He worked in a local paper mill, and helped finance his education at Hampden-Sydney College as Massive Resistance continued by making sandwiches in the dormitories as well as repairing cars, graduating in 1962.

Active in his Episcopal Church, Canada also at times served as president of the Linkhorn Park Elementary School PTA and the Princess Anne Lions Club, chairman of St. Jude Hospital Fund raising, and as the secretary of the Virginia Beach Jaycees.

[2] Active in the local Republican Party, Canada won his first political office in 1971, representing the new 8th senatorial district.

Virginia Beach had previously been amalgamated with Chesapeake and Portsmouth as the 3rd senatorial district, which had three senators, all Democrats: William H. Hodges, Willard J. Moody and Edward T. Caton III.

In 1986, Canada ran to represent Virginia's 2nd congressional district, but lost to Democrat Owen B. Pickett.