He was a Progressive Conservative member in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1985, and was a cabinet minister in the government of William Davis.
He was a member of his local school board from 1964 to 1966, and a director of Missouri Mutual Fire Insurance.
[6] He supported Dennis Timbrell to succeed Davis as party leader in January 1985, and was dropped from cabinet when Frank Miller became Premier of Ontario on February 8, 1985.
Eaton was personally defeated, losing to Liberal candidate Doug Reycraft by 810 votes.
[8] After leaving politics, he continued his farm operation, specializing in Hereford cattle, and launched his a real estate company, Royal LePage Landco Realty, with agents in Woodstock, Ingersoll, London and St. Thomas.