
Rachel Watts
CBC journalist
Rachel Watts is a journalist with CBC News in Quebec City. Originally from Montreal, she enjoys covering stories in the province of Quebec. You can reach her at [email protected].
Latest from Rachel Watts

Calls for investigation after some in Nunavik left out of vote due to polling station issues
Several people in Nunavik say voting booths closed early in their communities on election day — or didn't open at all. Now, some are calling for recourse to prevent this from happening again.
Canada -Montreal |

In this huge Quebec riding, Indigenous voters have lots of power — and specific concerns
Indigenous voters could change this Quebec riding spanning thousands of kilometres from eastern Quebec to Nunavik — where Inuit, Cree, Anishanaabe and Québécois needs converge.
Canada -Montreal |

Special mass held at Quebec basilica where Pope Francis visited on 'pilgrimage of penance'
More than 100 people gathered at the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec to honour the late Pope Francis. Nearly three years ago, he stopped in the capital as part of his visit to apologize to Indigenous people for the conduct of some members of the Catholic Church in Canada's residential school system.
Canada -Montreal |

City councillor in Quebec town charged with kidnapping and sexual assault
Bruno-Pierre Godbout of Chandler, Que., is facing a total of 12 charges, including kidnapping, harassment, sexual assault and assault with a weapon. He is alleged to have assaulted three women between 2010 and 2025.
Canada -Montreal |

Tears and disbelief after sudden closure of Quebec camp for autistic people
Camp O-Carrefour, just outside Quebec City, is closing its doors after more than a decade of business. Designed as a place for autistic children and adults and those with intellectual disabilities, several parents and caregivers now have to find a plan B.
Canada -Montreal |

'Someone's starting to listen,' says Abenaki chief, applauding defeat of New Hampshire bill
The Chief of the Abenaki Nation of Odanak says it's important to continue to push back against what he calls 'self-identified' Abenaki groups in the U.S. At the end of March, New Hampshire refused to pass a bill that would have given more power to some state-recognized tribes.
Canada -Montreal |

100-year-old WWII veteran who hoped for 100 cards for his birthday receives over 1,700
Gaston Pettigrew, who served during WWII's Battle of the Atlantic, was hoping to receive 100 birthday cards in time for his 100th birthday on April 11. He received more than 1,700, which are now plastered throughout his residence.
Canada -Montreal |

Torpedo bat craze: Inside a Quebec factory churning out baseball's newest trend
Torpedo bats are all the rage right now in baseball, including with big Major League Baseball stars. Employees at the B45 Baseball factory in Quebec City are ramping up production to keep up with demand.
Canada -Montreal |

Some Quebec coastal towns have no road to connect them. Will a new approach finally provide a link?
Quebec says the changes to the Highway 138 project will result in the highway being completed more quickly and at a lower cost. But some residents have been waiting decades for the road and are skeptical of new processes.
Canada -Montreal |

Mandy Gull-Masty resigns as grand chief, announces run for Liberals in northern Quebec
Mandy Gull-Masty was elected as the first female Grand Chief of the Cree Nation Government in Quebec in 2021. Speaking at a regular meeting of the Cree Nation Government on Thursday, Gull-Masty cried as she announced she had accepted the Liberal nomination.
Canada -Montreal |