The taking of evidence

On December 6, 1995, the evidence was heard of Dr. Cameron Ward, a pediatric cardiologist who worked at the Children's Hospital during 1994. Ward had been involved in the care of some of the 12 children, and had held a position with the Variety Children's Heart Centre in 1994. A special hearing was convened in December 1995, as Ward was about to leave Canada for another position in Australia.

The bulk of the evidence, however, began on March 5, 1996. Hearings were held throughout 1996, 1997 and 1998. In total, more than 80 witnesses testified during more than 285 days of hearings over a period of almost three years. Close to 50,000 pages of transcript evidence were produced, and hundreds of documents, eventually exceeding 10,000 pages of material, were filed as exhibits in these proceedings. This is the Final Report of the Inquest.