He has excelled in all of the many initiatives he has undertaken in the private and public sectors. As a Minister of the Crown, he served with distinction in a variety of portfolios. After leaving politics, he returned to business where he carved out a unique niche in the fossil fuels industry. His record of community service spans four decades and includes a leadership role as Director of the Spinal Cord Centre at Toronto's Lyndhurst Hospital, Director of the National Ballet School and President of the Canadian Opera Company. His tenacity, coupled with a maverick entrepreneurial spirit, has earned him the respect and admiration of Canadians from coast to coast.