[3] This business, alongside profitable investments in real estate, made Birkett wealthy.

In 1873 he was elected as alderman for St. George's Ward on the Ottawa City Council, an office he held until 1878.

Napoléon Belcourt claimed Birkett had purchased shares in the Ottawa Electric Railway, the company that owned Ottawa's streetcar network, at a reduced cost during the time the company's application was under consideration by the city.

[1][9] Birkett denied wrongdoing, noting that he purchased stock in the company from another private individual.

The matter was quietly dropped after Belcourt was shown to have engaged in corruption himself and Birkett was elected without further issue.

In addition to politics, he served in a variety of other capacities including as president of the advisory board of the Dominion Building and Loan Association at Ottawa in 1891.

[5] He was also a long-time member of the Masonic Order[3] In 1896 Birkett constructed a new stately residence at 306 Metcalfe Street.