Late!

Is the "Alberta Advantage" disappearing? For decades, the province has boasted higher wages, lower unemployment, and a lower cost of living than the rest of Canada. But the numbers show a troubling trend. We investigate what's behind it, and what the future could look like, in this episode of Real Talk.  3:03 | Why is Alberta's minimum wage the lowest in the country? Why aren't private sector workers sharing in their employers' record profits? Is Alberta inherently anti-union? Economist Dr. Jim Stanford takes us into his report, "Alberta's Disappearing Advantage".  READ THE REPORT: https://afl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Alberta-Disappearing-Advantage-Jim-Stanford.pdf 42:15 | It's the perfect time of year to spot wildlife in Jasper! We feature some amazing options to tour, hike, or paddle your way to the perfect photograph in #MyJasper Memories presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper.  BOOK YOUR JASPER GETAWAY: https://www.jasper.travel/ 44:48 | Can Justin Trudeau possibly regain ground he's lost to Pierre Poilievre? What do the Alberta NDP's new membership numbers mean for its leadership race? Could Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe lose his job? What the heck is going on in B.C. politics? And, is Quebec really trending toward another referendum? 338Canada's Philippe Fournier joins us from Montreal.  CHECK OUT PHILIPPE'S SUBSTACK: https://www.338canada.ca/ 1:23:05 | We're celebrating 10,000 followers on our RealTalkRJ TikTok! Ryan and Johnny revisit our recent post about a political mixer aimed at "youth" aged 14-25.  SGT. KERRY SHIMA ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/070422Shima GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch STEP UP YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SHOW - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates

Is this strike three for House Speaker Greg Fergus? The Opposition Conservatives are crying foul after yet another partisan display from the Liberal MP serving in what's supposed to be a non-partisan role. Ryan and Charles Adler debate whether or not it's time for Fergus to go (13:30). But first... 3:30 | How bad are the optics around a political "youth mixer" aimed at 14-25 year olds? (Just kidding..they're SUPER BAD). Ryan, Chuck, and Johnny talk about a now-cancelled event planned in Clive, Alberta. We get into the Fergus flare-up (13:30) before touching on the question everybody's asking: can the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars (22:20)? Later in the show, Ryan asks Charles if the death of Iran's president and a potential International Criminal Court date for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu could advance peace in the Middle East (37:00). We wrap with an update on serial killer Robert Pickton (39:50).  47:00 | Who doesn't love a good reunion story? Shout out to Real Talker Brinley for passing along a feel-good story out of Australia. It's perfect for Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Renewable Energy!  SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: [email protected]  GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/ GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch STEP UP YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SHOW - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates

KP says police were right to break up campus demonstrations, Jeff says Charles Adler's out to lunch on Jerry Seinfeld, Dave calls out Jespo for "slimy old tricks," Todd has a message for The Discourse host Erika Barootes, Ron says the Liberals have themselves to blame for poor polling, and Rene says Pierre Poilievre and Gil McGowan have something in common. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: [email protected] When you visit the Dairy Queens in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, make sure you tell 'em Real Talk sent you!

