leader Bill Graham announced that he would not seek reelection in the next federal election. On June 19, 2007, Graham announced he would be resigning his Toronto Centre seat effective July 2, 2007, to allow former Ontario New Democratic Party Premier and Liberal Party leadership candidate Bob Rae to run in the riding. Rae went on to win the Liberal stronghold riding in a March 17, 2008 byelection. On March 8, 2007, Liberal MP Jim Peterson announced that he would not be a candidate in his Willowdale riding in the next federal election. On June 20, 2007, Peterson followed Bill Graham's lead and announced his resignation from the House of Commons, effective July 12. Both Bill Graham and Jim Peterson resigned their seats early in the hope that Prime Minister Stephen Harper would be compelled to add those vacant seats to the scheduled September 17, 2007 by-elections in Quebec. On July 23, the Tory government announced that it would delay the Ontario by-elections so as not to overlap with the impending 2007 Ontario general election scheduled for October 10, 2007. When the by-election was eventually held in the riding on March 17, 2008, appointed former Liberal Party leadership candidate Martha Hall Findlay won handily. Also in March 2007, Bloc Québécois MP and former BQ House Leader Michel Gauthier announced that he would not run in the next federal election. He resigned his seat of Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean on July 29, 2007. Gauthier was replaced in a by-election on September 17, 2007, by newcomer Conservative candidate and former Roberval mayor Denis Lebel. On July 5, 2007, Liberal MP Stephen Owen announced he would resign his seat of Vancouver Quadra to accept a position at the University of British Columbia, his resignation effective July 27, 2007. Owen was replaced in the riding by former BC Provincial Liberal MLA Joyce Murray, after a by-election on March 17, 2008. On July 11, 2007, Liberal MP Gary Merasty announced he would resign his Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River seat, due to "family considerations", effective August 31, 2007. Merasty was replaced in the riding by Conservative newcomer Rob Clarke, after a by-election on March 17, 2008. On December 12, 2007, Liberal MP Lucienne Robillard announced she would resign her seat of Westmount-Ville-Marie effective January 25, 2008. On March 14, 2008 Bloc MP Maka Kotto resigned, followed by Liberal MP Brenda Chamberlain resigned on April 7. Another Liberal MP, John Godfrey, resigned