The son of Thimoté Guertin, a merchant, and Lina Bélanger, he was born in Aylmer, Quebec[1] and was educated there.
In the following year, he began work as a telegraph operator for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
He later was an insurance broker and operated his own travel agency[2] and furniture store.
He was vice-president of the Quebec Association des courtiers d'assurances from 1941 to 1956 and was also president of the industrial commission for Hull.
He was expelled from the party caucus in December 1934 and sat as an independent.