Income taxes:
Our income tax expense for a reporting period is comprised of current and deferred income taxes. Current income taxes and deferred income taxes are recognized in our consolidated statement of operations, except to the extent that they relate to items recognized in OCI or directly in equity, in which case the taxes are also recognized in OCI or directly in equity, respectively.
In the ordinary course of business, there are many transactions for which the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain until we resolve it with the relevant tax authority, which may take many years. The final tax outcome of these matters may be different from the estimates management originally made in determining our tax provision. Management periodically evaluates the positions taken in our tax returns with respect to situations in which applicable tax rules are subject to interpretation. We establish provisions related to tax uncertainties where appropriate, based on our estimate of the amount that ultimately will be paid to or received from the tax authorities. We recognize accrued interest and penalties relating to tax uncertainties in current income tax expense. The various judgments and estimates by management in establishing provisions related to tax uncertainties significantly affect the amounts we recognize in our consolidated financial statements.
We use the liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes. Under this method, we recognize deferred income tax assets and liabilities for future income tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective income tax bases, and on unused tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We measure deferred income taxes using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date and that we expect will apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realized or the deferred income tax liability is settled. We recognize deferred income tax assets to the extent we believe it is probable, based on management’s estimates, that future taxable profit will be available against which the deductible temporary differences as well as unused tax losses and tax credit carryforwards can be utilized. Estimates of future taxable profit in different tax jurisdictions are an area of estimation uncertainty. We review our deferred income tax assets at each reporting date and reduce them to the extent it is no longer probable that we will realize the related tax benefits. We recognize the effect of a change in income tax rates in the period of enactment or substantive enactment.
We do not recognize deferred income taxes if they arise from the initial recognition of goodwill, or for temporary differences arising from the initial recognition of an asset or a liability in a transaction that is not a business combination and that affects neither accounting nor taxable profit or loss. We also do not recognize deferred income taxes on temporary differences relating to investments in subsidiaries to the extent we are able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences and it is probable that the temporary differences will not reverse in the foreseeable future.
During each period, we record current income tax expense or recovery based on taxable income earned or loss incurred in each tax jurisdiction where we operate, and for any adjustments to taxes payable in respect of previous years, using tax laws that are enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date.
