Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

11:02 | Athabasca University Master of Counselling student Karli Jahn just won AU's 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition with her research around weight stigma. She joins us to discuss the "pathological" way we view fat, and how stigma affects treatment outcomes in counselling. 

32:04 and 58:05 | Ryan reads your emails about Avian Flu and abortion discussions on the show.

39:40 | New York Times best-selling author Angie Thomas takes us into the pages of "Concrete Rose," her follow-up to "The Hate U Give," which sold more than 3.5M copies. Angie talks about kickstarting conversations about racism, challenging her audience with perspectives outside their own, and the most powerful feedback she's ever received from a reader.

6:50 | Could a SCOTUS decision impact abortion access in Canada? Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, Meghan Doherty of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, and activist Robyn Schwarz, Ph.D. form a Real Talk Round Table on abortion rights. 

39:58 | He brought the world the Ghostbusters theme song, but Ray Parker, Jr.'s career is about way more than that! The legendary singer/songwriter joins filmmaker Fran Strine for a Real Talk exclusive ahead of Opening Night at NorthwestFest. Real Talk is proud to be the presenting sponsor of "Who You Gonna Call?" on Friday, May 6 at 7pm MT at Metro Cinema. 

TICKETS: https://www.northwestfest.ca/

57:27 | Where do Real Talkers land on Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's leadership review? We review the results of our most recent Get Real: Question of the Week presented by Y Station. 

ANSWER THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: https://ryanjespersen.com/question-of-the-week

1:10:13 | Hop on a hog for this week's edition of #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper, featuring the award-winning Jasper Motorcycle Tours! 

MORE: https://www.jasper.travel/realtalk/

2:52 | Ryan opens the show by taking a look at Politico's exclusive report the Supreme Court of the United States has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. 

15:09 | Animal rights advocate and freelance journalist Jessica Scott-Reid gives her take on the Avian Flu outbreaks impacting poultry producers across North America, including the controversial cull of 5.3 million chickens at a facility in Iowa. 

37:54 | Conservative MP Eric Duncan and Liberal MP Rob Oliphant share their personal connections to Canada's long-standing blood donation ban, and explain why politicians from virtually all parties support recent steps taken by Canadian Blood Services. But, do discriminatory policies remain in place? 

49:45 | In this week's edition of The Leading Edge presented by Leading Edge Physio, we celebrate the business legacy of Unbelts founder Claire Theaker-Brown, who built a sustainable fashion brand offering living wages, stable hours, and upward mobility to employees in China and Canada.

6:07 | The Titan of Talk, Canadian media legend Charles Adler, joins for his bi-weekly appearance on Real Talk. He chimes in on "Woodstock for the Witless," the rally in Ottawa over the weekend, along with Canada lifting its blood ban, the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent apology for residential schools, and Jean Charest's CPC leadership campaign. 

37:31 | Canada must do more to ensure people in developing nations have access to COVID-19 vaccines. That's the message Dr. Madhu Pai intended to deliver to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development last week. The McGill University professor and Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and Global Health explains why his message was interrupted, why he thinks Canada hasn't taken international obligations seriously, and what he hopes human beings learn from the past two-plus years. 

Read Dr. Pai's blog post here: https://microbiologycommunity.nature.com/posts/canada-should-support-vaccine-self-sufficiency

1:02:55 | In a special edition of Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy, Ryan checks in with Kaleo Collective founder Layna Haley. Demand is way up for resources for single moms, including their annual "Love You Mama" Mothers Day event. 

Donate to Kaleo Collective here: https://kaleocollective.ca/

#TrashTalk | Ryan reads a revved up email from a Real Talker about what is really bothering them this week. Presented by Local Environmental.

10:18 | Supriya Dwivedi makes her regular Friday appearance, and digs into her Op/Ed published in the Globe & Mail about Elon Musk, Twitter, and what "free speech" really means. Supriya and Ryan get into Jean Charest's climate plan, Doug Ford's budget ahead of the Ontario election, and how climate change is creating a new age of infectious dangers. 

45:14 | Jean Charest goes one-on-one with Ryan as his cross-country Conservative Party leadership campaign continues. The former federal Environment Minister explains how he believes his climate plan maintains credibility despite dropping a consumer tax, details what he'd say to demonstrators arriving in Ottawa this weekend, and takes your questions about the housing crisis, $10/day child care, and legalizing all drugs. 

1:13:39 | It's the end of our work week, which means another lively edition of Trash Talk!

Ryan's back in our home studio after a couple days in Jasper, and shares a few highlights from the trip around 1:15:41.

13:13 | Vitor Marciano's been involved in conservative politics across Canada for more than twenty years. The former National Policy Chair for the federal Conservatives is now volunteering as MLA Brian Jean's spokesperson. Vitor takes us behind the scenes of the UCP, and answers some direct questions about Jason Kenney's leadership review, Jean's future with the party, and what it'll take for the provincial Conservatives to win re-election in 2023.

43:25 | In her high school yearbook, Anita Cardinal-Stewart wrote she wanted to be a lawyer when she "grew up". At 17, she finished high school via correspondence, even going into labour while studying for her BIO 30 exams. Her goal of being a lawyer seemed virtually impossible. Cut to present day, she's just earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Alberta, and has been named the inaugural winner of the Justice Abella Award. A fierce advocate of Indigenous survivors of the Sixties Scoop and victims of forced sterilization, Anita shares what motivates her most today, and how her perspective has changed over the years.

2:54 | United Conservative MLA Leela Aheer gives her personal perspective on how government can combat systemic racism, on the heels of Ryan's interview with NDP MLA David Shepherd earlier this week. We get into "calls from inside the house" criticizing Premier Jason Kenney's leadership (in the context of his leadership review), the Brian Jean Factor, Alberta's curriculum review, and Leela's member statement yesterday on Female Genital Mutilation. 

25:33 | It's a special edition of #MyJasper Memories live from Jasper, as Ryan checks in with Tahlon Sweenie, Director of Golf Operations at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge ahead of opening day at the course - May 7. Book your golf here: https://www.fairmont.com/jasper/golf/the-fairmont-jasper-park-lodge-golf/

#MyJasper Memories is presented by Tourism Jasper. Check out some of the highlights Jasper has to offer here: https://www.jasper.travel/realtalk/

37:47 | What does Elon Musk's $44B Twitter takeover mean for users of the social media site? What are some of the potential gains and losses, and some of the stories flying under the radar? Are conversations about "free speech" on point, as the public dissects this story? Dr. Aimée Morrison of the University of Waterloo, and social media strategist Beverley Theresa lay it out.

Real Talk is on the road! Ryan hosts from the beautiful Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, AB, where he's speaking at the Community Leaders Camp: https://13waysinc.com/camp/

5:55 | Doug Griffiths, former Progressive Conservative minister Doug Griffiths, founding CEO of 13 Ways, Inc., talks about the state of present-day conservatism in Alberta, Jason Kenney's leadership review, and 13 pathways to success (the follow-up to Doug's book, "13 Ways To Kill Your Community". https://13waysinc.com/

28:34 | Why are we ignoring engineers when it comes to COVID mitigation strategies? Matthew Oliver, P.Eng. explains what led to his Twitter thread earlier this week, taking aim at medical doctors and researchers mocking his colleagues working in ventilation and filtration. Thread: https://twitter.com/sameo416/status/1518418260349177856?s=20&t=BXbC3tlPgzBno5qUrC2KkQ

43:14 | Author, economist, and political scientist Chris Blattman takes us into his new book, "Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace". The University of Chicago professor analyzes what's fuelling Putin's war in Ukraine, how to interrupt the evolution of conflict into war, and why NHL players' birth cities have a correlation to how violent they are on the ice. https://chrisblattman.com/why-we-fight/

59:26 | In this week's The Leading Edge presented by Leading Edge Physio, we highlight an innovative new program at MacEwan University. The first of its kind in Canada, The Distinguished Visiting Artist in Country Music program aims to launch aspiring performers into a career in country music. https://www.macewan.ca/campus-life/news/2022/04/news-dvacm-launch-22/

4:06 | Ryan and John take a look at Monday's breaking news: Elon Musk's reported $43B purchase of Twitter. Will his (rumoured) ownership of the social media platform impact how (or if) you continue to use it? The conversation continues later in the show at 1:00:51.

9:48 | A proposed Anti-Racism Act (Bill 204) fell at the Alberta Legislature, meaning at least for now, government departments will continue to not track race-based data. We talk to the MLA behind the private members bill, Edmonton-City Centre's David Shepherd, along with Dunia Nur of the African-Canadian Civic Engagement Council. 

38:25 | It's a big day for Andrew Walker, as the longtime Canadian sports broadcaster launches his new show The Hedge - https://thehedgepod.com/. We talk to Walks about his move from "mainstream media" to an independent podcast, and the significance of betting and fantasy to today's sports fan.

1:06:40 | This week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy features a 15-year-old who found thousands of dollars in a stolen safe, and tracked down the rightful owner. Now that's a story that'll restore your faith in humanity! Send us your Positive Reflection: [email protected]