Today we begin an occasional look at those who aspire - or are rumoured to aspire - to succeed Jean Chretien as Liberal leader and become the next Prime Minister of Canada. Given this week's scathing report from federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser and her partial audit (it was so bad she couldn't finish) of the federal gun registry, it makes sense to start with Industry Minister Allan Rock.

Mr. Rock is a lawyer by profession and has served as the MP for Etobicoke Centre - formerly held by Tory Finance Minister Michael Wilson - since his election in the Liberal landslide in 1993. Mr. Rock was touted as one of Jean Chretien's star candidates and he was destined to sit in Cabinet once the Liberals came to power.

On a personal level during my few brief meetings with Mr. Rock, we have had pleasurable conversations. I recall sitting on a plane a few years back in economy class - yes, economy class - and briefly chatting about health care reform which led to a more formal meeting with one of his senior policy advisors a few months later.

As well, Mr. Rock is a prostate cancer survivor and this past June his presence at the annual "Do it for Dad" run to support the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre was noted and most welcome. So as a person, your not so humble scribe has no problems with Mr. Rock.

However, his record as a Minister of the Crown is another story. As Minister of Justice, Mr. Rock gave birth to Bill C-68 which begat the now infamous gun registry, projected to surpass $1 billion in costs by fiscal 2004/2005. The registry was supposed to cost $117 million and recoup $115 million in fees for net cost to taxpayers of one 6/49 jackpot … a cool $2 million. But now we learn the registry will surpass$1 billion in costs with $140 million recouped through fees for a total loss of $860 million: A net cost overrun 430 times the original estimate.

While two other Ministers (Anne McClellan and Martin Cauchon) have also presided over this colossal waste of taxpayer cash, Mr. Rock rightly receives the lion's share of political blame which accompanies this boondoggle. It's a case of ready, fire, aim (yes, that's how I meant to write it), with taxpayers biting the proverbial bullet.

As Justice Minister, Mr. Rock also presided, in a political sense, over the Airbus investigation and baseless persecution of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Regardless of what you think of Mr. Mulroney, he was treated shabbily by a politicized RCMP and the Government of Canada. Anyone of lesser financial means (read: 99% of the population) would have wilted under such pressure. In the end, Mr. Mulroney was cleared of any wrongdoing and taxpayers were left to foot his legal bills pegged around $2 million.

After such stellar achievements at Justice, Mr. Rock was shuffled over to become Minister of Health. During his tenure in this crucial portfolio you may recall his decision not to extend full compensation to all Hepatitis-C victims, recommend by Justice Krever in his inquiry into Canada's tragic - and as we witnessed last month with charges being laid against several individuals -allegedly criminal tainted blood scandal. Mr. Rock's legaleeze won the day over compassion.

And we can't forget Ciprogate, during the height of the Anthrax scare post 9/11 south of the border. Mr. Rock's officials at Health Canada placed an order for a generic brand of Cipro in direct violation of the law. Instead of admitting wrongdoing on behalf of his department, Mr. Rock employed that most unflattering characteristic practiced by his boss Jean Chretien, of denying, obfuscating and basically trying to spin himself out of trouble. I'm getting dizzy just recounting this episode.

Most recently, after Brian Tobin packed his marbles and went home, Mr. Rock moved over to head the Industry department. No doubt Mr. Chretien wanted to give Mr. Rock a chance to gain some experience in an economic portfolio. However, this experience is dubious at best. Mr. Rock has been front and centre promoting Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) which is Industry Canada's flagship corporate welfare, er, I mean, business assistance program.

But according to TPC briefing notes, the program plans to loan out $6.4 billion by 2020, but will only recoup just over $2 billion (a best estimate) during this same period. This $4 billion waste kind of makes the gun registry billion dollar fiasco pale in comparison.

If Mr. Rock keeps this record of political accomplishment up, his leadership ambitions will sink faster than a stone.