He then returned to Manitoba and worked as a merchant, becoming manager of the Joseph Hamelin Co. general store in Ste.

The Roblin government was forced to resign amid scandal in early 1915, and was resoundingly defeated in the 1915 provincial election.

Hamelin was the last member to speak against the bill granting women the vote in Manitoba in 1916.

In the 1922 election, Hamelin won re-election over United Farmers of Manitoba candidate Thomas McDonald by ninety votes.

He identified himself as an independent candidate during this campaign,[1] although most political observers considered him to be a Conservative in all but name.

Hamelin attempted to return to the legislature in the 1936 election, but lost to Liberal-Progressive candidate Sauveur Marcoux[1] by 830 votes in the La Verendrye constituency.