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Income taxes | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Income Taxes [Abstract] |
Income taxes |
Note 9 | Income taxes
The following table shows the significant components of income taxes deducted from net earnings.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 | 2018 |  | 2017 |
Current taxes |  |
| Current taxes | (775 | ) | (758 | )
| Uncertain tax positions | 8 |  | (9 | )
| Change in estimate relating to prior periods | 12 |  | 40 |
Deferred taxes |  |
| Deferred taxes relating to the origination and reversal of temporary differences | (352 | ) | (71 | )
| Change in estimate relating to prior periods | 8 |  | 11 |
| Recognition and utilization of loss carryforwards | 44 |  | (304 | )
| Effect of change in provincial corporate tax rate | — |  | (3 | )
| Resolution of uncertain tax positions | 60 |  | 25 |
Total income taxes | (995 | ) | (1,069 | )
The following table reconciles the amount of reported income taxes in the income statements with income taxes calculated at a statutory income tax rate of 27.0% and 27.1% for 2018 and 2017, respectively.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 | 2018 |  | 2017 |
Net earnings | 2,973 |  | 3,050 |
Add back income taxes | 995 |  | 1,069 |
Earnings before income taxes | 3,968 |  | 4,119 |
Applicable statutory tax rate | 27.0 | % | 27.1 | %
Income taxes computed at applicable statutory rates | (1,071 | ) | (1,116 | )
Non-taxable portion of losses on investments | (9 | ) | (1 | )
Uncertain tax positions | 68 |  | 16 |
Effect of change in provincial corporate tax rate | — |  | (3 | )
Change in estimate relating to prior periods | 20 |  | 51 |
Non-taxable portion of equity losses | (10 | ) | (10 | )
Other | 7 |  | (6 | )
Total income taxes | (995 | ) | (1,069 | )
Average effective tax rate | 25.1 | % | 25.9 | %
The following table shows aggregate current and deferred taxes relating to items recognized outside the income statements.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 | 2018 | 2017
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME |  | DEFICIT |  | OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS |  | DEFICIT |
Current taxes | 41 |  | 5 |  | 10 |  | 9 |
Deferred taxes | (104 | ) | (11 | ) | 103 |  | 2 |
Total income taxes (expense) recovery | (63 | ) | (6 | ) | 113 |  | 11 |
The following table shows deferred taxes resulting from temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities recognized in the statements of financial position and their corresponding tax basis, as well as tax loss carryforwards.
NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY | NOTE |  | NON- CAPITAL LOSS CARRY- FORWARDS |  | POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PLANS |  | INDEFINITE- LIFE INTANGIBLE ASSETS |  | PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND FINITE- LIFE INTANGIBLE ASSETS |  | INVESTMENT TAX CREDITS |  | CRTC TANGIBLE BENEFITS |  | OTHER |  | TOTAL |
January 1, 2017 |  | 21 |  | 454 |  | (1,680 | ) | (1,198 | ) | (9 | ) | 44 |  | (128 | ) | (2,496 | )
Income statement |  | (304 | ) | (31 | ) | (8 | ) | 10 |  | 7 |  | (14 | ) | (2 | ) | (342 | )
Business acquisitions | 3 |  | 300 |  | (11 | ) | (73 | ) | (209 | ) | (5 | ) | — |  | 10 |  | 12 |
Other comprehensive income |  | — |  | 82 |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 21 |  | 103 |
Deficit |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 2 |  | 2 |
Other |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (3 | ) | — |  | — |  | (2 | ) | (5 | )
December 31, 2017 |  | 17 |  | 494 |  | (1,761 | ) | (1,400 | ) | (7 | ) | 30 |  | (99 | ) | (2,726 | )
Income statement |  | 109 |  | (14 | ) | (2 | ) | (248 | ) | 3 |  | (14 | ) | (74 | ) | (240 | )
Business acquisitions |  | 3 |  | — |  | — |  | (16 | ) | — |  | — |  | 1 |  | (12 | )
Other comprehensive income |  | — |  | (65 | ) | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (39 | ) | (104 | )
Deficit |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (11 | ) | (11 | )
Other |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 15 |  | — |  | — |  | 27 |  | 42 |
December 31, 2018 |  | 129 |  | 415 |  | (1,763 | ) | (1,649 | ) | (4 | ) | 16 |  | (195 | ) | (3,051 | )
At December 31, 2018, BCE had $645 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. We:
• | recognized a deferred tax asset of $129 million for $478 million of the non-capital loss carryforwards. These non-capital loss carryforwards expire in varying annual amounts from 2024 to 2038.
• | did not recognize a deferred tax asset for $167 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. This balance expires in varying annual amounts from 2023 to 2038.
At December 31, 2018, BCE had $806 million of unrecognized capital loss carryforwards which can be carried forward indefinitely. At December 31, 2017, BCE had $208 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. We:
• | recognized a deferred tax asset of $17 million for $64 million of the non-capital loss carryforwards. These non-capital loss carryforwards expire in varying annual amounts from 2029 to 2037.
• | did not recognize a deferred tax asset for $144 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. This balance expires in varying annual amounts from 2023 to 2037.
At December 31, 2017, BCE had $827 million of unrecognized capital loss carryforwards which can be carried forward indefinitely.

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