 He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing the Quebec riding of Champlain in 1908 and 1911.A Conservative, he was defeated in Laurier—Outremont during the 1917 wartime election held during the Conscription Crisis of 1917 when conscription was highly unpopular in Quebec.He held many cabinet positions in Sir Robert Borden's Cabinet, including Postmaster General, Minister of Mines, Secretary of State of Canada, and Minister of Inland Revenue.