Gloria Baylis
Gloria Leon Baylis was a notable Barbadian-born nurse, midwife, and entrepreneur, born on June 29, 1929. After moving to England for nursing studies, she later relocated to Montreal, Canada, where she made significant contributions to both healthcare and civil rights. Baylis is recognized for winning Canada’s first case of employment-related racial discrimination in 1965, which set a precedent in the fight against workplace discrimination. Following this legal victory, she continued her nursing career while also becoming an advocate for women's health issues, particularly through her association with Dr. Henry Morgentaler.
In 1986, Baylis founded the Baylis Medical Company, which started by importing medical products and evolved into a leading developer of innovative medical technologies, particularly in cardiology and pain management. Her commitment to improving patient care was evident in her company’s mission. Baylis was also honored with several awards for her contributions to healthcare and business. She passed away on April 12, 2017, leaving behind a legacy of advocacy, innovation, and service in the medical field, along with five children who have followed in her footsteps. Her son, Frank Baylis, now leads the Baylis Medical Company, continuing her vision.
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Subject Terms
Gloria Baylis
Activist and nurse
- Born: June 29, 1929
- Birthplace: Bridgetown, Barbados
- Died: April 12, 2017
- Place of death: Westmount, Quebec, Canada
Significance: Gloria Baylis was a civil rights activist and nurse. In 1964, she filed the first employment-related racial discrimination case in Canada. Baylis also worked as a nurse in England and Canada. Upon retiring in 1983, she founded the Baylis Medical Company, which began as an importer and a distributor of medical products but eventually became a leading developer and manufacturer of cardio- and pain management-products.
Background
Gloria Leon Baylis was born on June 29, 1929, in Barbados. Her parents were Reynold Livingstone Leone Clarke and Antoinette Margaret Miller. She was one of fourteen children, although two of her siblings died before their first birthday. Baylis attended Thorpe’s Private School and Queen’s College for Girls. When Baylis was sixteen, she began working as a private teacher. When she was refused pay for her work, she sued and ultimately settled out of court. In 1947, Baylis moved to England and studied nursing. She graduated from Kingston General Hospital in England with state registered nurse credentials and a certificate in midwifery. While in England, she worked as a registered nurse and midwife.
In 1952, Baylis moved to Montreal, Canada, and worked in several hospitals, including Montreal General Hospital and the Hôtel-Dieu de Montreal. She met her husband, Richard Headley Baylis, in 1955, and the two married in 1956.
Life’s Work
On September 2, 1964, Baylis inquired about a nursing job at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, which was operated by Hilton of Canada. Her inquiry came one day after the Act Respecting Discrimination in Employment in Quebec was introduced. Baylis was told that the position was filled. However, when she called a bit later to inquire about it, she was told that the job was still available. With help from the Negro Citizenship Association, she filed a complaint and soon became the primary witness in Her Majesty the Queen, Complainant v. Hilton of Canada Ltd., Accused. The prosecution argued that Baylis was denied the job because of her race. However, the defense argued that it was a lack of French proficiency that caused the Queen Elizabeth Hotel to not hire her.
On October 4, 1965, the court found that Hilton had violated the act and Baylis was not treated equally by the hotel. Hilton of Canada appealed the ruling for eleven years, but on January 19, 1977, the Quebec Court of Appeals upheld the ruling. The case represented the first time in Canadian history that an institution was found guilty of racial discrimination in employment.
During the trial and its appeal, Baylis worked as an operating room supervisor with the Catherine Booth Hospital, as well as for Dr. Henry Morgentaler. After she moved to Toronto in 1970, she continued to work for Morgentaler. On June 1, 1970, she, the doctor, two nurses, and a secretary were arrested due to Morgentaler performing abortions. Baylis continued to work as a private duty nurse after her arrest, as well as in the operating rooms and intensive care units of local hospitals. In 1985, Baylis was awarded the Special Achievement Award for Distinguished Contributions to the field of Fitness and Amateur Sport by the Ontario government. She also received the Jackie Robinson Award for Businessperson of the Year by the Montreal Association of Black Businesspersons and Professionals.
Impact
Baylis founded the Baylis Medical Company in 1986 in Montreal, Canada. She began the company after a patient was experiencing a brain aneurysm and required a specialized catheter to save their life. The catheter was only available in France, and no Canadian distributor existed. Thus, importing the product was virtually impossible. Initially, the Baylis Medical Company imported and distributed medical products for neurology. However, eventually, the company grew to become a leading developer and manufacturer of high-technology medical products, specifically in the areas of cardiology and pain management. The products are now sold internationally.
In 2004, Baylis retired from actively participating in the day-to-day operations of the Baylis Medical Company. However, she remained on the board of directors. Baylis’s mission with her company was to serve patients and improve lives with state-of-the-art medical supplies.
Personal Life
Gloria Baylis died on April 12, 2017, in Westmount, Quebec. She was married to Richard Headley Baylis. They had five children: Pia Maria, Françoise Elvina, Frank Headley, Peter John, and Penny Jane. Pia Maria preceded her mother in death. The Baylis’s children have said that their mother’s passion and dedication led them to careers in medical and service fields. In 2023, Frank Baylis, Baylis’s son, became the executive chair of the Baylis Medical Company.
Bibliography
Baylis, Françoise. Still Gloria: Personal Identity and Dementia. University of Toronto Press, 10(1), Spring 2017, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sites/noveltechethics/nte-IJFAB‗Still%20Gloria‗%20Personal%20Identity%20and%20Dementia.pdf. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Charness, Gerald. “Racial Discrimination in Employment: Canada’s First Case.” The Halifax Examiner, July 2017, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Charness‗Racial-Discrimination-in-Employment‗Case-of-Gloria-Baylis.pdf. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Feith, Jesse. “Mother’s 1960s Court Battle Inspires Former MP to Fight Bill 21.” Montreal Gazette, 28 Dec. 2022, montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/mothers-1960s-court-battle-inspires-former-mp-to-fight-bill-21. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Flynn, Karen. “’Hotel refuses Negro Nurse’: Gloria Clarke Baylis and the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.” Canadian Bulletin of Medical History, 35(2), 2018, www.utpjournals.press/doi/epdf/10.3138/cbmh.256-042018?role=tab. Accessed 28 June 2023.
“Gloria Baylis.” Black Entrepreneurs & Executives, www.blackentrepreneurprofile.com/people/person/gloria-baylis. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Jones, El. “’Yes, I am a Negro!’—The Untold Story of Gloria Bayliss.” By Blacks, 15 July 2018, byblacks.com/news/item/1948-yes-i-am-a-negro-the-untold-story-of-gloria-bayliss. Accessed 28 June 2023.
“Mrs. Gloria Leon Baylis.” Dignity Memorial, 13 Apr. 2017, www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/montreal-qc/gloria-baylis-7368841. Accessed 28 June 2023.
“Origin Story.” Baylis Medical, www.baylismedical.com/about/. Accessed 28 June 2023.