ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː ðə pɹəɡɹˈɛsɪv kənsˈɜːvətˌɪv ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ʌv bˈɪl dˈeɪvɪs ɐdˈɑːptᵻd ðə pɹəvˈɪnʃəl sˈɛkɹətɹi tˈaɪɾəl fɚɹə nˈɑːndᵻpɑːɹtmˈɛntəl kˈæbᵻnət poːɹtfˈoʊlɪˌoʊ ɪnwˌɪtʃ ðɪ ˈɑːkjʊpənt ˈiːðɚ hˌævɪŋ ɹᵻspˌɑːnsəbˈɪlᵻɾi spɹˈɛdɪŋ ˌoʊvɚ sˈɛvɹəl mˈɪnɪstɹiz, ɐsˈɪstɪŋ ɐ sˈiːnjɚ mˈɪnɪstɚɹ ɪn ɐn ˈɛɹiə ɔːɹ æz ɐ sˈɛkəndɚɹi poːɹtfˈoʊlɪˌoʊ fɚɹə sˈiːnjɚ mˈɪnɪstɚ ɡˈɪvɪŋ hˌɪm ɐ bɹˈɔːdɚ ɹᵻspˌɑːnsəbˈɪlᵻɾi ɔːɹ mˈændeɪt ˈɛɹiə.
In 1972 the Progressive Conservative government of Bill Davis adopted the provincial secretary title for a non-departmental cabinet portfolio in which the occupant either having responsibility spreading over several ministries, assisting a senior minister in an area or as a secondary portfolio for a senior minister giving him a broader responsibility or mandate area.