From ticks to talking points, the federal all-candidate’s forum at TRU Wednesday night had just about everything — except a clear winner.

Hundreds of residents packed TRU’s Grand Hall for more than two hours to hear all four Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo candidates field questions from the media and the public before they go to the polls this Tuesday.

The early part of the open-question portion of the forum was dominated by TRU students bombarding Conservative candidate Cathy McLeod with education-related questions from funding cuts to the Status of Women offices to rising tuition fees.

McLeod defended the Conservatives’ position by pointing out $10 million in extra funding for the Status of Women and touting the accomplishments of the current student loan and grant program.

While McLeod was clearly in the hot seat for much of the evening, NDP candidate Michael Crawford received his fair share of questions.

Crawford was asked about NDP leader Jack Layton’s integrity for using a private health-care facility, to which he replied that “people need to get over Jack’s hernia.”

Green candidate Donovan Cavers faced heat for his party’s position on legalizing marijuana, but he defended the party’s platform and argued prohibition has “utterly failed.”

Liberal candidate Ken Sommerfeld spent time defending his party’s Green Shift plan, maintaining it seeks to tax pollution at the source, not at the gas pumps.

The candidates also made a number of promises throughout the evening’s Q&A.

From Cavers, it was more funding for the arts and cutting student debt in half.

Sommerfeld promised a national day-care program, while Crawford plegded to enforce the Canada Health Act.

The media had their turn to ask questions first, including one for both Crawford and McLeod on what each candidate would tell their son or daughter if they wanted to serve in the military.

Both candidates said they would tell their children to follow their hearts.

The oddest moment of the evening came when a young women suggested that, other than McLeod, the remaining candidates were being untruthful in their understanding of Lyme disease.

That led to a heated response Sommerfeld, who told the questioner he had vast experience with ticks and that, as an avid hiker, he looks for ticks and brings them to Interior Health Authority officials to determine if they carry Lyme disease.

What was missing from the forum was debate amongst the candidates and questions on perhaps the biggest issue in the election — the economy.

Derek Cook, a political science professor with TRU, scored Crawford as the winner for his knowledge on policy, placing McLeod second, while opining Sommerfeld and Cavers tied for third.

The evening started with each candidate introducing themselves and their platform.

Sommerfeld called the NDP “perpetual campaigners” because they never form government.

Crawford challenged Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s leadership and argued a generation of bad economic policies has “come home to roost.”

McLeod talked economy, suggesting the worst thing Canada could do is to “whack it with more taxes.” Cavers drew the most laughs when he told the story of putting a Green party sign on the lawn of the prime minister’s cousin — with permission.

The federal election will be held Tuesday.