Tom Spears

Where this writer stands

Only opinion columns and editorials are scored. Each piece is read twice by a language model, which records the author's own stance on a policy topic only where the piece argues one, with a quote that must appear in the piece. An author's position on a topic is the average of their pieces, weighted by the model's confidence. News reporting is listed but never scored.

Recent work

• Should we really spend $50 million fixing 24 Sussex? I found the answer on my picnic tableOpinion · Toronto Star · Jul 13, 2026
• Spears: Youth fiction was so much better a century agoOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Sep 15, 2025
• Spears: Dead at age one — What childhood looked like before vaccinesOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Aug 29, 2025
• Spears: AI offered to write my book. How could I refuse?Opinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jul 23, 2025
• Spears: How official languages absurdity shuts down information at the NCCOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jul 8, 2025
• Spears: Where will the PM live? We know it's not 24 SussexOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 8, 2025
• Spears: Environment Canada dangerously optimistic on climate change actionOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Nov 27, 2024
• Spears: Greenhouse gas targets — where, exactly, is Canada's plan to meet them?Opinion · Ottawa Citizen · May 17, 2024
• Spears: The NCC fixes up Westboro Beach even as 24 Sussex Drive lies guttedOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 16, 2024
• Spears: A solar eclipse is a big, science-y signpost in an age of doubtOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 3, 2024
• Spears: Environment Canada still hasn't answered my carbon-tax query — 5 years laterOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Mar 28, 2024
• Spears: Smoke, storms, tornadoes, hail — Ottawa's had one awful summerOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Aug 11, 2023
• Spears: Wildfires aside, Ottawa's air quality has been steadily improvingOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 6, 2023
• The inside of 24 Sussex is being stripped bare — with no plan to fix it up.Opinion · Ottawa Citizen · May 3, 2023
• The inside of 24 Sussex is being stripped bare — with no plan to fix it up.Opinion · Edmonton Journal · May 2, 2023
• 24 Sussex to remain hollow shell as 'decommissioning' work continuesOpinion · Calgary Herald · May 2, 2023
• The inside of 24 Sussex is being stripped bare — with no plan to fix it upOpinion · Toronto Sun · May 2, 2023
• Ottawa’s little trains that couldn’t: How LRT left residents of Canada’s capital angry and wanting answersOpinion · Toronto Star · Jun 12, 2022
• Tom Spears: Ottawa’s little trains that couldn’t: How LRT left residents of Canada’s capital angry and wanting answersOpinion · Toronto Star · Jun 12, 2022
• In Ottawa, we’re now fighting the ‘Freedom convoy’ — because police have failed toOpinion · Toronto Star · Feb 13, 2022
• Dear Toronto: Here’s what to expect when the ‘Freedom Convoy’ comes to your townOpinion · Toronto Star · Feb 3, 2022
• Dear ‘Freedom Convoy’: Don’t expect a warm welcome from Ottawa — we’re not in the moodOpinion · Toronto Star · Jan 27, 2022
• Opinion | Dear ‘Freedom Convoy’: Don’t expect a warm welcome from Ottawa — we’re not in the moodOpinion · Toronto Star · Jan 27, 2022
• ‘Jessica’ caught me on a dull day — and I almost fell for her AI charmOpinion · Toronto Star · Jul 29, 2021
• Spears: Clogs in the federal information pipeline? Blame COVID, of courseOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · May 5, 2021
• Opinion | Why are we inflating our weather forecasts? The scam that is ‘wind chill’Opinion · Toronto Star · Mar 6, 2021
• The not-so-efficient problem of efficiencyOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jul 31, 2014
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Nov 26, 2012
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jul 18, 2012
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jul 18, 2012
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 18, 2012
• Ottawa CitizenEditorial · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 18, 2012
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Nov 29, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Nov 22, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Nov 22, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Sep 20, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 30, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 29, 2011
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...Opinion · Vancouver Sun · Jun 29, 2011
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...Opinion · Vancouver Sun · Jun 29, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 22, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 22, 2011
• Calgary HeraldOpinion · Calgary Herald · Jun 14, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 11, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 6, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jun 4, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 18, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 12, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 11, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 10, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Apr 9, 2011
• A guide to ultra- marathonsOpinion · Vancouver Sun · Feb 26, 2011
• Edmonton JournalOpinion · Edmonton Journal · Feb 26, 2011
• Edmonton JournalOpinion · Edmonton Journal · Feb 26, 2011
• Calgary HeraldOpinion · Calgary Herald · Feb 26, 2011
• Montreal GazetteOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Feb 26, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Feb 26, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jan 25, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenOpinion · Ottawa Citizen · Jan 24, 2011
• Ottawa CitizenEditorial · Ottawa Citizen · Jan 23, 2011