Penticton vet campaigning to bring Australian support group on PTSD to Canada

PENTICTON — Whenever Ernie Slump hears a fire cracker go off unexpected, he’s taken back to the barracks when he tried to revive a fellow soldier.

“A young Canadian soldier died in my arms because of a gunshot wound from an accident that should have never have happened. It affects me to this day,” said Slump.

The incident Slump was referring to happened nearly five decades ago, during the FLQ Crisis in Quebec. But Slump remembers the incident vividly.

He said this was the result of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

On Wednesday, he wanted to bring the PTSD issue to the forefront while the Invictus Games are happening in Orlando, Florida.

The Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick Service personnel. Next year, Toronto will be hosting the event.

On the web site it says Canada was chosen to “provide an opportunity to awaken the latent empathy that Canadians feel for its military and transform it by empowering the Canadian public, politicians and corporations to solicit long-term advocacy, donations and support for the country’s service members and military families in need.”

Slump is spearheading a campaign to bring a support group on PTSD from Australia. He said the group has more advanced research and treatment regarding the mental illness.

“The Australians, because they fought in the Vietnam war, and we didn’t, they have a lot more PTSD injured veterans and wounded veterans,” explained Slump.

A member of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans of Canada supports Slump’s campaign.

“Anything that is in reference and in regards to aiding the veterans, particularly with the PTSD, is of major importance to our association,” said Robert Horkoff.

If the Australian group comes to Canada, Slump said it would be up to the federal government to decide where the experts go and who they’d meet.

In response to Slump’s cause, the federal government said: “Veterans Affairs Canada is always open to discussing Veterans’ issues.”