That's only really true if you don't like wrenching on your bike. Cantilevers take more effort to set up well, but once they are set up, they work just as well as v brakes. Replacement parts for both are readily available, so I wouldn't rely on that to make the choice.

Really, both work fine when set up well; I doubt most people could tell the difference between V brake and cantilever stopping power if they couldn't see the brakes. for me, it comes down to the fact that I like playing with my bike, and cantilevers look better.