He was born in Joliette, Quebec, the son of Louis-Hertel Panneton, a lawyer, and Éléonore Masson. He studied medicine at the Université de Montréal and graduated in 1922. He then practiced medicine in Joliette.
Panneton was a member of the Canadian Medical Association and served as its vice president from 1934 to 1935. He was president of the Collège des médecins du Québec from 1940 to 1941.
Panneton was also a public figure. He was president of the Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul de Joliette from 1929 to 1930. He was also president of the Ligue de la jeunesse ouvrière catholique from 1931 to 1932.
Panneton entered politics in 1935 when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec as the Union Nationale member for Joliette. He served as Minister of Health from 1936 to 1939 and as Minister of Social Welfare from 1939 to 1944.
Panneton left politics in 1944 to become the director of the Quebec Hospital Association. He served in that position until 1963.
Panneton died in Joliette in 1984.
Here is a list of some of his writings:
* 1931: La tuberculose et son traitement
* 1932: L'alcoolisme et ses conséquences sociales
* 1933: La mortalité infantile au Québec
* 1934: L'assurance-maladie au Canada
* 1935: Les hôpitaux du Québec
* 1936: La santé publique au Québec
* 1937: L'hygiène sociale au Québec
* 1938: La médecine préventive au Québec
* 1939: La médecine scolaire au Québec
* 1940: La médecine du travail au Québec
* 1941: La médecine militaire au Québec
* 1942: La médecine de la guerre au Québec
* 1943: La médecine de l'après-guerre au Québec
* 1944: La médecine de l'avenir au Québec