5 things you need to know this morning: April 14, 2025

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Best-off households saw gains last year while worst-off saw wages decline: StatCan

The people who earn the most money in Canada saw growth in their investment portfolio at the end of last year, even as the lowest earners saw their household wages fall. Statistics Canada, in a report published this morning, said "most wealth is held by relatively few households in Canada," adding that the net worth of the top 20 per cent of earners averaged $3.3 million per household, compared to $84,000 per household for the bottom 40 per cent.

Highest-income households saw investment gains while wages dropped for lower-income ones in 2024: StatCan https://t.co/4Sj8QjqxWz

— CTV News (@CTVNews) April 14, 2025

2. Liberal staffers plant Trump-style buttons at conservative conference in Ottawa

Liberal Party staffers planted buttons associated with Donald Trump at a conservative conference in Ottawa last week, the CBC has discovered. The national broadcaster said a journalist overheard Liberal employees discussing the plan to leave "Stop the Steal" badges at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference. Liberal chief Mark Carney said this morning the action was "unacceptable" and apologized.

Liberal operatives planted 'stop the steal' buttons at conservative conference https://t.co/QGUIpqAVqz

— Kate McKenna (@katemckenna8) April 13, 2025

3. Poilievre makes promises on transparency, criminal justice and veterans

Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre has made new policy announcements over the last couple of days, including related to transparency, the military and the criminal justice system. He said he wanted to make it harder for government lobbyists to conceal their actions, to make it easier for veterans to get work when they leave the forces and pledged to reintroduce consecutive sentences for mass murderers, using the notwithstanding clause to push through the latter.

A life sentence should mean life.

A new Conservative government will put victims first by giving judges back the power to sentence mass murderers to consecutive prison sentences.

Protect our people, keep the worst killers in prison for life — For a Change. pic.twitter.com/O2XJeI8XFp

— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) April 14, 2025

4. Carney pledges to shake up Canadian military's procurement

Liberal Leader Mark Carney, meanwhile, has focused on defence today, telling the press in Dorval, Quebec that he will overhaul defence procurement, promising to "centralize expertise from across government and streamline the way we buy equipment for the military." He also pledged to create the Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Science to ensure the military has "made-in-Canada innovative solutions" in the likes of AI.

LIVE: securing our sovereignty • EN DIRECT : protéger notre souveraineté https://t.co/COynkX8Azj

— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 14, 2025

5. Trump says Chinese-made phones and other electronics not exempt from tariff

Donald Trump has said smartphones and other electronics made in China will not, as previously suggested, be exempt from tariffs, but rather moved into a different "bucket" of tax rates. Trump said on his Truth Social website that "NOBODY" is going to get "off the hook" under his tariff regime.