CAMBRIDGE — Close to 100 people packed a small community room at the Langs Community Health Centre for the only all-candidates federal election forum held in the riding of Cambridge.

After a brief period of prepared questions, community members took to a microphone and turned the forum into a lively conversation.

A question to incumbent and Conservative candidate Gary Goodyear about the government's plan to set up a hotline to report barbaric cultural practices got a rise from the crowds.

The resident who asked the question said she was worried for her Muslim friends, neighbours and co-workers.

"I am worried for their safety as the Conservative party ramps up the rhetoric against this minority," she said, adding the words were "strong language."

"…With all due respect, I reject the premise of the question," Goodyear responded. "The fact that some women are forced to have their genitals removed…" Goodyear was received by loud grumbles and boos from the crowd.

"We call it a barbaric act because it is. Justin Trudeau doesn't think cutting off the genitals of" — he was abruptly stopped by loud boos and angry words from the audience and didn't finish his sentence.

Liberal candidate Bryan May said the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act is just another "divisive, wedge" issue such as the niqab debate.

"We have bigger fish to fry," said independent candidate Lee Sperduti. "The rhetoric needs to stop."

New Democrat hopeful Bobbi Stewart said she has received lots of calls from people who are upset at her party for not voting for the controversial bill.

"I'm hearing racist comments and it scares the living daylights of out me. This is not the Canada I want."

Michele Braniff, Green party candidate, also slammed the bill, stating there are already laws in place to deal with barbaric practices.

She got a few chuckles from the crowd when she said " … it reminds me of a book, called '1984' by George Orwell."

The forum touched on topics many others did not, such as reinstating the long-form census and adequate funding for aboriginal communities.

One man asked May why the Liberal party wants to legalize marijuana to which May responded: "We know that children using marijuana are using it at record rate, I want to make it safer and be able to regulate it."

Marxist-Leninist candidate Manuel Couto was not present. The forum was hosted by the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries and the YWCA Cambridge.

There was a questions raised about the lack of adequate services in many aboriginal communities across Canada.

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Goodyear said funding had been increased for education and also pointed out his government built 39 new schools.

"We can't just go into these communities and tell them what to do. … We need to partner with these communities," said Sperduti, to which he received applause.

Braniff also got loud cheers and applause when she said the Green party promises to "unmuzzle scientists" and instate a science minister to report directly to parliament.