He obtained a certificate in cognitive style mapping from Oakland Community College and a certificate in project management from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
Paquin was a Professor of Biology at the Cégep de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and served as a professional in the General Directorate of Collegial Education at the Quebec Ministry of Education.
Paquin served as secretary and later the president of his local PQ riding executive.
He ran in Saint-Jean in 1994; the election ended in a tie between him and Liberal incumbent Michel Charbonneau with 16,536 votes each.
He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region in the Bouchard government.