HONOURING COURAGE, PROMOTING HEALING: A TRIBUTE TO AFGHAN VETERAN GINO ROUSSEL AND THE CALL FOR STRONGER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, OCTOBER 25, 2025

Stéphane Ouellette • October 25, 2025

Canadian Military is hiring | Join the Canadian Armed Forces

HONOURING COURAGE, PROMOTING HEALING: A TRIBUTE TO AFGHAN VETERAN GINO ROUSSEL AND THE CALL FOR STRONGER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

OCTOBER 25, 2025

Gino Roussel, now deceased, was a former Canadian Forces soldier and a resident of the Edmundston area. He suffered from post-traumatic stress after returning from Bosnia and often struggled with suicidal thoughts.

For many years, he owned around twenty firearms, including several old pistols. That changed in December 2012, when the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, deeply affected him. In response, Gino made a powerful statement for peace—he destroyed all his weapons, cutting them into pieces and giving them to local artist Vicky Lentz.

The dismantled firearms were then transformed into a sculpture for peace, installed on Gino’s property as a lasting symbol of hope, healing, and transformation. We wish to perpetuate his legacy through the proposed Gino Roussell Mental Health and Wellness Advocacy Group (or foundation), which seeks to unite mental health and wellness initiatives for veterans, military personnel, and first responders across Canada and beyond.

ORDER PUBLICATION

"In this day and age, where sophisticated electronic gadgets dominate the world, no computer has yet been invented that surpasses the power of the human brain. Faced with any problem, the brain possesses the remarkable ability to think for itself and devise solutions. When allowed to wander into its playful and creative side, it can unveil bold new universes right before your eyes. For those courageous enough to venture into this realm of imagination, it offers a chance to escape from pain and suffering, if only for a while.

"Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not like having a broken arm. Rather its like having that arm amputuated. You have to learn to live with these limitations.

"SPIRIT DOGS is a collection of short stories about a PTSD plagued ex-soldier who, out of guilt and regrets, rescues over time, a bunch of unwanted sled dogs and together they go on a journey of lifetime."

– Gino Roussel, Author, Ex-Soldier

OTTAWA, TODAY: Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP), and Founder/President, Colonel John Gardam Lifetime Achievement Award Institute, pays tribute to Afghanistan Veteran Gino Roussel, author of Spirit Dogs, whose life and legacy inspire an urgent national conversation on service, trauma, and healing. His story calls on all Canadians to recognize the invisible wounds of war and strengthen mental health support for those who serve.

A decorated soldier and advocate, Roussel transformed his experiences from Afghanistan into a powerful message of resilience through Spirit Dogs—a work that sheds light on the emotional cost of service while offering hope for those living with PTSD. His “Slay Dog” competition further united veterans, first responders, and civilians through perseverance, teamwork, and the unbreakable bond of service.

Building on his vision, the MNCTP is exploring the creation of the Gino Roussel Mental Health and Wellness Advocacy Group (or Foundation)—a national initiative designed to integrate fragmented mental health resources into a unified, adaptive system serving veterans, military personnel, first responders, and their families.

This effort follows the MNCTP’s earlier feature, “Honouring a Fallen Soldier: Daniel ‘Cerberus’ Ray Wolfe”, which underscored the need to move from remembrance to action—turning tribute into tangible, life-saving support. As noted, the next step must deliver real impact on the ground by addressing the crisis of homeless veterans and ensuring timely access to mental and physical care through collaboration across all sectors.

The proposed Gino Roussel Mental Health and Wellness Advocacy Group envisions an open-systems approach that blends clinical care, peer support, holistic therapies, and innovation—building a sustainable, national network of healing and hope.

About the MNCTP

The Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP) is a Canadian-led initiative dedicated to remembrance, education, and unity through the recognition of veterans, seafarers, and first responders. Its mission bridges commemoration and action, honouring those who serve by strengthening social resilience and advancing collective wellbeing.

Archway Welcoming Guests, Veterans, and Visitors — Baisley Lodge
Saint-Jacques (Edmundston), New Brunswick, Canada — January 2023

This moment marked the beginning of a new chapter in an over 25-year odyssey of veterans’ advocacy. It was during this visit that Monsieur Christian Pomerleau, a long-time friend of Afghanistan Veteran Gino Roussel, brought me to Baisley Lodge and shared Gino’s remarkable story—a story of courage, healing, and the enduring spirit of service.