0:00 | Classrooms are more sparse while children's hospitals fill up, Alberta's got a new Chief Medical Officer of Health (but did the government hire who they meant to hire?), and a suspicious house fire in Saskatchewan has big implications. There's a lot of ground to cover in this episode of Real Talk! 

4:23 | Are you already in the holiday spirit? Johnny's singing Christmas tunes in the studio, and turns out there's a story behind it...

6:44 | The world's population has officially hit eight billion people. Are you concerned about a) increased strain on natural resources, etc., or b) the birth rate slowing over the next thirty years? 

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: #RealTalkRJ on Twitter 

15:40 | One of the more prominent players in a $25M class action lawsuit against a Saskatchewan Christian school had her home vandalized, then burned just a few days ago. One province over, city councillors in Calgary are debating the future of their colleague Sean Chu. Ryan and Johnny talk about a couple common threads, in particular sustained intimidation citizens face when blowing the whistle. 

24:37 | Making good on her promise, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith handed now-former Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw her walking papers, appointing Dr. Mark Joffe to the role. But...did the government hire who it intended to hire? Ryan digs into an unlikely but potentially-hilarious circumstance making the rounds through the #ableg rumour mill. 

35:16 | Real Talker Jennifer is "fed up with sitting and watching things crumble". Ryan reads her email about illness-related student absenteeism, strained hospitals, and public health measures (or lack thereof). 

EMAIL US ANYTIME: [email protected] 

40:34 | Ryan gets into some of the key details of the developing Caitlin Erickson house fire story, including an update on her and her eight children, and a look back at exclusive Real Talk interviews with Jillian Kudryk and Sean Kotelmach, two of the former students of Christian Centre Academy (now Legacy Christian Academy) participating in the class action.

SUPPORT CAITLIN'S GO FUND ME: https://www.gofundme.com/f/caitlin-and-her-children?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=undefined

52:29 | Fourteen-year-old inventor Leanne Fan earns the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" after winning the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with her Finsen Headphones. Find out why she's being called such a brilliant innovator in this week's edition of The Leading Edge presented by Leading Edge Physiotherapy! 

LIFE SHOULDN'T HURT: https://leadingedgephysio.com/

57:16 | Our Remembrance Day interview with Dr. Suzette Brémault-Phillips lit a fire under Real Talker "Kathy". Ryan reads one of the more comtemplative emails we've ever received, exploring the age-old question: are assholes born or are they made?  

WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen

SUPPORT 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.