pɹəvˈɪnʃəl sˈɛkɹətɹiz wɜː jˈuːʒuːəli ðə mˈoʊst sˈiːnjɚ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə pɹəvˈɪnʃəl kˈæbᵻnət aʊtsˈaɪd ʌvðə pɹəmˈɪɹ, ænd ðɪ ˈɑːfɪs hˈoʊldɚ wʌz ˈɔfən dˈɛzɪɡnˌeɪɾᵻd æz ˈæktɪŋ pɹəmˈɪɹ wɛn ðə pɹəmˈɪɹ wʌz ˌaʊɾəv pɹˈɑːvɪns, ˈɪl ɔːɹ ˈʌðɚwˌaɪz ʌnɐvˈeɪləbəl.
Provincial secretaries were usually the most senior member of the provincial cabinet outside of the Premier, and the office holder was often designated as Acting Premier when the Premier was out of province, ill or otherwise unavailable.