Try another sample or two. This time apply your veneer using a coat of epoxy resin as the glue.

I'll assume you will seal the plywood first with a skimpy coat of resin. the next day you glue on your veneer by painting a stripe of resin where you want the veneer, and then pressing the veneer into place. This will force out any excess resin. Let it dry and then lightly sand down any ridges of resin raised along the edge of the veneer, or use a cabinet scraper to remove them. You can also sand or scrape just a tiny bit deeper here and feather in the mounted veneer, but you probably won't need to.

Any bubbles that may have formed during the veneer application have now been leveled, and the edge of the veneer is flush with whatever epoxy remains. When you put on the glass there will not be any edges to trap bubbles. Cut a scrap of glass and try this and you'll see.

PGJ

p.s. So when you give away this canoe what are you going to do to fill the void in your workshop?