{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1966)}} {{About|the Canadian politician|the British teenager arrested in a 'Net attack|LulzSec#Law enforcement response}} {{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Ryan Cleary.jpg | term_start= May 2, 2011 | term_end = August 4, 2015 | predecessor = Siobhán Coady | successor = Seamus O'Regan | parliament = Canadian | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|11|20}} | birth_place = Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | spouse = | alma_mater = College of the North Atlantic (Stephenville) | party=New Democratic Party (2008-2015)<br />Progressive Conservative Party (2015) | riding=St. John's South—Mount Pearl | election_date=May 2, 2011 | website= [http://fishermansroad.blogspot.ca/ Fisherman's Road] }}
'''Ronald E. "Ryan" Cleary''' (born November 20, 1966) is a Canadian politician and journalist from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He was the Member of Parliament for St. John's South—Mount Pearl from 2011 to 2015.
Born in Gander and raised in Riverhead, Harbour Grace, and Bay Roberts, Cleary graduated from the journalism program at the Stephenville campus of the College of the North Atlantic in 1989. On May 2, 2011, Cleary was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the New Democratic Party in the 2011 election. He was defeated in the 2015 Canadian federal election, after which he switched parties to run as a Progressive Conservative in the 2015 Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election and was defeated in Windsor Lake. He was president of the Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters (FISH-NL) from its founding to its dissolution.
==Journalism== As a journalist, Cleary covered most of the major events in Newfoundland and Labrador over the past two decades. He was fisheries reporter for ''The Telegram'' in 1992 when the moratorium was first introduced on northern cod. He also worked as a political and investigative reporter.
Cleary was the editor-in-chief of ''The Independent'' newspaper and was known for his outspoken and controversial articles. For example, Cleary claimed in his columns that Quebec had too much power in Canadian government institutions and said that Canada's top two problems were Quebec and Quebec.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/now-an-ndp-mp-former-nfld-columnist-ryan-cleary-stands-by-past-quebec-bashing/article4171391/ | title=Now an NDP MP, former Nfld. columnist Ryan Cleary stands by past Quebec bashing | work=The Globe and Mail | date=September 6, 2012 | access-date=September 3, 2015 | author=Leblanc, Daniel}}</ref> Cleary also earned a reputation as a steadfast Newfoundland separatist, such as in May 2008, when he wrote "I don't want to seem ungrateful, but now that we're rolling in the cash it may be time to consider breaking away from the country of Canada."<ref name="Seperatist" /> When The Independent went out of business he went on to host Nightline, a VOCM radio call in program. Cleary also worked for The Newfoundland Herald and NTV.
==Federal politics== Cleary first entered politics when he became the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate in the riding of St. John's South—Mount Pearl in the October 2008 federal election. His candidacy led to some controversy for him and NDP leader Jack Layton for comments Cleary had written only a couple of years before when he was a journalist. Cleary had referred to NDP supporters as a "small pocket of aging granolas and artsy-fartsies" and that they were "a mainstream party that wouldn't win an election if Jackie Layton was given a 100-seat head start."<ref name="losers">{{cite news|last=Brennan|first=Richard|title=Layton defends candidate who called NDP 'losers'|url=https://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/498385|access-date=June 10, 2024|newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=September 12, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913045449/https://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/498385|archivedate=September 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hey, 'losers'! Journalists-turned-candidates haunted by political critiques|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hey-losers-journalists-turned-candidates-haunted-by-political-critiques-1.733619|access-date=May 25, 2018|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting corporation|date=September 10, 2010}}</ref> Despite his late entrance into the campaign and his previous comments he still managed to place a strong second in the riding.<ref name="Seperatist">{{cite web | url=http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-wild-card/ | title=The NDP's former Newfoundland separatist | publisher=Maclean's | date=May 13, 2011 | access-date=September 8, 2015 | author=Foot Richard}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cleary-seeks-nomination-in-n-l-riding-1.771529 | publisher=CBC News | title=Cleary seeks nomination in N.L. riding | date=September 5, 2008}}</ref>
On September 17, 2009, the New Democrats nominated Cleary as their candidate in St. John's South-Mount Pearl for the next federal election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Politics/2009-09-18/article-1437326/Ryan-Cleary-wins-bid-to-represent-NDP-in-St.-Johns-South-Mount-Pearl/1|title=Ryan Cleary wins bid to represent NDP in St. Johns South-Mount Pearl|work=The Telegram|date=September 18, 2009|access-date=June 10, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717034619/http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Politics/2009-09-18/article-1437326/Ryan-Cleary-wins-bid-to-represent-NDP-in-St.-Johns-South-Mount-Pearl/1|archivedate=July 17, 2011}}</ref> In October 2010, Cleary announced that he would withdraw his candidacy. He stated that being a political candidate had created a conflict with his journalism work and that he wished to continue with his journalism career. He also noted that he had severed all ties with the NDP.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cleary-bows-out-as-ndp-candidate-1.909340 | publisher=CBC News | title=Cleary bows out as NDP candidate| date=October 29, 2010|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref> However, in March 2011 with the announcement of a federal election, Cleary said he would return to run for the NDP again.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cleary-considering-federal-comeback-1.1021614 | publisher=CBC News | title=Cleary considering federal comeback | date=March 18, 2011|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref> On May 2, Cleary defeated Liberal Siobhán Coady receiving 18,332 votes to Coady's 10,670.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ndp-s-cleary-knocks-liberals-out-of-st-john-s-riding-1.1060002 | publisher=CBC News | title=NDP's Cleary knocks Liberals out of St. John's riding | date=May 2, 2011|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Innnu leader">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/innu-leader-delivers-conservatives-from-n-l-shutout-1.976524|title=Innu leader delivers Conservatives from N.L. shutout|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2011-05-02|access-date=2018-05-25}}</ref>
