The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word POLL
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
O
L
L
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Canvassing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case canvassing = poll.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 POLL mean?
POLL noun- A survey of people, usually statistically analyzed to gauge wider public opinion.
- A formal election.
- A polling place (usually as plural, polling places)
- (now rare outside veterinary medicine contexts) The head, particularly the scalp or pate upon which hair (normally) grows.
- (in extended senses of the above) A mass of people, a mob or muster, considered as a head count.
- The broad or butt end of an axe or a hammer.
- The pollard or European chub, a kind of fish.
- To take, record the votes of (an electorate).
- To solicit mock votes from (a person or group).
- To vote at an election.
- To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters.
- To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop.
- To cut the hair of (a creature).
- To remove the horns of (an animal).
- To remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop.
- (communication) To (repeatedly) request the status of something (such as a computer or printer on a network).
- (with adverb) To be judged in a poll.
- To extort from; to plunder; to strip.
- To impose a tax upon.
- To pay as one's personal tax.
- To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, especially for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.
- To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation.
- (of kinds of livestock which typically have horns) Bred without horns, and thus hornless.
- A pet parrot.
- (Cambridge University) One who does not try for honors at university, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman.