- Born
- May 21, 1964 — St. Bride's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Career
- Served on the St. Bride's town council for three terms; lead figure for the Cape Shore Regional Development Association.
- Political Experience
- Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for St. Mary's-The Capes (1993-1996) and Placentia and St. Mary’s (1999-2005). Member of Parliament for Avalon (2006-2008). Appointed to the Senate on January 2, 2009, resigned March 28, 2011, and was re-appointed on May 25, 2011.
- Notable
- In May 2005, he was voted out of the provincial Progressive Conservative caucus for publicly attacking the government's crab management policies. He resigned his Senate seat in 2011 to run unsuccessfully for his former House of Commons seat, and was subsequently re-appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering politics, Fabian Manning reportedly worked as an uncertified general contractor and small business owner. His political career began in Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly, where he served as a Member of the House of Assembly (MHA). He later became a federal Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Avalon. After being defeated in the 2008 federal election, he worked as a senior advisor to the provincial Minister of Works, Services and Transportation in Newfoundland and Labrador. He was first appointed to the Senate in 2009 but resigned in 2011 to run again for the House of Commons, a race he lost. He was re-appointed to the Senate later that year.
Key Relationships & Connections
Fabian Manning was appointed and later re-appointed to the Senate on the advice of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, making Harper a key political relationship. During his time in provincial politics in Newfoundland and Labrador, he was a member of the Progressive Conservative caucus under Premier Danny Williams. In 2007, Manning was part of a group of MHAs known as the "St. John's Six" who crossed the floor from the provincial Liberal party to the Progressive Conservatives, a move that significantly altered the province's political landscape at the time.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
In 2015, a report by Canada's Auditor General on Senate expenses flagged some of Fabian Manning's claims. The audit reviewed his travel expenses and questioned whether some trips were for parliamentary business or for personal or party-related activities. The report identified over $55,000 in what it deemed to be inappropriate claims. As a result of the Auditor General's findings, Senator Manning's file was among those referred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for a criminal investigation. He disputed the findings and stated that his travel was related to his work as a senator. The matter was later resolved without criminal charges being laid.
Public Controversies
The most significant public controversy involving Fabian Manning was his role in the Canadian Senate expense scandal. The 2015 Auditor General's report, which detailed questionable travel expense claims, generated considerable media attention and public scrutiny. Although his case was referred to the RCMP, the police force ultimately concluded its investigation in 2016 without pressing criminal charges against him. His resignation from the Senate in 2011 to run unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Commons, followed by his swift re-appointment to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, also drew criticism. Opponents and media commentators characterized the re-appointment as an example of political patronage.