What do the following organizations have in common The Alberta Medical Association, Credit Counselling Services of Alberta, the Canadian Association of Not-for-Profit RESP Dealers, the Alberta Teachers Association, Doctors Opposing Violence Everywhere, the Alberta Oil Sands Developers, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges of Alberta, and the Milk River Businessmen's Association. All of these groups - and many others - have lobbied MLAs and Cabinet Ministers to spend more tax dollars on various programs and projects.

But if their goals are worthy, why aren't these groups asking individual Albertans to part with their own money voluntarily through donations Probably because it's easier to lobby MLAs and cabinet ministers for a few million tax dollars (or even a teensy-weensy $200,000, or a microscopic $8,500).

This begs another question: why is it so hard to raise money for a good cause One reason is that Canadians work from January 1 to June 27 to support the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and start working for themselves on June 28. After the tax monster takes close to half of your earnings, you still have to pay for the rent/mortgage, food, clothing, and too many bills - leaving little for charity. Further, many people just assume that problems ought to be solved by government. Hungry children, miserable marriages, teenagers joining gangs, stray cats, cigarette smoke in restaurants, venereal diseases, rude drivers, teenage pregnancies - why isn't the government solving these problems

Have no fear: government has heard the call, and has come to the rescue. In the past 50 years government has taken control of not only health care and education, but also the provision of services to the elderly, the handicapped, and others unable to care adequately for themselves. Countless billions have been spent to solve a myriad of "social problems" which have only become worse as government has grown bigger.

But caring for widows and orphans, and others who are weak or vulnerable or sick, has been taking place for thousands of years. The only difference is that government has taken over these spheres of civil society, removing responsibility from individuals, families, faith-based groups, charities and voluntary associations.

This growth of government has created a culture of apathy and dependency. People are apathetic because they assume that government should solve problems and care for needs, and people have become heavily dependent on government because individuals no longer feel personally responsible to help those in need. Apathy and dependency are two sides of the same big government coin.

Is there a better way The alternative is a culture of responsibility and compassion, in which a smaller government allows civil society to thrive. Instead of approaching the large tax monster to fight for a piece of that gigantic tax-dollar-pie, people assume responsibility for themselves and their families, and help the needy and vulnerable by contributing generously to and through voluntary associations. When the tax monster is smaller, the economy grows quickly and creates more wealth, providing more resources to care for people in need. In a culture of responsibility and compassion, the dignity of every person is enhanced.