Quebec City Mayor Rgis Labeaume steps away from council for health reasons

Quebec City Mayor RgisLabeaumewon't be such a familiar face at council meetings now that he's taking a step back for an undetermined amount of time to focus on his health.

Labeaume, who has served as mayor since 2007, said he will retain the job and its dutiesbut won't be present at council meetings or spend much time at Quebec City Hall.

"I will be resting instead of standing," said Labeaume, "but I will be mayor of Quebec City."

Labeaumeannounced in mid-March that he had been diagnosed withprostate cancerand would eventually be reducing his workload.

He told Radio-Canada on Monday that it was his last council meeting for a while, but that he did not intend to cede responsibility to the deputy mayor, MichelleMorin-Doyle.

He said if things started to deteriorate, he would sign over control to Morin-Doyle, but for now he'll"see how it goes."