RCMP arrested award-winning photojournalist Amber Bracken in 2021 while she was covering the Wet’suwet’en pipeline standoff in Northern B.C. for The Narwhal. Now, both Bracken and The Narwhal are suing the RCMP for what they say was a concerted campaign to limit press freedom. We connect with Amber Bracken and Narwhal co-founder Carol Linnitt (35:00) just moments before they head to court in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

HIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/.

But first...

6:00 | Thousands of Canadians are calling on the feds to ban X, Elon Musk's social media platform formerly known as Twitter. This, after revelations the platform's Grok AI tool is being used to generate sexualized images of children and unconsenting adults. But is a ban really the right move? We ask tech expert and SiriusXM host Amber MacArthur.

MORE FROM AMBER MAC: https://ambermac.com/

35:00 | Amber Bracken and Carol Linnitt update us on The Narwhal's court battle against the RCMP.

LEARN MORE/SUPPORT AMBER & THE NARWHAL: https://thenarwhal.ca/press-freedom/

59:10 | Jespo shares a few memories from his magical weekend in Jasper, and tees up a couple upcoming events you've got to check out during Jasper in January! #MyJasper Memories is presented Wednesdays on Real Talk by our friends at Tourism Jasper.

APRES WINE: https://www.jasper.travel/january/events/apres-wine/

MOUNTAIN MALANKA: https://www.jasper.travel/january/events/mountain-malanka/

1:07:45 | Ryan's struck by an apology in the Live Chat.

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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.

Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Coastal First Nations leaders before heading to China for Canada's first formal PM visit since 2017. This, amid uncertainty in Venezuela. Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot and Max Fawcett talk implications (3:15) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY -- EDMONTON'S ORIGINAL DISTILLERY -- ROOTED IN PRAIRIE GRIT AND A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT. PROUDLY LOCAL, ALWAYS ORIGINAL. HANSEN DISTILLERY IS MADE RIGHT, RIGHT HERE. https://hansendistillery.com/

READ MAX'S WORK: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/01/12/opinion/twitter-x-musk-canada-politicians

MORE FROM HEATHER: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/cm-expert/heather-exner-pirot/

MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/

33:45 | Max sticks around to talk about Chinese EV tariffs (and what Canadians want), plus we get to an interesting email on coal and steel production from Real Talker Marcus, P.Eng (1:00:00) and a remarkable statement from Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal (1:10:30).

55:45 | Real Talker Sara leads off this edition of Echoes of the Alex presented by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. Then, we hear about Frances and Roy's incredible connection to The Alex.

SUPPORT THE ROYAL ALEX: https://givetoroyalalex.org/

Registration is open for the Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic on Saturday, January 31 in St. Albert!

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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.

Venezuela. Greenland. Iran. A Minnesota mom is dead, and ICE protests continue across the country. POTUS is threatening to indict the Federal Reserve Chair. You could argue all hell has *already* broken loose in the United States, but is the nation headed toward a legit breaking point? Supriya Dwivedi gets into it (3:45) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/.

38:10 | Where should PM Mark Carney's focus be in China, and what would define a successful visit? Supriya tells us what she's keeping an eye on. Plus, should Canada (and other countries) consider banning X if the platform can't prevent users from using its AI tool to generate sexual deepfakes (45:45)?

1:19:30 | Did you see Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann honouring a deceased fan by wearing his grocery store vest to a game over the weekend? Real Talker Landon submits his Positive Reflection, proudly presented by our friends at Solar by Kuby.

SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com

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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.

Denise is appalled by the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, KP's thrilled to see the US in Venezuela, Don's bracing for WWIII, and Joe from Airdrie figures we should cap independence referendums, and Mr. Dad has a warning for Calgarians. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com

WHEN YOU VISIT THE DQs IN PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, or BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!

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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.

Former Poilievre comms director Ben Woodfinden and former Notley cabinet minister Shannon Phillips respond to our exclusive with former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos (4:30), share their thoughts on the fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota (22:15), give a Canadian perspective on the Venezuela "situation" (37:15), debate the merits of dropping tariffs on Chinese EVs (45:30), and predict whether or not we'll see another federal election in 2026 (50:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/.

52:30 | We see what Real Talkers have to say about the Minneapolis tragedy in our Live Chat powered by Park Power.

SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/

1:07:30 | Real Talker Jim worked for Alberta Health Services for 13 years. He chimes in on what we heard from Athana Mentzelopoulos.

WATCH THE ATHANA INTERVIEW: https://rtrj.info/010826Athana

1:13:25 | Congratulations to the Apex Icebreakers, winners of the Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic Early Bird Prize! Make sure you register your team for the 2026 RTPHC before it sells out, and we'll see you in St. Albert on January 31!

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1:19:30 | Denise is appalled by the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, KP's thrilled to see the US in Venezuela, Don's bracing for WWIII, and Joe from Airdrie figures we should cap independence referendums at one per century. It's The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!

FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com

WHEN YOU VISIT THE DQs IN PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, or BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU!

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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.

Athana Mentzelopoulos is the former President and CEO of Alberta Health Services. She was fired by the Alberta government exactly one year ago for what the province calls "alarming incompetence" and an inability to carry out the mandates she was given. She says that's not true. In a $1.7M wrongful-dismissal lawsuit, Mentzelopoulos alleges she was fired because she refused to shut down an internal investigation into procurement practices at AHS, including concerns about contracts, private providers, and how public dollars were being spent. She also claims since her termination, she's faced an ongoing campaign of intimidation and harassment tied to speaking up.

Until now, Athana Mentzelopoulos has not granted any interviews. In this episode of Real Talk, she speaks publicly (2:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY -- EDMONTON'S ORIGINAL DISTILLERY -- ROOTED IN PRAIRIE GRIT AND A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT. PROUDLY LOCAL, ALWAYS ORIGINAL. HANSEN DISTILLERY IS MADE RIGHT, RIGHT HERE. https://hansendistillery.com/

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com

1:34:45 | Shout out to Canadian snowboarder Elizabeth Hosking, who just earned gold in the women's halfpipe at the Calgary stop of the FIS Snowboard World Cup! We feature Hosking's ground-breaking achievement in this edition of Alberta Wins proudly presented by Play Alberta.

THERE'S A MAJOR CASINO WINNER EVERY HOUR WITH PLAY ALBERTA, AND ALL REVENUE STAYS RIGHT HERE IN THE PROVINCE. DOWNLOAD THE PLAY ALBERTA APP TODAY TO GET STARTED WITH CASINO, SPORTS, AND LOTTERY ALL IN ONE APP. MUST BE 18+ TO PLAY. IF YOU GAMBLE, PLEASE USE YOUR GAMESENSE. https://playalberta.ca/

1:39:00 | Jespo drops into the Real Talk Live Chat powered by Park Power to see what you have to say about the Mentzelopoulos interview.

SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS:

1:55:15 | Registration is open for the Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic on Saturday, January 31 in St. Albert!

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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.

Did Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre put Canada in a tough spot by praising President Donald Trump's action in Venezuela? Sharan Kaur argues yes (3:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.

A NOTE FROM RYAN: Thirty seconds after we wrapped this episode, I learned of Anna Murphy's passing. Just weeks ago - on November 19 - Anna joined us (with her heart on her sleeve), speaking passionately about mental health challenges facing the Trans community and the urgent need for better supports to address disproportionate (and heartbreaking) rates of suicide. I’ll forever respect her advocacy and admire Anna's courage. Our deepest condolences and much love to her family and wide circle of friends. 🖤

WATCH THAT INTERVIEW: rtrj.info/111925BILL9

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/.

47:30 | Real Talker Darryl tells us why developments in Venezuela (and Greenland) have him "scared for SO many reasons" in an email to talk@ryanjespersen.com

55:45 | Did you see Senator Mark Kelly's video calling out POTUS and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth? We take a look, and see what Real Talkers have to say in our Live Chat Powered by Park Power.

SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/

1:15:30 | Congratulations to our friends at Evil Dave's! The legendary restaurant is celebrating 20 years in Jasper, and we're proud to shine the spotlight on owner Mike Day and his team in this edition of #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper.

APRES WINE: https://www.jasper.travel/january/events/apres-wine/

CHEF'S TABLE EXPERIENCE: https://www.jasper.travel/january/events/chefs-table-experience/

JASPER in JANUARY: https://www.jasper.travel/january/

1:01:30 | How long would (will) it take to repair the Canada/US relationship? Jespo and Johnny debate...

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com

FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen

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RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: 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.

Donald Trump wants Greenland. European leaders are pushing back. What's Canada's best play, all things considered? National Post columnist Rahim Mohamed leads us off (7:00) with a look at comments from Stephen Miller and Bob Rae, and the biggest issue facing Mark Carney.

Plus, could Alberta separatists actually face charges for meeting with US State Department officials (20:00)? Did Chrystia Freeland step in one (32:00) with her Ukraine advisory announcement? And how are things looking for Pierre Poilievre heading into his CPC leadership review (35:00)? We get into it all. (Forgive us for the YouTube audio glitch from 14:00-17:20. The podcast audio is crystal clear if you'd like to catch Rahim's full comments there.)

THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY. CHECK OUT THEIR SEASONAL LIMITED RELEASES - GINGERBREAD COOKIE CREAM LIQUEUR and MINT CHOCOLATE CREAM LIQUEUR: https://hansendistillery.com/

53:00 | Humans have so much to learn from bears. Nobody tells the story more passionately than Trina Moyles, who joins Ryan in studio the day her new book "Black Bear: A Story of Siblinghood and Survival" hits shelves."

CHECK OUT THE BOOK: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/742032/black-bear-by-trina-moyles/9781039010161

FOLLOW TRINA on IG: https://www.instagram.com/trinariannemoyles/?hl=en

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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.