Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, we here in the Northwest Territories are a very fortunate population. According to the Department of Health and Social Services, the NWT is the leading jurisdiction in Canada when it comes to its first-dose vaccine delivery. Mr. Speaker, as of February the 26th, 14,520 NWT residents have received their first vaccine dose, which equals to 32.2 percent of the entire NWT population. In comparison, according to the Government of Canada, again as of February 26th, there has only been a total of 1.7 percent of the total Canadian population who has received their first vaccine dose. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the statistics on the global vaccination delivery rate compared to Canada's rate are even starker. For example, according to the United Nations secretary general, as of February 17th, there are 130 countries that have not yet received a single dose of vaccines. The secretary general said that only 10 countries have administered 75 percent of all vaccines worldwide.
Mr. Speaker, these statistics demonstrate an uneven distribution of vaccine delivery around the world. This unfortunate reality is a sharp reminder of how fortunate we are in Canada and in the Northwest Territories when it comes to vaccine delivery. In addition, it is worth noting that, according to a News North article from just yesterday, the NWT is the number one jurisdiction in Canada for prioritizing vaccinations for persons with disabilities. It is also important to note that the NWT and Prince Edward Island remain the only two jurisdictions in the country that have zero deaths from COVID-19.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the residents of Fort Smith, I would like to take this moment to once again say thank you to Dr. Kandola, the Chief Public Health Officer, along with Minister Green and Premier Cochrane for all their work in helping to keep our residents safe and protected from COVID-19. The residents of Fort Smith are very grateful for the work that has been done to protect the NWT from the adverse effects of this pandemic. I hope to continue seeing the NWT succeed in our fight against COVID-19. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.