[1] Prior to serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Anderson was a minister in the United Church of Canada and a former professor at the Vancouver School of Theology.
He was the founder and chair of the Vancouver Food Bank and the Pacific Youth and Family Addiction Service Society.
He received the Good Neighbour Award in 1990, along with honors from the Social Justice Foundation of BC.
He had previously served as a member of the Legislative Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct.
Anderson died on 30 March 2006 after a long battle with bowel cancer.