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Griffiths visit the Real Talk studio for a candid conversation about the present and future of Alberta's capital city.  3:07 | The State of the City: we talk about Edmonton's population growth (100,000 new residents over the past two years!), the housing crunch, strains on social services, a 9% property tax hike, challenges in the downtown core, trends in transit ridership, Council's relationship with the provincial government, the new TAPYEG political party, and Premier Danielle Smith's musings about expanding rail service across Alberta. EDMONTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: https://www.edmontonchamber.com/ 1:07:05 | KP says police were right to break up campus demonstrations, Jeff says Charles Adler's out to lunch on Jerry Seinfeld, Dave calls out Jespo for "slimy old tricks," Todd has a message for The Discourse host Erika Barootes, Ron says the Liberals have themselves to blame for poor polling, and Rene says Pierre Poilievre and Gil McGowan have something in common. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: [email protected]  When you visit the Dairy Queens in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, make sure you tell 'em Real Talk sent you!  GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Premier Doug Ford's government is prepared to wage war on the City of Toronto if it proceeds with plans to decriminalize minor possession of hard drugs. This, as Premier David Eby's government in British Columbia is all but trashing its plan to do the exact same thing. What's the right move, amid an opioid crisis that's killed 43,000 Canadians since 2016? We get into it (36:25) in this episode, in addition to a whole bunch of your feedback on city building, cancer, journalism, research funding, and the pains of parenting.  4:56 | Who would have thought rezoning bylaws could light a fire under so many people? Ryan and Johnny circle back on Calgary's marathon (sixteen-day!) Council meeting, and your response to our May 15, 2024 Real Talk Round Table on placemaking.  WATCH THAT EPISODE: https://rtrj.info/051524RTRT 20:11 | RIP Dutchy. Ryan and Johnny celebrate the life and career of Darren Dutchyshen, dead at 57. 30:12 | Why are so many young people dying from Cancer? Ryan reads an email from Real Talker Harry.  36:25 | Ontario's PC government says it'll fight Toronto tooth and nail if the city proceeds with plans to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. We revisit our recent conversation with Guy Felicella and Mo Amir about B.C. recriminalizing possession, and how the two stories fit together.  GUY AND MO ON REAL TALK: rtrj.info/050824BCPOLI 54:10 | How can we stop journalism from dying a slow death in Canada? Real Talker Shane has a few thoughts after our May 14, 2024 interview with Amber Bracken. AMBER ON REAL TALK: rtrj.info/051424Bracken LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: [email protected]  1:00:45 | Maybe it's not such a bad thing after all for Premier Danielle Smith's government to review how research is funded at Alberta post-secondaries. Real Talker Cyril makes the case.  REAL TALK ROUND TABLE ON BILLS 18 & 20: rtrj.info/041624RTRT 1:11:03 | We wrap the show with powerful messages from Real Talkers Jay and Sheryl about our March 19, 2024 interview with sex trade abolitionist Andrea Heinz. WATCH THAT INTERVIEW: rtrj.info/031924Heinz GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Star actor Nathan Fillion shone a spotlight on his hometown of Edmonton the other day, posting a video of the brand new Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion on historic Whyte Avenue. The "parklet" is just one of many placemaking initiatives, part of a strategic effort toward density and walkability. Cities around the world are reimagining public spaces. How different will our communities look ten, twenty, fifty years from today?  3:03 | Amos Kajner-Nonnekes, Puneeta McBryan, and Kalen Anderson lay out the logic behind modern city building, including the concept of placemaking. We cover rezoning controversies, car (and pedestrian) culture, and more. VIGNETTES: https://www.edmontondowntown.com/articles/vignettes/ EDMONTON DBA: https://www.edmontondowntown.com/ 38:41 | May Long Weekend is the perfect time to visit Jasper National Park! Check out our Top Five To Do list in this week's #MyJasper Memories, proudly presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper. BOOK YOUR JASPER GETAWAY: https://www.jasper.travel/ GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: [email protected]  FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Have the federal Liberals taken over the Alberta NDP? Could a Naheed Nenshi leadership win spell the end of the so-called "worker's party"? Hours after pulling out of the Alberta NDP leadership race, labour leader Gil McGowan joins Ryan in studio for a campaign post-mortem. Later in the episode, photojournalist Amber Bracken tells us why she's choked at the state of journalism, and why the general public needs to start giving a rip.  3:35 | Gil tells us why he withdrew from the NDP leadership race, why he's concerned about the party's direction, and whether or not he's endorsing a candidate for leader. 43:40 | Amber Bracken says more Canadians need to care about troubling trends in journalism. The World Press Photo of the Year Award winner talks about her fired-up Twitter thread on World Press Freedom Day, and takes us into her photo essay in Alberta Views on a 10-year-old fundraising phenom.  AMBER'S ALBERTA VIEWS FEATURE: https://albertaviews.ca/run-for-the-children/ Save 50% on a one-year subscription to Alberta Views with the promo code AVRJ: https://albertaviews.ca/subscribe/ AMBER'S PHOTOGRAPHY: https://www.amberbracken.com/ 1:17:50 | Have you ever considered becoming a mentor? Ryan shines a light on BGCbigs' 100 Men in 100 Days campaign.  BECOME A MENTOR: https://bgcbigs.ca/100Men/ GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: [email protected]  FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Have you seen the video of baton-wielding police officers clearing a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Alberta? Current and former students and professors are speaking out, ripping the U of A for calling in the cops. Meantime, University president Bill Flanagan is doubling down, saying it's his job to "take all reasonable measures to prevent harm." What's the right call here? How do demonstrations - regardless of theme - factor into a post-secondary institution's mandate? We get into it with Charles Adler. 4:40 | This episode is presented by the Juno Beach Centre, Canada’s Second World War museum and cultural centre located in Normandy, France. As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches, Real Talk is proud to support the Flag Sponsorship Program, preserving the legacy of the Canadians who served in WWII.  SPONSOR A FLAG: https://www.junobeach.org/flag-sponsorship-program/ 6:45 | Chuck takes a look at a nasty cross-check to Oilers superstar Connor McDavid's face, cops clearing protestors at the University of Alberta (15:30), a Conservative MP calling out Tim Horton's (30:35), Donald Trump comparing migrants to Hollywood's most famous cannibal (34:00), and Naheed Nenshi calling United Conservative MLAs "monkeys" (39:10).  Charles Adler is presented on Real Talk by Tice Automotive Consultants. Buying a vehicle should be fun! Tice can make that happen: https://www.ticeautomotive.com/ 51:07 | Eighty years after Canadian soldiers helped liberate Holland from German occupation, Dutch citizens continue to recognize our country's contribution. Dennis Meijeringh of the Dutch Legacy Keepers of Canadian Heroes joins us in studio to explain the significance of Canadian military involvement 80 years ago, and why it resonates with younger Dutch generations to this day.  1:03:40 | We celebrate an amazing idea becoming reality - and a beloved Hollywood star's reaction - in this week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy.  SEND US YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: [email protected] GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch ACCESS EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Gerald things Jerry Seinfeld needs to "grow a pair," Alison says we need to get serious about rail options for rural Albertans, and Peter says the government is "caving to the delusional demands of the far-right fringe". Real Talkers are all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!   FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: [email protected] you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, make sure you let 'em know Real Talk sent you!

Do not despair! Human life on Earth may not be doomed, after all. We connect with five Planet Protectors in this edition of The Best of Real Talk. We talk about our plastic problem, the future of wildfires, and our most precious natural resource: water. EMAIL THE SHOW: [email protected] FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch GET FREE, LIMITED EDITION REAL TALK SOCKS WHEN YOU BECOME A PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.