Byrne was born to medical doctor Thomas Ives and Rita Ross in
Chatham, New Brunswick on 23 July 1912. Already a practicing lawyer, Byrne rose to the rank of
Flight Commander in the
RCAF during his two years' service in the
Second World War. Byrne was President of his local chapter of the Rotary Club. Byrne appeared in many, if not most, of the important trials that related to business in
Gloucester County during his 34-year career there. Byrne chaired the New Brunswick
Royal Commission on Finance and Municipal Taxation whose 1,000-page report, tabled in November 1963, was instrumental in the development of the
Université de Moncton, and led to the adoption of the province's Equal Opportunity Programme, which revolutionised the financial and social policies of the province: Byrne was at one point or another appointed a director of the
Bank of Canada,
Consolidated Bathurst Pulp and Paper Ltd.,
Gotaas Larsen Shipping, Byrne was recognized by the
Ecole de Sacre Coeur, Bathurst,
St. Thomas University,
St. Francis Xavier University,
University of New Brunswick and
Dalhousie University, which all awarded him Doctor Honoris Causa. and survived by his twins, Joseph Ross and Anne. ==Elimination of tax concessions in New Brunswick==