Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: October 23, 1997
• Invested on: August 26, 1998

He has had a marked impact on music of the Western world during a career that has spanned six decades. Highly regarded by musicians as a composer, conductor and arranger, he has produced a huge volume of light music and film scores, minor classics of their genre that have become standard repertoire for orchestras. His Canadian roots surface in many of his lyrical orchestral works. He remains active in the recording studio and on the concert platform, bringing his popular musical compositions to listeners far and wide.