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About this episode
Do unions still matter in 2026? Do they matter now more than ever? Against the backdrop of a tough August jobs report, rising youth unemployment, and growing anxiety about the future of work in Canada, we welcome labour leaders Chris Flett, Siobhan Vipond, and Patrick Campbell (4:00) to discuss the role of organized labour in a rapidly changing economy. We tackle union-busting governments, the impact of AI on "blue collar" jobs, and tackling stigma around the trades. Feature interviews on Real Talk are presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.
THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY, WINNERS OF THREE GOLD MEDALS AT THE INAUGURAL ALBERTA WHISKY AWARDS! LEARN MORE: https://hansendistillery.com/
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1:24:20 | Real Talkers share their thoughts on unions and Labour Day in our Live Chat powered by Park Power. Jespo reads Real Talker Shannon's email about saving integrated firefighter-paramedic service in Spruce Grove, Alberta.
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1:33:15 | Tyler calls out former MLA Ian Donovan's tone re: AI data centres, T.S. says it's time to put politicians in the penalty box, and Harry finally hits send on something he's been stewing over since July. It's The Flamethrower presented by our amazing friends at the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!
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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.
Get every episode summarized
Each time Real Talk Ryan Jespersen publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
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