Allan Rock

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This article is about the Canadian statesman. For the similarly-named places in Massachusetts, see Allen Rock.

Allan Michael Rock PC
Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
In office 2004 – 2006
Prime Minister	Paul Martin
Preceded by	Paul Heinbecker
Succeeded by	John McNee

Born	August 30, 1947 (1947-08-30) (age 60) Ottawa, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Profession	Lawyer

Allan Michael Rock, PC, BA , LL.B (born August 30, 1947) is a lawyer and former Canadian politician and diplomat. He was Canada's ambassador to the United Nations (2004-2006) and had previously served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister (1993-1997) and Health Minister (1997-2002).

1 Early life
2 Ministerial career
3 Ambassador to United Nations
4 Leaves public life
5 See also
6 References

[edit] Early life

Rock was born and raised in Ottawa. He briefly attended Richview Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke, Ontario. He studied for a B.A. and an LL.B. at the University of Ottawa and began his career as a trial lawyer.

As a student leader in 1970 he met John Lennon and drove him around Ottawa while he was hosting him for a "peace conference" he was holding. He had invited Lennon to Ottawa after his famous "bed-in" in Montreal. He tried to introduce Lennon to Pierre Trudeau, but the prime minister was not at home when they dropped by.

[edit] Ministerial career

In 2002, Rock became the Minister of Industry for Canada following five years in the post of Minister of Health. Prior to this he was the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

In his role as Minister of Justice, Rock was heavily involved in bringing about the Canadian gun registry. This program was plagued by massive cost overruns, and is rumoured to be one of the reasons for the failure of Rock's abortive leadership bid. However Rock's tenure as a federal cabinet minister was in general characterized by controversy ranging from the handling of compensation for victims of tainted blood donations to actions of his department in the Airbus affair (which ended in a public apology and $2.1 million settlement to Brian Mulroney).

Rock initially declared he would run in the Liberal Party of Canada leadership race to replace the retiring Jean Chrétien, raising more money and polling higher numbers than John Manley and Sheila Copps. However, former Finance Minister Paul Martin had a stranglehold on the party machinery and all of the other leadership candidates were unable to affect his commanding lead. In 2003, Rock dropped out of the leadership and announced his support for Martin, though one of Martin's staff said that that move would not be sufficient to guarantee Rock continuing in cabinet.

[edit] Ambassador to United Nations

On December 12, 2003, Martin appointed Rock as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations. Rock resigned his seat in the House of Commons and took office in early 2004. As Canada's ambassador to the UN, Rock spoke to the UN General Assembly on April 13, 2004, encouraging participation of the member nations of the United Nations on the matter of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Certain Catholic groups have called for Rock's excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church due to his support for abortion rights.^{[citation needed]} Rock was also a strong supporter of gay rights, and specifically gay marriage, long before it became Liberal Party policy.

With the election of the Conservative Party of Canada, it has been speculated that Rock would be replaced in his role as Ambassador. He had also been mentioned as a potential candidate to replace the departing Prime Minister Paul Martin as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada but on February 3, 2006, Rock announced that he would not run for leadership of the Liberal Party. ^[1] He later endorsed Stephane Dion's successful bid to lead the party.

Rock tendered his resignation in February and on February 16, 2006, the newly elected Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of Rock's replacement, John McNee ^[2] Rock remained in office until June 30, 2006 at Harper's request. Upon his departure, he called for an overhaul of the UN. ^[3] Rock submitted a report about child soldiers in Sri Lanka on 15th January 2007 to the UN.

[edit] Leaves public life

Rock announced earlier in June, 2006, that he would be moving to Windsor, Ontario to resume his legal career with Harvey Thomas Strosberg at Sutts, Strosberg LLP.

Rock appeared as a witness before the Canadian House of Commons Ethics Committee on February 5, 2008. The Committee is examining the Mulroney Airbus settlement of $2.1 million, which Rock, as Justice Minister in 1997, negotiated to close the file of Brian Mulroney's libel lawsuit against the federal government. But Karlheinz Schreiber's very large cash payments to Brian Mulroney from 1993 and 1994 were unknown at that time, since Mulroney denied under oath during his lawsuit that he had had any significant dealings with Schreiber after leaving office as PM. Rock stated for the Committee that had he known about those payments during the trial, he would likely not have settled the case for $2.1 million. These matters will also be examined in a public inquiry called by Prime Minister Harper, which will begin once the Ethics Committee has finished its work.^[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ 'Rock sends regrets, won't run to lead Liberals', CBC News, February 3, 2006
^ 'McNee tapped as Rock's replacement', Globe & Mail, February 16, 2006
^ Departing Allan Rock calls for major UN overhaul, CTV News, July 2, 2006
^ The Globe and Mail, February 6, 2008.

Cabinet Posts (5)
26th Ministry - Government of Jean Chrétien
Predecessor	Office ‹The template Ministry box office header is being considered for deletion.›	Successor
Brian Tobin	Minister of Industry (2002–2003)	Lucienne Robillard
Brian Tobin	Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (2002–2003)	Joe McGuire
Brian Tobin	Minister of Western Economic Diversification (2002–2003)	Rey Pagtakhan
David Dingwall	Minister of Health (1997–2002)	Anne McLellan
Pierre Blais	Minister of Justice (1993–1997)	Anne McLellan
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor	Title	Successor
vacant, previously Marcel Massé	Minister responsible for Infrastructure (2002–2003)	position abolished

Parliament of Canada
Preceded by Michael Wilson, Progressive Conservative	Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre 1993–2004	Succeeded by Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Paul Heinbecker	Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations 2004–2006	Succeeded by John McNee