08-08-2025 • Written by Enroute 2 Success
Meet Gloria Baylis: The Remarkable Woman Behind Canada’s First Racial Discrimination Case
Some people accept the world as they find it. Others leave it more just, more open, and more hopeful than it was before they arrived.
Gloria Leon Baylis was one of those people.
Born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1929, Gloria grew up in a large family that believed education could open doors. At sixteen, she began working as a private teacher. When her employer refused to pay her, she took legal action and reached a settlement. It was a bold step for anyone, let alone a teenager, and an early sign of the determination that would shape her life.
From Barbados to Britain to Canada
In 1947, she moved to England to train as a nurse, earning State Registered Nurse credentials and a certificate in midwifery. By 1952, she had immigrated to Montreal, working in major hospitals. She married Richard Baylis in 1956. They had five children together, and faced the loss of their first, a daughter, shortly after she was born.
Breaking Barriers in Court
On September 2, 1964, one day after Quebec passed the Act Respecting Discrimination in Employment, Gloria applied for a nursing role at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Told the position was filled, she later learned it was still open. With the support of the Negro Citizenship Association, she filed a complaint and won Canada’s first employment-related racial discrimination case. After 11 years of appeals, the ruling stood.
A Career of Service and Innovation
Gloria advanced in her nursing career, taking on supervisory roles and mentoring others in the profession. She helped found the Ontario Amateur Netball Association, working to grow the sport and give youth new opportunities to compete. Her dedication to community earned her the Ontario government’s Special Achievement Award for contributions to fitness and amateur sport.
In 1983, after seeing a patient’s urgent need for a life-saving catheter that was unavailable in Canada, Gloria began importing medical devices from her home. That small operation grew into Baylis Medical Company, which became a leader in innovative cardiology and pain management technologies serving patients around the world.
Her Legacy
Gloria Baylis passed away in 2017 at the age of 87. She is remembered for her generosity, her love for people, and her unwavering belief in saying “yes” to life. Her influence lives on in the legal precedent she set, the medical innovations she helped bring to patients, and the countless individuals she inspired through her work and example.
To her family, she was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who encouraged persistence and embraced opportunity. To her community, she was a role model who showed that courage and compassion can exist in equal measure. The doors she opened remain pathways for others to follow, and her story continues to spark important conversations about justice, equality, and possibility.
Why We Tell Her Story
At Enroute 2 Success, we believe youth need real-life examples of courage and perseverance to inspire their own paths. Gloria Baylis’s life shows that one person’s determination can change laws, open doors, and create opportunities for countless others.
By sharing her journey, we hope to pass on the belief that change is possible and that each of us has a role to play in shaping a better future, ensuring the doors she opened remain open for the youth who come next.
See Her Story Come to Life
On Saturday, August 16, 2025, we are bringing Gloria Baylis’s journey to the stage in our live production:
🎭 Breaking Barriers: The Story of Gloria Baylis
📍 The Exchange, Niagara Falls
🎟️ Get Your Tickets Here
Be part of an unforgettable evening that blends history, theatre, and storytelling. Proceeds will help us continue offering free youth programs like chess and golf lessons, programs that build focus, confidence, and valuable life skills.
Reserve your seat today and join us in keeping her legacy alive!
