One bit of irony in the BC Liberal multicultural outreach drama? Over the years, party leader Christy Clark has invested in strong connections with the province's South Asian community.

Such relationships were key in her successful bid for Liberal leadership two years ago, and members of the community also supportive in 2005, when Clark unsuccessfully sought the Non-Partisan Association nomination for the Vancouver mayoralty race.

But the decision to ramp up efforts to appeal to ethnic groups revealed in the leaked party outreach strategy may have undone Clark's stature among some South Asians and alienated the visible-minority communities it was designed to win over.

Sociologist and Langara instructor Indira Prahst, a frequent guest on Clark's radio talk show as an expert on South Asian issues, said of Clark: "She is able to connect with anyone. It's genuine."

But she expressed her own anger and that of some other South Asians who see the strategy as a breach of trust.

"It won't be taken lightly by the (South Asian) community from what I am hearing, because they had built a trust with her (Clark) and now they are seeing that trust compromised," said Prahst.

Harjinder Thind, the host of a talk show on RedFM, a South Asian radio station, has heard a similar reaction. The reference to the Komagata Maru apology in the outreach strategy as an example of a "quick win" has upset many South Asians who now see the apology as a "ploy," said Thind. "This has really disgruntled a lot of people, believe me."

Thind said that the BC Liberals will find it more difficult election fundraising among South Asians.

"This has left a bitter taste in the mouth of the community," he said.

Editor: Read the rest of Doug Ward's Tyee feature today on how the leaked multicultural outreach strategy has breached the trust of some members in the South Asian community here.

Tyee election reporting team member Doug Ward is a Vancouver freelance writer formerly with the Vancouver Sun.