The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 14 letter word WHISTLE-BLOWER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
W
H
I
S
T
L
E
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B
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Canary" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case canary = whistle-blower.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does WHISTLE-BLOWER mean?
WHISTLE-BLOWER noun- One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.