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CALGARY — Last week, 25-year-old Cpl. Darenn Tremblay set up a folding blue lawn chair on a snow-packed sidewalk in front of a Cold Lake, Alta., big box store, picked up a guitar and began to busk.

Next to him, a folded cardboard sign said: “I am in the Canadian Forces posted to Cold Lake with family any spare change will help.”

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The young corporal offered his upturned green helmet, for spare change.

“I do that because we don’t have any money to pay our rent basically,” Cpl. Tremblay told the Sun newspaper chain. He is now facing an investigation for disrespecting the Armed Forces, and declined to respond to other interview requests.

Reactions to the stunt vary: several soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were deeply embarrassed about the use of a helmet.

“It’s a very disrespectful pictures to all CF members,” said one. “Before we are posted to Cold Lake, we go through several interviews with regards to seclusion, as well as the cost of living there. He would have known what he was getting into being posted there. He should be charged and booted from the Forces.”