Born in Tamra, Kanan gained a BA at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, before studying community centre management at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and then working as a high school teacher.

Between 1980 and 1988 he served as deputy mayor of his hometown, and chaired the management council of the town's community centre between 1981 and 1989.

He was elected to the Knesset on the United Arab List list in the 1999 elections, but on 19 February 2001, left the party to establish the Arab National Party along with Tawfik Khatib.

On election day the party picked up only 738 votes (0.02%), the second lowest in total and far below the electoral threshold of 2%.

In December 2008, Kanan joined the new Arab Centre Party, and was given second place on its Knesset list.