Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income taxes

	For the three months ended June 30				For the six months ended June 30
(in millions of Canadian dollars)	2021		2020		2021		2020
Current income tax expense	$	248	$	140	$	388	$	286
Deferred income tax expense	9		49		60		88
Income tax expense	$	257	$	189	$	448	$	374

The effective tax rates including discrete items for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 were 17.10% and 19.50%, respectively, compared to 22.98% and 26.38%, respectively for the same periods of 2020.

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, the effective tax rate was 24.60%, excluding the discrete items of the merger termination fee of $845 million (U.S. $700 million) received in connection with the KCS' termination of the Merger Agreement, foreign exchange ("FX") gain of $52 million on debt and lease liabilities, and acquisition-related costs of $308 million.

For the three months ended June 30, 2020, the effective tax rate was 25.00%, excluding the discrete item of the FX gain of $86 million on debt and lease liabilities.

For the six months ended June 30, 2021, the effective tax rate was 24.60%, excluding the discrete items of the merger termination fee of $845 million (U.S. $700 million), FX gain of $85 million on debt and lease liabilities, and acquisition-related costs of $344 million.

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the effective tax rate was 25.00%, excluding the discrete item of the FX loss of $129 million on debt and lease liabilities.