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If Coun. Diane Colley-Urquhart is so keen on penguins, she could visit the Calgary Zoo.

They do the Penguin Plunge and the Penguin Walk – plenty of penguin pranks, only five minutes from City Hall.

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But the councillor prefers Antarctica to “spend time with the penguins and icebergs.” The cheery travel news comes only weeks after a civic election campaign in which the trip wasn’t mentioned.

She’ll miss council meetings dealing with the most difficult budget the city has faced since the financial crash of 2008-09.

There’s a $170-million revenue hole in city finances. The budget is a juggling act with nothing but stink bombs in the air — cuts, taxes, spending from reserves.

Bizarre things happen when politicians stay around too long. They even forget their promises not to stay around too long.

A councillor since 2000, Colley-Urquhart has won seven elections.

During the first race she said: “I am not a career politician. If elected, I will serve two terms, then get out so there can be fresh leadership.”