Manitoba

Coun. Thomas Steen attends meeting, stays mum on arrest

Winnipeg city Coun. Thomas Steen is back at the table after being arrested last week on allegations of assault.
Coun. Thomas Steen (centre) listens in at a meeting of the Property and Planning Committee on Tuesday. (Sean Kavanagh/CBC)

Winnipeg city Coun. Thomas Steen is back at the table after being arrested last week on allegations of assault.

The Elmwood–East Kildonan councillor took his seat at the Property and Planning Committee on Tuesday but wouldn't talk to reporters about the allegations against him.

The 53-year-old former Winnipeg Jet, who has been a councillor since 2010, was arrested on May 6.

Police have not released details about the arrest but a fellow councillor confirmed a media report that Steen is alleged to have assaulted a woman he knows at a Garden City restaurant.​

At the time the arrest was made public, Steen's executive assistant told CBC News he was taking an indefinite voluntary leave from his council duties. But in a statement issued Monday, Steen said that was not the case and he has returned to work.

He remains suspended from the Winnipeg Police Board, however, while the investigation is underway.

No formal charges have yet been laid.