Thomas Steen returning to work

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This article was published 11/05/2014 (3881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thomas Steen is going back to work at city hall.

The councillor for Elmwood-East Kildonan issued a statement this afternoon saying he did not take a leave of absence after he was charged with assault last week.

Steen said he only took a few days off, but never intended it to be a long-term or formal absence.

“I have not taken a leave of absence from my duties as Councillor and the various roles and functions that I perform as City Councillor and have returned to my duties,” Steen stated in an email to news media.

The former Winnipeg Jets star allegedly got into a dispute May 1 at the Boston Pizza location on McPhillips Street. A woman known to Steen reported she was assaulted and contacted police, who authorized a charge following a brief investigation.

Steen turned himself in to police on the evening of May 6 and was promptly released on a promise to appear in court, a justice source said in a story detailed first in Wednesday’s Free Press.

Steen said, on the advice of his lawyer, he will not comment on the police investigation or the alleged incident.

Staff at Boston Pizza said they were unaware of any assault involving Steen on May 1. Staff said Steen was at the restaurant that night, but staff did not witness an assault.

Steen did not attend the Appeals committee meeting last week. He is a member of the property and development committee, which has a meeting Tuesday morning.

Steen confirmed this afternoon that he will not be attending any police board meetings. Regulations governing the new police board prohibit any police board member under police investigation from attending meetings or participating in any board business.

Steen and Coun. Scott Fielding are the City of Winnipeg representatives on the Winnipeg Police Board.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca