Canadians are definitely not better off now than in the 1970's.  And it is absurd absurd to make such a determination based upon the number of gadgets we have in our homes.  In the 1970's, housing,  university education, hydro rates, cable television, telephone and raising children were affordable....................not anymore!  People had jobs and prospered.  Now, we have gangs, crime and increasing opioid/fentanyl overdoses in our major cities.  The number of Canadians in debt then was nothing compared to what is is now, which is largely due to the purchase of all those gadgets.  The younger generation really doesn't have a clue what Canada was like in the 1970's at all and so they think that Canada is absolutely better now.