Stan Rodgers (who I seem to spell in various ways) was a Canadian writer of folk songs. There's a splendid recording of the song (not by him) here (http://www.youtube.com/my_favorites#).

For me, I think it's partly the association with 'Call of the Wild' the last two episodes ever of Due South. In the course of the episodes, Fraser tells Kowalski the story of the Franklin expedition and the Franklin legend, and at the very end, this (http://www.youtube.com/my_favorites#) happens.

For some reason, I find it very inspiring.