Everybody had a good time at the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), but that wasn't the real reason the Clark government cut an $11 million cheque to bring TOIFA to Vancouver. She argued it was an investment for a future economic payday. Critics argued it was to give her a platform to woo South Asian voters before B.C.'s May election. The B.C. Liberals viewed TOIFA as a box of ladoos (Indian sweets) they could deliver to hungry ethnic voters. Instead, it turned into a political grenade in their hands.
A tourism expert says 2012 is poised to be a slower-than-hoped-for year for the industry, despite the provincial government’s optimism....