Traditionally, Canadian commentary on the Judicial Committee has focused
on the effect or impact of the imperial tribunal's decisions on the
nature of Canadian federalism. Numerous studies have examined the issue
of whether or not the Judicial Committee strengthened the powers of
provincial governments at the expense of the federal government by
misinterpreting the Constitution Act, 1867 and by ignoring the
intentions of the fathers of Confederation who sought to create a strong
centralized government. The Canadian preoccupation with the merits of
this debate has led one distinguished political scientist, David E.
Smith, to suggest that “perhaps too much” has been written about the
Judicial Committee. The literature examining the relationship
between the Judicial Committee and Canada has not, however, addressed
the significance of the imperial context in which the tribunal's
decisions were written. The Judicial Committee was not only the final
appellate body for Canada but was also responsible for hearing
disputes from other parts of the Empire. Decisions written for one
Dominion or colony could have profound legal and political effects on
another.