Midlife is an interesting place to be. You may be caring for kids while caring for your parents. You've likely experienced love, and heartbreak, and wins, and losses. Midlife No. 2 is a collection of essays sharing Canadian reflections on critical midlife topics like housing, home, birth, death, race, identity, gruelling courses of medical treatment, and the COVID and post-COVID eras. All authored by former staffers at the University of Alberta's newspaper The Gateway. You'll hear from six of them in this special edition of our Real Talk Round Table.  3:10 | Sarah Chan tells us how a Gondola ride got her thinking. Jhen Pabillano shares her Lessons in Letting Go. Neil Parmar muses on No Place At All.  30:05 | Erika Thorkelson has a new take on Haunted Mansions. Dave Alexander gets deep about Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. Neal Ozano explains how he started seeing "scrapportunities".  BUY THE BOOK: https://www.midlifebook.ca/ 58:30 | Ryan and John muse about what they just heard, including thoughts on the social pressures around alcohol.  1:05:40 | Pollution and pensions plans are front and centre in this fiery edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com  BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  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.

20.54 | Authors and historians Ted Barris and Don Levers explore how stories from service people are vital  in acknowledging the sacrifices made and to keep the lessons from WWI and WWII alive in the present day.  53:54 | Canadian War Museum historian Stacey Barker shares about how women were not exempt from the stark impacts of war, and sometimes endured a double burden due to their treatment within the service. 1:18:50 | Former war correspondent Katherine O’Neill and retired Warrant Officer Stephen Ferry recount their individual and shared frontline experiences in Afghanistan, the lasting impressions from that time and how it's now being remembered in the “Hall of Valour" at the Ponoka Secondary Campus, organized by teacher Ron Labrie.

Naturalist Kevin Van Tighem, former superintendent of Banff National Park, takes us on a hike he completed over the weekend, surveying coal mining activity in Alberta's Oldman River. Energy economist Andrew Leach and environmental law professor Martin Olszynski chime in on reports President-elect Biden will cancel Keystone XL, and offer insight into the UCP's controversial Allan Inquiry into foreign attacks on Alberta oil. Law professor Kristen van de Biezenbos explains the significance of the Keystone XL story, and whether or not Alberta can recoup its recent multi-billion dollar investment. Plus, it's Monday, so that means another inspiring edition of "Positive Reflections," presented by Kuby Energy!

The Mayor and Councillors in Slave Lake, Alberta have called for the resignation of their absentee elected provincial representative, MLA Pat Rehn, who's refused to step down. Mayor Tyler Warman and Deputy Mayor Shawn Gramlich explain what led to their unprecedented (unanimous) demand. Grade Six teacher Alison Palmer and her student Zoe Cogger tell us how they landed the Prime Minister for a private Zoom call with their class, and what they talked about with Justin Trudeau. Black Lives Matter Edmonton organizer Shima Robinson addresses the troubling story of an Edmonton man celebrating the death of a Calgary police officer, and reports the man is connected to BLM in an official capacity. Activist Leah McRorie takes Ryan to task for something he said in a previous episode of Real Talk, as we tackle "ableist" language. And DJ Johnny Infamous takes us behind the curtain and tells a few stories about working in the bubble of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and the World Junior Hockey Championship.

Ryan rolls out the best rants of the week, as submitted to talk@ryanjespersen.com. Buckle up for another edition of Trash Talk, presented by Local Waste.

Ryan Jespersen introduces you to Real Talk, a new daily show covering news, politics and pop culture.   Subscribe, and join us for our first show on Monday November 23, 2020 at 08:30 am MT.   More information at ryanjespersen.com.