A member of the Conservative Party, Barlow was first elected to the House of Commons following a by-election in 2014 and represented Macleod.

He ran and was elected in the riding of Macleod in a 2014 federal by-election[3] resulting from the retirement of MP Ted Menzies.

In 2018, newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer, appointed Barlow as Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food (Associate).

[11] He was also elected as the Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

In 2020, newly elected leader, Erin O'Toole replaced Barlow in this role with Lianne Rood.