I agree with @lucyogo.
As far as I can remember (and it's been a while), the main advantage to canards is that they lower the stall potential for the main wings. You can have a steeper angle of attack at low power without falling down. The elevators don't counter lift; they simply change the pitch axis of the aeroplane. You get the same effect with elevons on a delta layout, which doesn't even have a 'tail'