SENATOR MANNING

Could Fabian Manning be the next Michael Fortier? Fortier was chair of Stephen Harper's leadership campaign and went on to co-chair Conservative national campaigns in 2004 and 2006. He did not run in the 2006 election but Prime Minister Harper took the unusual action of appointing a non-elected person to cabinet in order to have a Montreal representative at the cabinet table. No Conservative candidates from Montreal ridings were elected.

Should the residents of Avalon choose to vote Fabian Manning out of office on October 14th and the Conservatives hold onto government, could Fabian still be the regional cabinet minister for Harper?

Currently there are four Liberals and one Conservative representing Newfoundland and Labrador in the Upper Chamber. The lone Conservative is Ethel Cochrane who was appointed in 1986 by Brian Mulroney. When asked by the media why she was chosen she replied that the Prime Minister needed a Catholic and a woman and she was both. She is not due to retire until 2012.

There is one vacancy. One open spot. A fall back of sorts depending on how the election goes. It is quite conceivable that the people of the province could find Manning unworthy of Parliament but he will still end up as a Cabinet Minister.

Fabian was born in 1964 which makes him 44. If appointed to the Senate, he could sit until he retired at age 75. That would be a 36 year appointment.

Senators make a basic salary of $$105,000 per year and an extra $150.00 a day for each day they sit (if they show up). They meet on average about 120 days a year and are allowed to miss 21 days without losing any pay. They also receive a tax free allowance of $10,800 a year. The annual salary of the average senator in 2006 was $122,700.

So if Fabian Manning is defeated and Harper forms the government he is looking at $122,700 plus his cabinet pay of $50, 286 for a combined total of $172,986. If he were just to collect a senate salary until he retired the cost to the taxpayer would be four and half million.

For Fabian that means no more elections, no more taking crap from Danny Williams or anyone else for that matter.

Win or lose, it looks like Fabian is in the driver's seat!