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Income taxes | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Income Taxes [Abstract] |
Income taxes |
Note 10 | Income taxes |
The following table shows the significant components of income taxes deducted from net earnings from continuing operations.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 | 2020 | 2019
Current taxes |  |
| Current taxes | (776) |  | (761) |
| Uncertain tax positions | 26 |  | 6 |
| Change in estimate relating to prior periods | 32 |  | 22 |
| Previously unrecognized tax benefits | 40 |  | — |
Deferred taxes |  |
| Deferred taxes relating to the origination and reversal of temporary differences | (107) |  | (316) |
| Change in estimate relating to prior periods | (26) |  | (8) |
| Recognition and utilization of loss carryforwards | 15 |  | (106) |
| Effect of change in provincial corporate tax rate | 9 |  | 25 |
| Uncertain tax positions | (5) |  | 9 |
Total income taxes | (792) |  | (1,129) |
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 26.9% for 2020 and 27.0% for 2019.
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 | 2020 | 2019
Net earnings from continuing operations | 2,473 |  | 3,224 |
Add back income taxes | 792 |  | 1,129 |
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes | 3,265 |  | 4,353 |
Applicable statutory tax rate | 26.9 | % | 27.0 | %
Income taxes computed at applicable statutory rates | (878) |  | (1,175) |
Non-taxable portion of gains on investments | 1 |  | 5 |
Uncertain tax positions | 21 |  | 15 |
Effect of change in provincial corporate tax rate | 9 |  | 25 |
Change in estimate relating to prior periods | 6 |  | 14 |
Non-taxable portion of equity gains (losses) | 2 |  | (20) |
Previously unrecognized tax benefits | 47 |  | 5 |
Other | — |  | 2 |
Total income taxes from continuing operations | (792) |  | (1,129) |
Average effective tax rate | 24.3 | % | 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 | 2020 | 2019
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME | DEFICIT | OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME | DEFICIT
Current taxes | — |  | 14 |  | 3 |  | 4 |
Deferred taxes | (172) |  | (20) |  | (90) |  | 13 |
Total income taxes (expense) recovery | (172) |  | (6) |  | (87) |  | 17 |
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 |  | NON- CAPITAL LOSS CARRY- FORWARDS | POST- EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PLANS | INDEFINITE- LIFE INTANGIBLE ASSETS | PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND FINITE- LIFE INTANGIBLE ASSETS | CRTC TANGIBLE BENEFITS | OTHER | TOTAL
January 1, 2019 |  | 129 |  | 415 |  | (1,763) |  | (1,642) |  | 16 |  | (199) |  | (3,044) |
Income statement |  | (105) |  | 3 |  | — |  | (173) |  | (9) |  | (112) |  | (396) |
Business acquisitions |  | 5 |  | — |  | — |  | (6) |  | — |  | (1) |  | (2) |
Other comprehensive income |  | — |  | (54) |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (36) |  | (90) |
Deficit |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 13 |  | 13 |
Discontinued operations |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (4) |  | — |  | — |  | (4) |
Other |  | 2 |  | — |  | — |  | 46 |  | — |  | 12 |  | 60 |
December 31, 2019 |  | 31 |  | 364 |  | (1,763) |  | (1,779) |  | 7 |  | (323) |  | (3,463) |
Income statement |  | 13 |  | 5 |  | 46 |  | (426) |  | (7) |  | 255 |  | (114) |
Business acquisitions |  | 25 |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 1 |  | 26 |
Other comprehensive income |  | — |  | (184) |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 12 |  | (172) |
Deficit |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | (20) |  | (20) |
Discontinued operations |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 30 |  | — |  | — |  | 30 |
Other |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 9 |  | 9 |
December 31,2020 |  | 69 |  | 185 |  | (1,717) |  | (2,175) |  | — |  | (66) |  | (3,704) |
At December 31, 2020, BCE had $357 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. We: •recognized a deferred tax asset of $69 million for $263 million of the non-capital loss carryforwards. These non-capital loss carryforwards expire in varying annual amounts from 2025 to 2040. •did not recognize a deferred tax asset for $94 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. This balance expires in varying annual amounts from 2024 to 2038. At December 31, 2020, BCE had $64 million of unrecognized capital loss carryforwards which can be carried forward indefinitely. At December 31, 2019, BCE had $215 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. We: •recognized a deferred tax asset of $31 million for $122 million of the non-capital loss carryforwards. These non-capital loss carryforwards expire in varying annual amounts from 2024 to 2039. •did not recognize a deferred tax asset for $93 million of non-capital loss carryforwards. This balance expires in varying annual amounts from 2023 to 2037. At December 31, 2019, BCE had $734 million of unrecognized capital loss carryforwards which can be carried forward indefinitely.

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