TORONTO - Ontario's scandal-plagued lottery corporation was read the riot act for making the "crappy decision" to buy European-built luxury cars as contest prizes instead of domestic ones, the provincial government said Tuesday.

Deputy Premier George Smitherman -- dubbed Furious George for his aggressive and often abrasive manner in the legislature -- said he minced no words when he spoke with the Ontario and Lottery Gaming Corp.'s top brass Tuesday morning.

"That was a crappy decision and I let them know it in full force that it wasn't going to be tolerated going forward," Smitherman said. "It's disappointing, it's disillusioning, it's wrong on all levels and it was a big mistake."

Smitherman agreed with the Opposition that the OLG was wrong to buy 22 Mercedes-Benz B200s as part of its "License to Win" contest at the province's casinos at a time when thousands of Ontario auto workers are losing their jobs.

"Is it too much to ask that your government continues to appear to be concerned?," Progressive Conservative Ted Chudleigh asked in the legislature.

"I'm a Conservative, but I've got to say that the (Canadian Auto Workers union) has done more for the automotive industry than (Premier Dalton McGuinty's) government."

Smitherman, who is responsible for oversight of the public gaming agency, said he "made it clear" the move showed "a huge lapse in judgment" and that he expected the OLG to improve its performance going forward.

"When you're in a promotions department, that's a flashy brand and people respond well to it," he said.

"They just misunderstood the bigger context that we all understand."

The OLG, which has been under fire in recent years following a probe into so-called lottery insider wins that has results in several charges, said in a statement it regretted the decision to feature foreign cars.

"The promotion was developed 10 months ago in a different economic environment," the company said.

"Supporting Ontario business is an important part of OLG's mandate and this promotion should not have included foreign-made vehicles."

A spokesman for the OLG said the agency paid $29,500 plus tax for each car, which retail for $34,500.

Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza said the union was frustrated by the move, made public on a day when workers at General Motors began voting on a new contract with several concessions meant to help the struggling automaker.

The Canadian and Ontario governments have also offered automakers $4 billion in aid to prevent their collapse.

"I don't want to pretend that 15, 20 cars will make a difference, but it's the message that's sent to Canadians and especially to auto workers in this time when they feel a tremendous sense of insecurity," Lewenza said.

The OLG's decision, he added, underscores the need for a procurement policy on government programs.

"I would like for (Smitherman) to use not just his stern remarks but his legislative powers to make sure that the interests of Canadian jobs, Canadian workers and Canadian workers are at the heart of a procurement policy," Lewenza said.

While Smitherman said he was so angry about the decision that he couldn't describe his in initial reaction because he didn't "want to swear," he stopped short of asking for any resignations for now.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the OLG's management got off easy after what she called a slap in the face of auto workers.

"It's the responsibility of the minister and it lies on his shoulders to make sure that there's accountability in this situation," Horwath said.

"The CEO should be taking responsibility for this and needs to be brought up on the carpet."

Horwath also chastised the government for questioning the NDP's choice of a Nova Scotia company to tally its votes a weekend leadership convention when they couldn't find anyone to provide that service in Ontario.

"It's a cheap way of doing it -- they need to keep their own house in order and looks at their own record," she said.

Chudleigh said he was satisfied with Smitherman's response and believed the minister was sincere in his anger about the error.

"I'm very pleased I wasn't at that nine o'clock meeting, especially on the receiving end," he quipped.