Alan Rock (Etobicoke Centre) has been appointed Minister of Industry, replacing Brian Tobin who abruptly retired from politics earlier this month. Rock’s appointment is part of a massive Cabinet shuffle and signals a continuation of the government’s strong emphasis on innovation, which will benefit from the former Health minister’s championing of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Rock was first elected in 1993 and was promptly appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. He was appointed Minister of Health in 1997. Rock holds a BA and LLB from the Univ of Ottawa, his home town.