CALGARY, AB, June 7, 2026. One week into Men’s Mental Health Month Canada, MenTELL is continuing its national Be the Flare campaign, founded by Calgary entrepreneur Zak Hussein and built around a single question, “What would you tell your younger self?” The Calgary-founded men’s mental health movement, now entering its fourth year, is aiming to reach 1 million Canadians this June through digital storytelling, social media, and a relay of honest conversations between men.
The campaign is built around one question. Participants film a short video answering, “What would you tell your younger self?” In the same video they nominate 2 men in their circle by name and encourage them to share their own answer. They tag both men in the caption, invite @MenTELL.ca as an Instagram collaborator so the post travels beyond their own feed, and use the hashtag #BeTheFlare. Each nominated man then has 48 hours to film his own video and pass the flare on.
One line. Two names. 48 hours.
The campaign takes its name from a simple image. “A flare is a signal in the darkness. It is a reminder that somebody else understands, somebody else cares, and somebody is willing to help light the way forward,” said Zak Hussein, founder of MenTELL and founder and host of CanadianPodcast.ca. The instruction the campaign gives participants is deliberately small. If you are even 1% better today, share the thing that helped you get there, because it may help someone else.
Why MenTELL exists
MenTELL started in 2023 when Hussein and his friend Shaun Taylor brought together a small group of ambassadors and supporters from across Canada. Hussein says he saw too many men around him carrying pressure, stress, loneliness, and emotional weight without feeling they had a place to talk about it.
“A lot of conversations around men’s mental health either felt overly clinical or disconnected from how many men actually communicate and connect in everyday life,” Hussein said. “There was a gap between awareness and real human connection. MenTELL was built to help close that gap.”
Hussein adds that many men grow up believing they need to carry everything themselves. They are often taught to suppress emotions, avoid vulnerability, or fear asking for help. When they do want connection, they often express it differently. It might happen on the golf course, in the garage, on a hike, or during a long drive.
“Creating more approachable spaces and conversations is incredibly important,” Hussein said. “Many men do want connection and support.”
The numbers behind Be the Flare
MenTELL built the campaign in response to recent research showing a decline in men’s mental health across Canada.
- 64% of Canadian men report moderate-to-high stress, up 4 points in a single year. Among men aged 19 to 29, that figure reaches 89%.
- 23% are at risk of moderate-to-severe depression, also up 4 points in a year.
- Nearly 1 in 2 Canadian men are at risk of social isolation.
- 67% have never used a professional mental health service such as counselling or psychotherapy.
Data from the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, 2025 Men’s Mental Health Research.
Close to 75% of the estimated 4,000 people who die by suicide in Canada each year are men, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
“A lot of what I see isn’t one thing. It’s a stack,” Hussein said. “The 38-year-old who looks like he’s holding it all together but hasn’t slept properly in two years. The new dad who feels like he’s already failing. The guy who finally got the job, the house and the family, and still feels emptier than he thought he would. Most men aren’t fighting one pressure. They’re carrying several at once and pretending the weight is normal.”
How to take part in #BeTheFlare
- Film a short video answering, “What would you tell your younger self?”
- In the video, nominate 2 men in your circle by name and encourage them to share their own answer.
- Tag both men in the caption.
- Invite @MenTELL.ca as an Instagram collaborator so the post travels beyond your feed.
- Use the hashtag #BeTheFlare.
- Pass the flare on within 48 hours.
“For MenTELL, the goal was never perfection. It’s connection,” Hussein said. “You do not have to carry everything alone. Nominate and encourage 2 men in your circle to keep the flare alive for the brothers in the dark, the ones still out there. Let’s break the stigma and shatter the silence once and for all.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by phone or text, in English and French, anywhere in Canada.
About MenTELL
MenTELL is a Calgary-founded Canadian movement focused on men’s mental health, connection, and emotional well-being. Founded in 2023 by Zak Hussein with his friend Shaun Taylor and a small group of ambassadors and supporters from across Canada, MenTELL is not a traditional charity or non-profit. It is a movement built by everyday men who believe conversation, communication, and community can break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. MenTELL shares stories and initiatives year-round at MenTELL.ca, and each June it brings its community together for Men’s Mental Health Month Canada at MensMentalHealthMonth.ca. Now entering its fourth year, MenTELL has generated hundreds of thousands of social media impressions across its campaigns, reaching a predominantly male audience across Canada.
About Zak Hussein
Zak Hussein is the founder of MenTELL and the founder and host of CanadianPodcast.ca. He is a Canadian entrepreneur working across technology, media, digital strategy, and AI. Born in Tanzania, East Africa, Hussein moved to Calgary, Alberta at four months old and considers himself both Calgarian and Albertan. His storytelling is shaped by the Canadian Rockies, Alberta’s rolling foothills, and the history and heritage of the West. His work centres on communication, connection, and building communities that create meaningful impact.
About the data. Stress, depression, social isolation, and mental-health-service figures are from the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation’s 2025 Men’s Mental Health Research, an Intensions Consulting survey of 2,000 Canadian men aged 19 and older conducted April 8 to 14, 2025. Suicide figures are from the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s “Men’s Mental Health and Suicide in Canada,” which draws on Public Health Agency of Canada data.
Media Contact
Zak Hussein, Founder