"The position the Government finds itself in is not one of constructing a law, but of carrying out a decision given by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council"

In this quote, Charles Tupper attends to a particular situation dealt with by the government in relation to judicial choices. The declaration reflects a basic concept of governance: the separation of powers amongst the legal, executive, and judicial branches. Tupper, a popular Canadian politician in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is underscoring the idea that, in this context, the government's role is not to develop or change laws but to carry out and enforce decisions made by a judicial body-- in this case, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was, at the time, the greatest court of appeal for Canada and other parts of the British Empire. It worked as an authoritative body whose decisions were binding. Tupper's declaration highlights the respect and adherence to the guideline of law that the executive branch of government need to maintain. By stating that the federal government is "not one of building a law", Tupper suggests that the legal process has actually either already been completed or is not relevant in this specific situation. Rather, the matter at hand includes the enforcement or administration of a legal choice previously adjudicated by a competent judicial authority.

This circumstance likewise highlights the checks and balances fundamental in a democratic system. The judiciary's independence ensures that it can make impartial choices based upon law, which the executive arm of the government is bound to implement, even if those decisions might not align with its own legal program or political choices. Tupper's quote can hence be interpreted as a reaffirmation of the importance of judicial self-reliance and the federal government's duty to regard and implement court decisions. In essence, it works as a suggestion that while the federal government holds substantial power, it should run within the framework of established judicial judgments, making sure that justice and constitutional authority are maintained above political considerations.