Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: April 27, 2000
• Invested on: November 16, 2000

He has been instrumental in shaping the Canadian literary scene. For half a century as a broadcaster and editor he has discovered, nurtured and supported Canadian writers, many of whom are now world renowned. In the 1960s, through his CBC radio program Anthology, he popularized the Canadian short story. He also highlighted emerging talent through his work with the Tamarack Review, a landmark literary magazine he helped to found, and has edited many important anthologies, including the five Oxford volumes of Canadian Short Stories.