After Lorraine Michael stepped down as the leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party in early 2015, Cleary publicly mused running for the party's leadership in the 2015 leadership election, but ultimately decided to not seek the position.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ryan-cleary-earle-mccurdy-considering-bids-for-ndp-leadership-1.2892169 | title=Ryan Cleary, Earle McCurdy considering bids for NDP leadership | publisher=CBC News | date=January 7, 2015 | access-date=September 3, 2015}}</ref>
In the 2015 federal election, Cleary was defeated by Liberal Seamus O'Regan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/seamus-oregan-ryan-cleary-1.3279278|title=Seamus O'Regan upsets Ryan Cleary for Liberal win in St. John's South-Mount Pearl|publisher=CBC News|date=October 20, 2015|access-date=October 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Election-2015/2015-10-20/article-4314963/O%26rsquo%3BRegan-triumphs-over-Cleary%3B-Krol-blames-Williams/1|title=O'Regan triumphs over Cleary; Krol blames Williams|work=The Telegram|location=St. John's|date=October 20, 2015|access-date=June 10, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073746/http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Election-2015/2015-10-20/article-4314963/O%26rsquo%3BRegan-triumphs-over-Cleary%3B-Krol-blames-Williams/1|archivedate=March 4, 2016}}</ref> On election night, NDP leader Tom Mulcair called Cleary his "political hero".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fishermansroad.blogspot.ca/2016/02/angry-tom-and-crooked-cleary.html|title=Angry Tom and crooked Cleary|website=fishermansroad.blogspot.ca|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> He also supports ending the NDP's association with trade unions.
==Provincial politics== After his defeat in the 2015 federal election, Cleary entered talks with the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador to run under their banner in the 2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election.<ref name="PCTalks">{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ryan-cleary-provincial-politics-1.3292698 | title=Defeated NDP MP Ryan Cleary in talks with PC Party, sources say | publisher=CBC News | date=October 28, 2015 | access-date=October 28, 2015}}</ref> On October 30, Cleary announced that he would seek the party's nomination in the electoral district of Windsor Lake.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ryan-cleary-running-tories-1.3296062|title=Ryan Cleary says fears of Liberal juggernaut 'kept him awake'|publisher=CBC News|date=October 30, 2015|access-date=October 31, 2015}}</ref> He won the Progressive Conservative nomination but was defeated in the general election by Liberal incumbent Cathy Bennett.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cleary-nl-election-loss-2015-1.3344724|title=Ryan Cleary says 7 seats 'good news' for PCs despite own loss|publisher=CBC News|date=December 1, 2015|access-date=December 2, 2015}}</ref><ref name = "who's in">{{cite news|last1=Cowan|first1=Peter|title=Who's out and who's considering a run to lead the PC Party|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/pc-party-leadership-1.3801903|accessdate=13 October 2016|publisher=CBC News|date=12 October 2016}}</ref>
==Union activism== In 2016, Cleary started efforts to organize a new union of fish harvesters, to be called the Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters, or FISH-NL, as a rival to the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ryan-cleary-hassan-yussuff-union-labour-congress-1.3790289|title=Ryan Cleary challenges FFAW to allow outside audit of finances - CBC News|publisher=|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> Cleary travelled throughout the province signing up members for union certification, their application for union recognition was considered by the Labour Relations Board from 2016 to 2018.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/labour-board-union-1.4433253| title = FISH-NL says shakeup at labour board adding to 'nightmare' certification process {{!}} CBC News}}</ref> On September 28, 2018, the Labour Relations Board ruled that FISH-NL did not have enough support to trigger a ratification vote.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/labour-relations-board-dismisses-fish-nl-certification-application-245654/| title = UPDATED: Labour relations board dismisses FISH-NL certification application {{!}} SaltWire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929004410/http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/labour-relations-board-dismisses-fish-nl-certification-application-245654/|archive-date=29 September 2018}}</ref> On December 3, 2019, Cleary announced the dissolution of FISH-NL after it failed to gain the necessary 4,000 signatures after a second membership drive to trigger a ratification vote.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/fish-nl-dissolves-1.5382139| title = FISH-NL dissolves, application dead in the water {{!}} CBC News}}</ref>
==Electoral history==
===Provincial===
{{Canadian election result/top|NL|2015|Windsor Lake|percent=yes}} {{CANelec|NL|Liberal|Cathy Bennett|3,182|66.40}} {{CANelec|NL|PC|Ryan Cleary|970|20.24}} {{CANelec|NL|NDP|Don Rowe|640|13.36}} {{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|4,792|100.0|}} {{Canadian election result/total|Turnout| 52.59}} {{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|9,088}} {{end}}
===Federal=== {{2015 Canadian federal election/St. John's South—Mount Pearl}} {{2011 Canadian federal election/St. John's South—Mount Pearl}} {{2008 Canadian federal election/St. John's South—Mount Pearl}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=17861}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleary, Ryan}} Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador Category:New Democratic Party MPs Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador politicians Category:People from Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Politicians from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Living people Category:Canadian talk radio hosts Category:1966 births Category:Journalists from Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Candidates in Newfoundland and Labrador provincial elections Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada