Early Life and Career
Ryan was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Blandine (née Dorion) and Henri-Albert Ryan. He was the director of Le Devoir, a French-language newspaper available in the province of Quebec, from 1964 to 1978. During his tenure at the head of the editorial staff he became known for his probity and his mastery of contemporary political issues. His advice was sought by nearly all the provincial governments of Quebec, left or right, and by opposition parties.
Ryan's brother, Yves Ryan, was also politically active, serving as mayor of Montreal North from 1963 to 2001.
Ryan garnered national attention during the 1970 October Crisis, when he was accused of participating in a plot to overthrow Robert Bourassa's recently elected government. Though the plot was later proven to be baseless, it served as a source of tension between Ryan and Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who Ryan suspected of having spread the rumour in an attempt to damage him politically.
Read more about this topic: Claude Ryan
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