Complex sentence: Ryan was a vocal opponent of the Quebec government's plan to merge all of Montreal's municipalities into a single city, and in late 2000 he played a prominent role in a large street protest in opposition to the plan.
Split into simpler sentences: 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.