Picotte was a five-term Liberal member of the National Assembly, who represented the electoral district of Maskinongé from 1973 to 1994.
He also was in charge of several portfolios in the second cabinet of premier Robert Bourassa, including tourism and agriculture.
In May 2006, he made embarrassing comments about Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair.
[1] In October 2008, he announced that he would vote for local Liberal candidate and friend Jean-Paul Diamond in the next provincial election.
[2][3] Picotte was the director of Pavillon du Nouveau Point de vue, an addiction intervention centre.