Prime Minister Stephen Harper must be commended for his annual trip to the Arctic. Never before has a Canadian prime minister devoted so much time and energy to celebrating the social marvels and economic potential of Canada’s north. Because of his regular visits, today more Canadians are aware of the significance of the Arctic to national affairs than ever before.

But awareness is not commitment, and if the Harper government seeks to create a lasting bond between the public and the north, it might consider investing more aggressively in efforts that will allow Canadians to experience the region for themselves.

One way to do so would be to sponsor a series of educational exchanges between students and teachers living across the country and others attending and teaching classes in the three territories.

Since the federal government is responsible for funding social services in northern, indigenous communities, it would assume the cost of the program, but the logistics might be adapted from the extensive international exchange arrangements already coordinated by Canada’s provinces.

A preliminary goal might be to expose 30 Canadians per year to the northern territories while providing annual opportunities for 30 students and educators from the Arctic region to attend school or teach in more southern parts of the country.

Such exchanges would serve three strategic purposes.

First, they would build lasting relationships between individual Canadians and the northern areas of the country which would complement, if not strengthen, the connections that the prime minister has already established.

Second, they would expose Canadian students and parents to the differences in the systems of education and curricula that exist across the country, resulting in a public that is better able to advocate change and participate actively in the democratic process.

Third, if organized with tact and care, they would improve relations between the federal and provincial governments at a time when an increasing number of national challenges cross their respective jurisdictions.

Certainly, even with strong prime ministerial leadership, there will be challenges: negotiations with the provinces, each of which is responsible for its own system of education, will be difficult; so will discussions with Canada’s indigenous peoples; and the relatively limited resources available to teachers and students in the north may discourage southerners from participating.

Nonetheless, it should be worth the effort: institutionalizing greater exposure to the Arctic among all Canadians could only enhance an already meaningful Conservative legacy.

Adam Chapnick teaches defence studies at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto. His column appears on thestar.com every Tuesday.

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