President David Dingwall Awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal for Contributions to Education and Public Service
Date Posted: Nov 29, 2024
Yesterday, November 28, 2024, the Honourable David C. Dingwall, PC, the 7th President and Vice-Chancellor of Cape Breton University, was awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for Service to Education and Public Service as a Member of the King’s Privy Council for Canada.
The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, presented President Dingwall with the Medal during an investiture ceremony held at Government House in Halifax. The King Charles III Coronation Medal symbolizes significant contributions to Canada or a specific province, territory or community, recognizing outstanding achievements that bring credit to the nation.
Under President Dingwall’s leadership, Cape Breton University has achieved numerous remarkable milestones, including:
- Launching new strategic, research and academic plans;
- Achieving unprecedented enrolment growth;
- Revitalizing the campus with ambitious plans for future growth, including the creation of a medical campus, the Centre for the Discovery and Innovation and the soon-to-be renovated Canada Games Complex which will become the home for female hockey in Canada;
- Expanding the School of Nursing and introducing new programs such as the Bachelor of Social Work.
President Dingwall’s career spans substantial achievements in both the public and private sectors at national and international levels. During his tenure in the Canadian government, he served as a Cabinet Minister under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He also played a pivotal role in hosting the 1996 G7 Summit in Halifax and as Minister of Health, he introduced the Tobacco Control Act in 1997, recognized as the toughest tobacco legislation in the world at the time, earning accolades from the Canadian Cancer Society and the World Health Organization. 
In the private sector, President Dingwall served as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Canadian Mint, where he transformed its operations, increasing revenues to over $100 million in less than two years. He also co-directed the Canada China Institute for Business and Development and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Cape Breton University in 1997.
An accomplished author, President Dingwall wrote Negotiating So Everyone Wins – Secrets You Can Use from Canada’s Top Business, Sports, Labour, and Political Negotiators, the only book of its kind in North America. He is also a mentor to countless Cape Bretoners and Canadians, helping them forge successful careers nationwide.
The Cape Breton University community congratulates President Dingwall on this well-deserved honor and celebrates his continued leadership and vision for the future of education and public service.