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employee future benefits - Pensions funded status (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Interest expense | $ (17) | $ (6)
Present value of the defined benefit obligations |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | 9,419 |
Balance at end of year | 8,723 | 9,419
Pension plans |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | 334 |
Balance at end of year | (57) | 334
Pension plans | Present value of the defined benefit obligations |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | 9,419 | 8,837
Current service cost | 108 | 100
Past service cost | 1 | (2)
Interest expense | 318 | 331
Actuarial (gain) loss arising from changes in demographic assumptions | (62) | 77
Actuarial (gain) loss arising from changes in financial assumptions | (588) | 526
Settlements | (16) |
Benefits paid | (457) | (450)
Balance at end of year | 8,723 | 9,419
Pension plans | Plan assets |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | (9,195) | (8,873)
Interest expense | (306) | (330)
Return on plan assets - Actual return on plan assets (less) greater than discount rate | 51 | (360)
Settlements | 16 |
Contributions - Employer contributions | (52) | (66)
Contributions - Employees' contributions | (20) | (22)
Benefits paid | 457 | 450
Administrative fees | 6 | 6
Balance at end of year | (9,043) | (9,195)
Pension plans | Plan assets net of Effect of asset ceiling limit |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | (9,085) |
Balance at end of year | (8,780) | (9,085)
Pension plans | Effect of asset ceiling limit |  |
Funded Status - Planned surplus (deficit) |  |
Balance at beginning of year | 110 | 115
Change | 153 | (5)
Balance at end of year | $ 263 | $ 110

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- Definition The decrease (increase) in a net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from actuarial gains (losses) arising from changes in demographic assumptions that result in remeasurements of the net defined benefit liability (asset). Demographic assumptions deal with matters such as: (a) mortality; (b) rates of employee turnover, disability and early retirement; (c) the proportion of plan members with dependants who will be eligible for benefits; (d) the proportion of plan members who will select each form of payment option available under the plan terms; and (e) claim rates under medical plans. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph c -Clause ii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_c_ii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in a net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from actuarial gains (losses) arising from changes in financial assumptions that result in remeasurements of the net defined benefit liability (asset). Financial assumptions deal with items such as: (a) the discount rate; (b) benefit levels, excluding any cost of the benefits to be met by employees, and future salary; (c) in the case of medical benefits, future medical costs, including claim handling costs (ie the costs that will be incurred in processing and resolving claims, including legal and adjuster's fees); and (d) taxes payable by the plan on contributions relating to service before the reporting date or on benefits resulting from that service. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph c -Clause iii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_c_iii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from contributions to a defined benefit plan by the employer. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph f -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_f&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from contributions to a defined benefit plan by plan participants. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph f -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_f&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from employee service in the current period. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the gain (loss) on changes in the effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling, excluding amounts included in interest income or expense. [Refer: Interest income; Net defined benefit liability (asset); Interest expense (income), net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph c -Clause iv -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_c_iv&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the passage of time. [Refer: Interest expense; Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The amount of deficit or surplus in a defined benefit plan, adjusted for any effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling. [Refer: Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 140 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_140_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from past service cost. Past service cost is the change in the present value of the defined benefit obligation for employee service in prior periods, resulting from a plan amendment (the introduction or withdrawal of, or changes to, a defined benefit plan) or a curtailment (a significant reduction by the entity in the number of employees covered by a plan). [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from payments from the plan. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph g -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_g&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from payments from the plan in respect of settlements. [Refer: Gains (losses) arising from settlements, net defined benefit liability (asset); Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph g -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_g&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
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- Definition The effect on the net defined benefit liability (asset) of expenses related to defined benefit plans that the entity classifies as being administrative. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the actual interest income on plan assets being in excess of the notional amount at the discount rate. + References No definition available. + Details
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