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Income Taxes - Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Income Taxes [Abstract] |  |
Total net income (loss) | $ 2,914 | $ 2,487
Income tax expense (benefit) | 597 | 302
Total net income (loss) before income taxes | 3,511 | 2,789
Reconciliation of accounting profit multiplied by applicable tax rates [abstract] |  |
Taxes at the combined Canadian federal and provincial statutory income tax rate | 939 | 746
Higher (lower) effective rates on income subject to taxation in foreign jurisdictions | (222) | (257)
Tax exempt investment income | (131) | (213)
Tax (benefit) cost of unrecognized tax losses and tax credits | 4 | 0
Tax rate and other legislative changes | 0 | (7)
Adjustments in respect of prior years, including resolution of tax disputes | (10) | 15
Other | 17 | 18
Total income tax expense (benefit) | $ 597 | $ 302
Reconciliation of average effective tax rate and applicable tax rate [abstract] |  |
Taxes at the combined Canadian federal and provincial statutory income tax rate | 26.75% | 26.80%
Higher (lower) effective rates on income subject to taxation in foreign jurisdictions | (6.30%) | (9.20%)
Tax exempt investment income | (3.80%) | (7.60%)
Tax (benefit) cost of unrecognized tax losses and tax credits | 0.10% | (0.00%)
Tax rate and other legislative changes | 0.00% | (0.30%)
Adjustments in respect of prior years, including resolution of tax disputes | (0.30%) | 0.50%
Other | 0.50% | 0.60%
Effective Income tax rate | 17.00% | 10.80%

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- Definition The aggregate amount included in the determination of profit (loss) for the period in respect of current tax and deferred tax that relate to continuing operations. [Refer: Continuing operations [member]; Current tax expense (income); Deferred tax expense (income)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 26 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 35 -Subparagraph b -Clause viii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=26&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_35_b_viii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 8 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 23 -Subparagraph h -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_23_h&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 79 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 81 -Subparagraph c -Clause i -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_c_i&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 82 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_82_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 81 -Subparagraph c -Clause ii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_c_ii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph B13 -Subparagraph g -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_B13_g&doctype=Appendix&seq=2 -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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