Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 4, 1995
• Invested on: November 16, 1995

A champion of Canadian unity, he directed the "People to People Petition", encouraging Canadians to cherish our differences rather than regard them with suspicion. His persistence through countless speeches, media interviews, telephone calls and letters over many months, laid the foundation for his compilation of the book My Canada/Mon Pays Le Canada, the profits of which have supported cancer research and treatment.