Ah. I have an iS with the new one. Never seen that one.Its for the old style canopy handle assembly. I have a 2010 has it.
It's a "canopy latch safety catch" added as an option to earlier RV-12s to temporarily hold the canopy in a semi-opened position while the aircraft is at rest or taxiing. It's intent is to hopefully preventing the canopy from suddenly being blown open by a wind gust from behind -- such an event could cause the canopy to blow excessively open, break the retaining struts, fall forward into the prop, and generate very expensive noises.
I came up with the idea following an incident mentioned on VAF about a canopy getting destroyed and shared it on VAF. Vans stole the idea and modified it slightly. When ordering a second screen for my 12 they said they pirated it. In Vans fashion when I said i’d be at Oshkosh and would like a 12 T-shirt, they said they would have them for $25.