Contract awarded to former Liberal MP's company to make 10,000 unapproved ventilators

Montreal-based Baylis Medical Company Inc., owned by former Quebec Liberal MP Frank Baylis, was awarded a federal contract to make 10,000 pandemic ventilators despite the machines having never been "approved in any jurisdiction to date," a Department of Health memo has found.

The company was given the green light to make 10,000 ventilators by October 21. Baylis, who serves as chairman for the medical company, served one term as a Liberal MP from 2015 to 2019.

According to Blacklock's Reporter, Baylis was a "generous donor" to the Liberal Party, having donated over $66,000 from 2005 onward.

The contract raises immediate eyebrows, as the Conflict of Interests Act clearly states that former MPs should not "act in such a manner as to take improper advantage of his or her previous public office."

A memo from the department of health states that the ventilators, the VFC-560, are a "new" type of ventilator that "has not been approved in any jurisdiction to date."

The Baylis Medical Company website describes themselves as "a world leader in the conception, development, production and distribution of state-of-the-art medical products that improve the lives of people around the world."

A memo posted on the site published on July 17 states that "with the Health Canada approval, manufacturing of the 10,000 ventilators can begin, with the first shipment distributed shortly after that."

Baylis served only on term as MP, announcing that he would not seek reelection only weeks after he failed to show up to a motion he was proposing that would reform rules in the House.

Baylis missed the motion due to him visiting a sauna, something he apologized for shortly thereafter.