I'm inclined to disagree as well. Mafacs are known for their power, those crappy shimano altus ones aren't, but they can still be set up to work well, on any bike. Koolstop pads are a no-brainer for improving brake performance on most bikes, caliper, or canti, or V-brake for that matter.

Once you understand the zen of it, it all comes together. Spend a few minutes deriving cantilever geometry and you'll have a much better feel.