Career
Barrette ran as a Conservative candidate in the provincial district of Joliette in the 1935 election but lost. He was elected as a Union Nationale candidate in the 1936 election and was re-elected in the 1939, 1944, 1948, 1952 against Liberal Leader Georges-Émile Lapalme, 1956 and 1960 elections. He served as Minister of Labour in the Cabinets of Maurice Duplessis and Paul Sauvé from August 30, 1944 to January 8, 1960.
Following Sauvé"s death, Barrette succeeded him as leader of the Union Nationale and on January 8, 1960.
He was the 18th, but held office for only six months until the June 1960 election which he lost to Jean Lesage and the Quebec Liberal Party. He died in 1968 in Montreal.
He lost the 1960 election to Jean Lesage.