In "Borders," by Thomas King, the mother's refusal to declare either American or Canadian citizenship is best explained by her character's

In this case I believe the mother's pride is a characteristic that too many people have lost to "fit in" one way or another. When the Canadian border guard says, "you have to be American or Canadian" expresses how you can only be A or B, while the diversity that exists both in Canada and the U. S. is ignored. The trials she faced for standing up for what was right for her, emphasizing her heritage as Blackfoot, are minimal to what has been faced in the past. In the sense that her pride delayed the trip to Salt Lake City, yes it hindered her, but in reality it was her own personal victory. She is able to pass through the border by giving the same reply to the question of citizenship, which demonstrates how something that seemed to be so crucial (being Canadian or American), can be waved when you realize unimportant it truly is. However, winning one small battle is not like winning the war against cultural discrimination and injustice, yet this taught her son to be proud of whom he is. In the end, I believe her pride was necessary to show how sticking to your morals can bring about a drastic change, no matter how small.