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

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

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

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to [email protected]. 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 [email protected], 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

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

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

Mayors across Canada are lobbying Ottawa ahead of the next federal budget. Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, chair of the Big City Mayors' Caucus, joins to talk transit, homelessness, and other top municipal priorities. Audric Moses (and his wife Marni, who makes a cameo!) built a NetZero home in a northern climate. How is it performing with limited daylight hours, plenty of snow, and frigid outside temperatures? We take a tour to find out. Amid public outcry, Alberta's United Conservative government says it's walking back its plan to rescind the province's 45-year-old coal policy. Is this meaningful action, or pure politicking? We ask CPAWS conservation director Katie Morrison for some perspective. We know white supremacy continues to plague society. How does the ideology persist, and how are people radicalized? Talia Lavin takes us into her process researching and writing "Culture Warlords," including going undercover on message boards and forums on the dark web. Ryan plays a video excerpt from a church service this past Sunday, right before a pastor was arrested for violating public health orders. Real Talkers share their thoughts on the implications, and what appropriate law enforcement might look like.

8:15 - Mayor Don Iveson

Who should be Canada's next Governor General, and how should they be selected? Professor Emmett Macfarlane joins from the University of Waterloo to take us through the process. Mayors and Fire Chiefs are back on Real Talk after warning about changes to Alberta's 9-1-1 dispatch a few weeks back. This time, they've got proof they were right to sound the alarm. Is extremism an issue within the Conservative Party of Canada? York University's Dr. Shama Rangwala lays it all out, after taking issue with comments made during last Friday's Real Talk Round Table. Patients utilizing injectable opioid agonist treatment (iOAT) are taking the Alberta government to court. Dr. Jennifer Jackson, RN and lawyer Avnish Nanda explain why they're so concerned about this program falling on the chopping block, including why it could be a matter of life and death. Plus, it's Monday, so we start our week with Positive Reflections, presented by Kuby Energy!

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to [email protected]. Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste.