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As polls suggest the B.C. election race is tightening, New Democrat Leader Adrian Dix is becoming more strident in his criticism of the Liberals.

While Dix called Christy Clark’s campaign tactics offensive and misleading on Monday, Clark was welcoming some support from Gordon Wilson, a former Liberal leader who jumped ship to the NDP in 1999 before leaving politics.

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Dix made his comments while meeting with education workers at a park in suburban Surrey, a valuable region where the NDP and Liberals each hold four seats.

He said the Liberals have turned public education into a wedge issue that has hurt children during the party’s 12 years in government.

“This is the discussion we want to have,” said Dix, adding the NDP’s plans for education include spending $265 million over three years to hire more teachers, education assistants, librarians and counsellors.

He sat at a park bench with Surrey school support workers Claire MacKenzie and Janice Meehan, president of CUPE Local 728. Both say services for special needs children and in classrooms have been cut by at least 18 per cent under the Liberals.