Rob Cunningham (LLB 1986) and R. Douglas Elliott (JD 1982) have been named recipients of the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal.
The Coronation Medal was created to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which took place on May 6, 2023. It is the first Canadian commemorative medal to mark a coronation.
Administered by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, the medal is being awarded to 30,000 Canadians who have made significant contributions at home or abroad.
The Government of Canada developed a list of partner organizations who nominate and present medals to individuals who met the medal’s eligibility criteria.
Rob Cunningham is a full-time lawyer and senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society and is recognized worldwide as an expert and leader in tobacco control. He has been an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and has testified 86 times before federal, provincial, and territorial legislative committees. Rob has been awarded a medal by WHO, named a “National Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association, and selected by Maclean’s magazine as one of 100 Canadians to watch.
Renowned litigator Douglas Elliott has been recognized for his for decades of HIV/AIDS advocacy. Elliott's landmark victories as lead counsel include judgments recognizing same-sex common-law relationships, securing Canada Pension Plan survivor’s pensions for gay and lesbian Canadians, and a class-action lawsuit for thousands of people fired from federal government jobs in the 1950s and 60s – the so-called LGBT Purge. He is a member of the Order of Canada and in 2023 the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA) awarded Elliott the inaugural Carl Mitchell Community Impact Award.
Professor Trudo Lemmens, Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy and alumni Florence Ashley (SJD 2023) and Gregory Radisic (LLM 2023) were also named medal recipients.
Are you a U of T Law recipient of the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal? Please reach out to us with details: alumni.law@utoronto.ca
