Yves Ryan
Encyclopedia
Yves Ryan is a former politician in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. He served as the mayor of Montreal North from 1963 until 2001, when the suburban city was amalgamated into the new city of Montreal
.
, a prominent politician and journalist in Quebec. Like his brother, he was a newspaper editor before entering political life. He edited Le Montréal-Nord from 1952 to 1956 and later co-founded Le Guide de Montréal-Nord.
Ryan was also known for his tight budgetary spending; in December 1985, he said that Montreal North had the lowest per-capita spending of all Quebec cities of a comparable size. Montreal North did not introduce a curbside recycling program in the 1990s, largely because Ryan did not want to introduce the requisite tax increase.
In 1999, anti-poverty groups accused Ryan of neglecting low-income housing; he disputed the charge, saying that his administration participated in three provincial programs and had created significantly more units than his opponents suggested. Some critics have charged that Ryan was unwilling to deal with long-term poverty issues in the Montreal North and was ultimately responsible for economic decline in the region.
When Ryan first became mayor of Montreal North, he promised that his community would receive a Metro transit line. He continued to promote the line for most of his time in office but was opposed by other municipal politicians, who argued that it made little sense in a broader urban framework.
(MUC). In 1972, he was the main proponent of an accord that brought Montreal Island's twenty-five police forces into a single organization. He later served as president of the MUC's security council, which oversaw the unified force. He announced in 1979 that Montreal would resume issuing English
-French
bilingual driving tickets, following a Supreme Court of Canada
ruling that required bilingual tickets in Manitoba
. (Quebec's Charter of the French Language
, introduced two years earlier, had mandated that tickets be issued in French only).
Ryan was a member of the Montreal Urban Community Transportation Commission (MUCTC) in the mid-1980s, when the corporation consisted of a largely autonomous chairman and two commissioners. In 1985, he supported reforms that put the commission under the control of six elected officials and two citizens. He himself was named as the first chairman of the restructured board (which was renamed the Montreal Urban Community Transit Corporation) in December 1985. He stood down in 1986 and was replaced by Robert Perreault.
Ryan was appointed to a second term as MUCTC chair in 1994, after Perreault was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec
. He opposed funding cuts introduced by Montreal mayor Pierre Bourque
in 1997, on the grounds that they would jeopardize the future of public transit in the region. During the 1998 municipal election
, he complained that candidates in Montreal were not taking transit issues seriously.
Ryan was replaced as MUCTC chair after the 1998 election. In 2001, he complained that transit had suffered cutbacks for too many years, leading to longer wait periods and more crowded buses.
In 2004, Ryan was appointed by the new provincial government of Jean Charest
to chair a committee overseeing the demerger of Longueuil
.
in the 1968 federal election
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
. Considered one of the party's most prominent Quebec candidates, he was defeated by Liberal
Jacques Trudel
.
Municipal (incomplete)
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He served as the mayor of Montreal North from 1963 until 2001, when the suburban city was amalgamated into the new city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Family and early career
Ryan is the youngest brother of Claude RyanClaude Ryan
Claude Ryan, was a Canadian politician and leader of the Parti libéral du Québec from 1978 to 1982. He was also the National Assembly of Quebec member for Argenteuil from 1979 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
, a prominent politician and journalist in Quebec. Like his brother, he was a newspaper editor before entering political life. He edited Le Montréal-Nord from 1952 to 1956 and later co-founded Le Guide de Montréal-Nord.
Mayor
Ryan was personally involved in many aspects of municipal government and was acknowledged, even by his opponents, as a very popular figure in his city. He was often re-elected without opposition or by large majorities, and he had little difficulty controlling city council through his Renouveau municipale party. In 2005, a journalist in the Montreal Gazette wrote that Ryan was usually able to "direct city business by doing little more than forcefully pointing his cigar butt."Ryan was also known for his tight budgetary spending; in December 1985, he said that Montreal North had the lowest per-capita spending of all Quebec cities of a comparable size. Montreal North did not introduce a curbside recycling program in the 1990s, largely because Ryan did not want to introduce the requisite tax increase.
In 1999, anti-poverty groups accused Ryan of neglecting low-income housing; he disputed the charge, saying that his administration participated in three provincial programs and had created significantly more units than his opponents suggested. Some critics have charged that Ryan was unwilling to deal with long-term poverty issues in the Montreal North and was ultimately responsible for economic decline in the region.
When Ryan first became mayor of Montreal North, he promised that his community would receive a Metro transit line. He continued to promote the line for most of his time in office but was opposed by other municipal politicians, who argued that it made little sense in a broader urban framework.
Regional councillor
In addition to serving as mayor of Montreal North, Ryan was for many years a member of the regional Montreal Urban CommunityMontreal Urban Community
The Montreal Urban Community was a regional government that covered all municipalities that later merged into the megacity of Montreal.- History :...
(MUC). In 1972, he was the main proponent of an accord that brought Montreal Island's twenty-five police forces into a single organization. He later served as president of the MUC's security council, which oversaw the unified force. He announced in 1979 that Montreal would resume issuing English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
bilingual driving tickets, following a Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
ruling that required bilingual tickets in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. (Quebec's Charter of the French Language
Charter of the French Language
The Charter of the French Language , also known as Bill 101 and Loi 101, is a law in the province of Quebec in Canada defining French, the language of the majority of the population, as the only official language of Quebec, and framing fundamental language rights for everyone in the province...
, introduced two years earlier, had mandated that tickets be issued in French only).
Ryan was a member of the Montreal Urban Community Transportation Commission (MUCTC) in the mid-1980s, when the corporation consisted of a largely autonomous chairman and two commissioners. In 1985, he supported reforms that put the commission under the control of six elected officials and two citizens. He himself was named as the first chairman of the restructured board (which was renamed the Montreal Urban Community Transit Corporation) in December 1985. He stood down in 1986 and was replaced by Robert Perreault.
Ryan was appointed to a second term as MUCTC chair in 1994, after Perreault was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
. He opposed funding cuts introduced by Montreal mayor Pierre Bourque
Pierre Bourque
Pierre Bourque, CQ is a businessman and politician in Quebec, Canada. He founded the Vision Montreal political party and served as mayor of Montreal from 1994 to 2001.-Background:...
in 1997, on the grounds that they would jeopardize the future of public transit in the region. During the 1998 municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 1998
The city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada held municipal elections on November 1, 1998, to elect a mayor and city councillors. Pierre Bourque was returned to a second term as mayor against a divided opposition....
, he complained that candidates in Montreal were not taking transit issues seriously.
Ryan was replaced as MUCTC chair after the 1998 election. In 2001, he complained that transit had suffered cutbacks for too many years, leading to longer wait periods and more crowded buses.
Amalgamation
Ryan was a vocal opponent of the Quebec government's plan to merge all of Montreal's municipalities into a single city. In late 2000, he took a prominent role in a large street protest that was called in opposition to the plan. The protest was unsuccessful, however, and the amalgamation bill was passed into law on December 20, 2000. Ryan chose to retire in 2001 rather than run for a seat on the new city council.In 2004, Ryan was appointed by the new provincial government of Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
to chair a committee overseeing the demerger of Longueuil
Longueuil, Quebec
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
.
Federal politics
Ryan ran for the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1968 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. Considered one of the party's most prominent Quebec candidates, he was defeated by Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Jacques Trudel
Jacques Trudel
Jacques L. Trudel was a Liberal partymember of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Montreal, Quebec and became a police officer and sales manager by career....
.
Electoral results
FederalMunicipal (incomplete)