He was awarded the C.M. (Member of the Order of Canada) on April 30, 1992 and Invested on October 21, 1992 from the Canadian Governor General. He lived in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A novelist of note, he has generously promoted Canadian writing and has acted as a tireless advocate for Canadian writers. He was instrumental in creating organizations that encourage and support writing and publishing in this country. These include the Writers' Union of Canada, the Book and Periodical Development Council, the Canadian Center of P.E.N. International and the Writers' Development Trust.