Brisson was born in Embrun, Ontario, a small village to the east of Ottawa and raised on a dairy farm. He describes his early experiences with jobs and bosses to have put him off from ever being able to work for a boss, wanting to instead start his own business and be his own boss. He first apprenticed as a radiator technician and, in 1974, opened his own company in Embrun, Independent Radiator Co.
Brisson was elected as the leader of the party in 1999 and served until May 18, 2008. Brisson credits himself with organizing the party to be able to re-register itself as an official party with Elections Canada and for running more candidates.
City Councillor
Following three unsuccessful attempts, Brisson was elected to the municipal council of Russell Township in November 2003 with 1,639 votes. As Councillor he opposed municipal legislation requiring all employees of local government to be proficient in both French and English. He was defeated in his bid for re-election on November 13, 2006 in the 2006 municipal election. In the 2010 municipal election on October 25, 2010, he unsuccessfully sought election to city council again. With 1,045 votes, he placed ninth out of the nine candidates seeking the four council sets.
Opposition to PST collection
In the early 1990s, Brisson refused to continue collecting the Provincial Sales Tax putting forward the idea to the then New Democratic Party of Bob Rae, that collection of any money by small business for any government is slavery. Also the Progressive Conservatives of Brian Mulroney introduced the Goods and Sales Tax in Canada to replace the manufacturing sales tax. Brisson argues that customers should be sending in their taxes to the Ontario government themselves, the Ontario government mandated that all businesses charge the sales tax when a customer was purchasing a good or service since 1961, then send that money to the government. Brisson said he never agreed to be hired as a tax collector for the provincial government, but if he was going to be doing their work, he expected to be paid the same as other provincial tax collectors, which at the time Brisson's shop rate was approximately $30 per hour. However, the government would not pay businesses for the added responsibilities to the business, which Brisson argued was a form of slavery. Brisson documented his experience in his book titled Tea Party of One: All Governments Invited. In 1994, Brisson claims to have ceased filing income takes returns.
Brisson is a francophone and advocate for francophone rights. In 2012, his radiator repair shop came under fire for having a sign with its services listed only in French.
