In the early 1920s, he endorsed the decision of the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM) to field candidates in provincial elections.
Cannon ran for the UFM in the 1922 provincial election, and defeated Liberal incumbent James Baird in the constituency of Mountain.
Cannon initially served as a government backbencher, and was promoted to cabinet on December 3, 1923 as Minister of Education.
[1] During this period, newly selected cabinet ministers were required to resign their constituency seats to seek re-election as provincial office holders.
[1] Cannon was defeated by Liberal candidate Irving Cleghorn in the 1927 provincial election,[1] losing by eighty-four votes.