Career
Born in Saint-Hugues, Quebec, Phaneuf owned the general store of Saint-Hugues for over 20 years, a later a successful hay merchant. Phaneuf was first elected in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in a by-election in 1913 in the riding of Bagot (now part of Johnson). He would remained the Modern Language Association for 22 years until his death in 1935.
He also served as mayor of his birth town of Saint-Hughes during his provincial political career from 1917 to 1931.
As mayor he was responsible for paving the village streets, something unheard of in villages of that size at that time. He was also responsible for bringing electricity to the village.
He introduced a number of laws regulating the insurance industry, then in its infancy.