He did his secondary education at Brébeuf with Robert Bourassa and Pierre Bourgault. He directed a movie 'Traître ou patriote' about his great-uncle prime minister Adélard Godbout.
Worked in advertising with André d'Allemagne before becoming a director at the ONF. Joseph,his maternal grandfather used to say to the rising sun "Salut Galarneau". Jacques used this saying as an homage to him in his eponymous novel.